Church opposed
By Ethan Benedicto
A new proposed church at 67 Shrives Road, NarreWarren South, has been met with strongwilled complaints from neighbouring and lo-
While factors like noise, visual distraction and traffic generation are on the table, the lack of development on Shrives Road itself also plays a hand in the residents’ minds regarding the new proposal.
Neighbouring homeowner for over 20 years, Goeff Warner says that not only is the proposal “out of place”, but it also “throws us under the bus”.
“It’s going to affect our area, the church wins, they get what they want and we [residents] lose the whole way; there’s no wins in it for us.
“You’re not going to see neighbours here go and attend their church, they just won’t,” Mr Warner said.
The application seeks for the granting of a permit for the use and development of a place of assembly on the designated address, which was purchased by the Immanuel Mar Thoma Church in 2018; the estimated cost of development is $3 million.
If a permit was granted, this would see the construction of a place of worship roughly 10 metres tall (in addition of the cross), with grilled fencing, an automatic sliding gate and a two-metre by one-metre signboard.
The church’s capacity is capped at 200 people, including priests, volunteers and parishioners, with 58 car park spaces.
Fellow neighbours Mark Sowden and Pierre (Peter) Camilleri are of the same mind, adding that they are both“concerned” with the proposition.
“I mean, 60 cars is not enough for 200 people and these people are looking for a new space from Hampton Park because there’s a lot of them,” Mr Camilleri said.
“If they’re going to overflow and park in
the nature strip here, then we can’t get out; we already have trouble coming out sometimes with the kindergarten.”
The total designated space for religious gatherings is 296 square metres, the office space at 31 with a total of 327 square metres in floor area, with parking set to be at the rear and access through the eastern side of the church; the lot size is approximately 4023 square metres.
This would also mean the demolition of the current, single-storey brick home, the brick garage as well as the gi shed at the rear of the property.
“Surrounding residences, even from here, from my kitchen window, you’re going to see it,“ Mr Warner said.
“No we’re not used to noise, my wife and I have to have complete silence, and some of us here have sleeping disorders; we need to be
able to have quiet.“
An attached letter of concern to the City of Casey was also included in the planning document; received by the council on 24 August 2023, it details that the current community attending the church services at Hampton Park has 115-plus registered families, with an average of four members totalling to 350-plus members.
Continued page 10
Traffic at Shrives Road is not uncommon to be congested until Dee Wy Road, some 1 kilometre from the intersection leading to Webb Street. (Ethan Benedicto: 421345)
Creative Professional Development Program
Expressions of Interest for our Creative Professional Development Program are now open.
Partnering with Craft, the program will provide artists, crafters and makers, who have a connection to the City of Casey, with the tools, advice and guidance they need to develop resilient and successful careers in the art and design sector.
The program will run from August to November, with individual mentoring sessions as well as a group professional development workshop.
Expressions of Interest close on Monday 12 August.
To apply and for more information, please scan the QR code.
Free tickets to cheer on the Dees
Don’t miss your opportunity to cheer on the Melbourne Football Club as they take on Greater Western Sydney on Saturday 27 July at 7.30pm at the MCG. To celebrate the Casey Round, residents can access up to four free tickets.
Easy steps to operate a safe home-based food
business.
All food businesses that prepare, store and handle food for sale are required to register with Council. Follow the steps to ensure your business is safe and meeting all requirements.
To learn more, visit the ‘Before you start a food business’ page on our website.
Come along and show your support for the Dees.
Scan the QR code to get your tickets now!
Casual facility hire
Looking to hire a function space on a casual basis?
We offer a range of facility hire options from large halls to meeting rooms for your celebration, community group or organisation.
To see what facilities are open for casual hire in 2024 and to submit an application, please visit our website.
For more information, contact Council’s Community Facilities team on 9709 9288 or email facilitybookings@casey.vic.gov.au
Casey Conversations
Provide feedback on a number of consultations currently open on our community engagement platform, Casey Conversations.
• Heritage at Casey: take part in our heritage survey or express your interest in joining the Heritage Community Reference Group.
• The future of waste in Casey: we’re seeking your feedback on changes to your waste service.
Head to the Casey Conversations website to find out more or scan the QR code.
Image courtesy of Craft Victoria. Photography by Henry Trumble.
Car dealer fined
By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Barry Bourke Motors and its hired tree removalist have been fined for illegally felling five significant-listed trees in front of the Berwick car dealership.
Three of the spotted gum trees stood on City of Casey’s road reserve, two were nearby on BBM’s land at 755 Princes Highway.
All five were protected as part of the Casey’s significant tree register of about 1864 specimens.
On 18 July, tree remover Ralph Iosefo pleaded guilty at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court to his role in the fellings.
A prosecutor told the court that the trees’ aggregate costs were estimated at more than $550,000 due to their age and significance.
During routine inspections every three years, there had been no health concerns raised about the “unique” and “significant”
gum trees, the court heard.
Casey Council says it was alerted by a community member to the trees’ destruction over two successive weekends in June.
Witnesses observed a “professional-looking operation“ with teams of six men cordoning off the service road and lopping the trees.
Iosefo, who has run Hurricane Tree Services for 10 years, later told Casey officers he was unaware of the trees’ protected status.
He had not checked whether permits were obtained for the removals, the prosecutor said.
Iosefo had said he was hired by BBM after a branch from a tree had fallen into the car yard.
The trees were also reportedly regarded as a trip hazard due to their prominent roots, and a flooding hazard due to blocking street drains.
On 15 February, BBM pleaded guilty to two charges related to the spotted gums’ removal.
The dealership was fined $40,000 and or-
dered to pay Casey’s costs of $7,443.50.
In dealing with Iosefo, magistrate Hugh Radford said he accepted that BBM was the “main culprit“ and had received a “significant” fine.
But he told Ioefo that “it should have been clear to you that a permit would have been required, on the basis of the trees being on the verge of the footpath.”
Iosefo had no prior convictions.
He was fined $1200 without conviction and ordered to pay $1500 costs to Casey.
Casey’s significant tree register includes more than 1000 River Red Gums, exotic and native species, and trees along Casey’s Seven Avenues of Honour.
The list is currently under review to ensure it’s up to date.
A spokesperson for Barry Bourke Motors said “The fine as ordered by the court was paid.”
Teen, boys charged
Police have charged a Doveton teen and three other boys following a string of alleged armed robberies across a number of Melbourne suburbs on Monday 22 July. Members of the Special Operations Group arrested two of the boys on the Princes Freeway in Officer at about 5.15pm on Monday 22 July, while police arrested the other two boys in Clayton on Monday 22 July.
Police have since charged the four boys in relation to a series of alleged offending across the east between Monday 15 July and Monday 22 July, which allegedly included a number of aggravated burglaries where motor vehicles were stolen and armed robberies at service stations targeting the theft of cigarettes.
Police have charged a 17-year-old Pakenham boy with 23 offences, including a number of counts of aggravated burglary, armed robbery and theft of a motor vehicle.
Police have charged a 16-year-old Pakenham boy with 17 offences, including aggravated burglary, theft of a motor vehicle, armed robbery and driving in a dangerous manner.
Police have charged a 14-year-old Doveton boy with eight offences, including theft of a motor vehicle and armed robbery.
Police have charged a 15-year-old Frankston boy with 10 offences, including aggravated burglary, theft of a motor vehicle and armed robbery.
All those charged will face a Children’s Court at a later date.
Investigations remain ongoing to identify a fifth offender believed to be involved.
To report any information, contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
‘Devoid of moral qualms’: fatal hit-run driver jailed
By Emily Woods, AAP
Less than three weeks after leaving a cyclist to die in Hampton Park, Peter Koutsogiannakis caused another dangerous crash.
Driving a stolen Mazda on January 23, 2022, he tried to skip through a queue of cars lined up at a train boom-gate.
Police tried to get him to pull over, but he sped onto the wrong side of the road and took off.
Koutsogiannakis then entered a bus lane against a red light and hit a Toyota sedan as they were turning right before striking a pole. He then ran from the scene.
The 30-year-old Endeavour Hills man’s “pattern of lawless behaviour” was aired by Judge Frances Hogan in Melbourne’s County
Court on Monday, as he was jailed for at least five years over an earlier deadly hit and run.
Koutsogiannakis drove through a red light and struck cyclist Makaro Manapori, 58, as he was riding to work in Hampton Park on January 6, 2022.
Mr Manapori was thrown 45 metres, with his bike found mangled and folded in half.
He was left “like roadkill” to die by Koutsogiannakis, the judge said previously, after he drove off and set fire to the stolen car used in the crash.
“You have shown yourself to have a sense of entitlement devoid of any moral qualms when it comes to ... the safety of others on the road,” Judge Hogan said.
“Your previous appalling driving record and failure to learn from repeated offending ...
made it only a matter of time before you would kill someone.”
Koutsogiannakis was convicted for crimes including theft and dangerous driving over the crash which happened weeks after he struck Mr Manapori.
Driving dangerously had “become a way of life” for him, and his decade-long criminal record showed he had“scant regard” for the road rules and safety of others, Judge Hogan said.
“You present as a 30-year-old who has lived a self-indulgent, lawless lifestyle, and have been a repeated menace to society.”
She jailed him for up to seven years and 10 months.
He must serve five years and three months before he will be eligible for parole, and has already spent more than one year behind bars.
Judge Hogan said he had a complete lack of remorse for the offending, which he continues to deny despite handing himself into police.
Koutsogiannakis’ lawyer had contacted police after photos of him running after setting a car on fire were released to media.
“I couldn’t live with myself,” he told officers just before he was interviewed.
But he fought the charges at trial, claiming it was a case of mistaken identity.
A jury in June found him guilty of dangerous driving causing death, failing to stop at the scene and failing to render assistance to the dying Mr Manapori.
Koutsogiannakis remained silent throughout the hearing and his supporters in court cried as his sentence was handed down.
The spotted gums in front of Barry Bourke Motors’ Berwick dealership prior to their destruction. (Google)
NEWS Transparency concerns
By Violet Li
Casey ratepayers are concerned about the loss of transparency after a new rule has been recently passed that requires the compulsory presence at the 4pm Council meetings for public question submitters.
The new rule that was endorsed at June’s council meeting led to only two out of 14 questions being read and answered at July’s meeting last week.
Casey resident Michelle Crowther submitted a follow-up question on the Maternal & Child Health Service and she received a fourhour notice on the compulsory attendance.
“If I didn’t attend in person, they weren’t going to answer the question publicly,” she said.
“I feel the change in requirements for the public to attend council meetings impacts people who are working or have family commitments.
“I was lucky that I could juggle my work and family commitments, but this might not be possible for everyone.
“Only two of the 14 public questions were answered publicly at this week’s meeting. This reduces transparency and reduces Casey residents’ ability to influence local issues.”
Casey Council proposed the new item in its Governance Rules at the April meeting this year.
“Any person who submits a public question will need to be in the gallery at the time the question and response is due to be read, except if it is determined to hold a Council Meeting in a virtual setting,” it states.
“If the person is not in the gallery, the Chair will not read the question and response, however, will note that the question will be recorded in the minutes of the Council Meeting, together with a copy of the written response.”
Two submissions were recorded in June’s meeting after the four-week public exhibition.
One of the submitters found the new rule confusing.
They suggested the rule be amended to avoid confusion and ambiguity to say that the Chair would read the question and response, however, would note that the question would be recorded in the minutes of the Council
Meeting, together with a copy of the written response, if the submitter was not in the gallery.
Council officers then made an amendment based on the comment.
“Officers have made a minor amendment to Rule 65.11 reflecting that a person must be in the gallery, rather than stating needs to be, for clarity,” the June council meeting agenda noted.
Another local Anthony Tassone, who submitted two questions, did not receive any notice before the meeting. His questions were not read and answered at the meeting.
“People’s lives don’t revolve around the schedule of council meetings being on the third Tuesday of the month at 4pm. They have everyday issues that are important to them,” he said.
“It’s a great initiative to have the ability to submit questions online to the council for consideration but having a requirement that they be present for the meeting itself is an unnecessary barrier.
“It will have a consequence of potentially fewer questions being considered by ratepayers, then that’s not what we want.”
Narre Warren’s Stephen Matulec submitted a petition with about 250 signatures to Casey last year to request a change of Council’s meeting times from 4pm.
The petition did not take effect.
He was told that residents could watch the meetings online at 4pm.
“People who watch the livestream or recordings of the meeting also cannot have their questions answered, as they need to be in the gallery. This also contradicts what the administrators said when reviewing the meeting times when we discussed last time,” he said.
“One of the reasons given for not having a later start time was that people could watch remotely or watch the replay, but now people who watch remotely or watch the replay cannot even ask a question.
“How can they encourage people to watch remotely if they are now making in-person attendance mandatory for questions?”
When contacted, City of Casey head of corporate governance Michelle Tipton said many councils included a provision within their Governance Rules for the submitter to be present in the gallery at the time the question was read.
“Casey’s Governance Rules state if a person is present in the gallery, the question and response would be read, which is then reflected in the Minutes of that Council Meeting,” she said.
“Where a person is not present, the question is not read, however, both the question and response are included in the Minutes of that Council Meeting. Council will also introduce a practice of providing the link of the Minutes to the public question time submitter.
“Casey’s Governance Rules were endorsed by the Council at its meeting in June 2024. The Governance Rules were subject to community consultation, with details of the changes and the proposed Governance Rules advertised on Casey Conversations for a period of four weeks.
“Those who submitted the public questions for the Council Meeting on Tuesday 16 July, were informed in writing that they would need to be present. They were also informed that if they could not attend, they could nominate a proxy to attend on their behalf.”
Harry Dickson’s lasting legacy seen in his family
By Ethan Benedicto
Known for being honest, hard-working, and loving, Harry Bowen Dickson continues to be a celebrated member of the local community after his passing last week.
Having moved to Edrington Village, Berwick in 2004 with his wife, Mr Dickson, according to his youngest daughter Anne De Kok, would always be remembered as a man who “loved his family”.
“Being with people that he loved, that’s what mattered to him, he was just a family man.
“He always taught us to be honest and work hard, you know, to treat people decently,” Mrs De Kok said.
These values are one of the many aspects of Mr Dickson’s legacy, traits instilled not only into his children but his grand and great-grandchildren as well.
However, his influence grew beyond that; well-liked amongst his many friends at Edrington, there was no question for Mrs De Kok that he too left a lasting impression that won’t easily be forgotten.
“I think he just loved being with people you know?” she said.
“He enjoyed his life there, he would help people out whenever he could; if there was anyone in need, he would try and be there to help and support them.
“You know, he just treated everybody decently, and that was just the way he was.”
Having celebrated his 105 birthday on 6 March 2024, Mr Dickson was well past the centenarian milestone, a feat that is a call for celebration on its own.
While his strong will and long life may have come from his milkman career of being always on the move and outdoors, or through
his birth where he was rubbed with lard and whiskey and then wrapped in cotton wool, it was being there for the family that kept
him steadfast. “He stayed strong for the family,” Mrs De Kok said.
“He was a loving husband, a loving father, a grandfather and a great grandfather; he was like that to his family and to everybody.”
Harry Bowen Dickson in the middle, with daughter Anne De Kok (right) and a close friend Anne Read (left) at his 105th birthday celebration. (Ethan Benedicto: 394720)
Casey Council. (File)
Calls to fix flooding road
By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Casey Council says its urging water authorities to take action on the continued flooding of an industrial estate on Centre Road and Rimfire Drive, Hallam.
On 16 July, businesses and drivers were again stranded by the latest inundation from the adjoining Hallam Valley flood plain.
The industrial estate on those two roads, as well as a section of Hallam South Road, were closed to traffic for several days as a result.
In a recurring theme for more than a decade, Centre Road - the estate’s only point of access - resembled a lake that could only be traversed by trucks and other large vehicles.
Last week, four stranded drivers were rescued by Narre Warren SES from waters up to 65 centimetres deep at the flood’s peak.
Unit controller Damian Burns said it was a timely demonstration why drivers shouldn’t venture into floodwaters.
“The vehicles were trying to go through flood water that was too deep for them. The vehicles were swamped and water was going in through the door seals.
“It can be deceptive. When you drive out of Rimfire Drive, it’s not too deep. You don’t realise how deep the water will get – and once you start, you get committed to drive on.”
Eclipse Security Systems owner Greg Flood, who is based in the Rimfire Drive estate, said he and his employees were working from home but it was difficult to get in deliveries.
“The ones I feel sorry for are the retail businesses and car mechanics who effectively can’t trade. There’s no way in or out for customers.”
In the past 18 months, he estimates about 10 floods in the water-logged estate – with Centre Road lower in some sections than the adjoining wetlands.
Businesses have long called for either a levee or the raising of Centre Road to repel the
frequent flooding.
They’ve also requested repairing Troup’s Creek bridge at Shrives Road as an alternative access in the event of flooding.
The bridge was long closed due to structural damage from heavy vehicles – though it was briefly reopened for a few hours for vehicle access on 16 July, Mr Flood said.
Casey Council city and asset planning manager Keri New said a detailed assessment of the bridge found that its reopening was “not feasible”.
This was due to the impact on traffic management, structural limitations and high costs.
Ms New said the council was exploring the feasibility of lifting Centre Road’s low points.
“Further engineering investigations and flood modelling are required to determine the
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suitability of lifting the road above flood levels without causing any upstream flooding.”
Casey had started local flood modelling. But this couldn’t be finalised without Melbourne Water completing its Hallam Valley Flood Mapping work to confirm the “ultimate flood levels”.
“This will inform Council decision on whether lifting the road in advance of Melbourne Water undertaking flood plain improvement works or the duplication of Hallam Road will reduce the incidence of flooding affecting road access,” Ms New said.
The council was lobbying Melbourne Water to speed up its master plan to reduce the ultimate flood level on Centre Road – which was believed to be “a few years away”.
In the meantime, Casey called for Mel-
bourne Water to “prioritise frequent maintenance” including desilting drains connecting urban catchments into the floodplain.
A general election for Casey City Council will be held in October 2024. To be able to vote in the election, you must be enrolled by the close of roll at 4 pm on Wednesday 7 August 2024. Two categories of voters can be enrolled to vote in the Casey City Council election: State-enrolled voters and Council-enrolled voters. State-enrolled voters
Am I enrolled to vote?
You are automatically enrolled for this election if:
• you will be 18 years of age or over on Saturday 26 October 2024 and
• you live in the City of Casey and you are on the State electoral roll for your current address.
You need to enrol if:
• you are an Australian citizen aged 18 or over on Saturday 26 October 2024
• you live in the City of Casey and you are not on the state electoral roll, or
• you have lived at your current residential address within the City of Casey for at least a month and have not yet updated your enrolment details, including any changes to your postal address.
How do I enrol?
You can enrol online at vec.vic.gov.au
You can also download an enrolment form from the website. All enrolment applications must be received by the Victorian Electoral Commission by the close of roll at 4 pm on Wednesday 7 August 2024.
How can I check my State enrolment?
You can check your enrolment details online at vec.vic.gov.au at any time, or call 131 832.
Council-enrolled voters
Am I enrolled to vote?
You will be already enrolled as a council-enrolled voter if you:
• were automatically enrolled at Casey City Council’s last general election in October 2016 because you owned property but did not live in the council area
• your circumstances haven’t changed.
If this doesn’t apply to you, you may still be entitled to apply to enrol with your council.
New rules mean you are no longer automatically enrolled if you are a non-resident property owner (e.g. a landlord or a business owner that pays rates) and purchased your property, or moved out of the municipality, after 26 August 2016.
Who else can enrol & vote?
To be a council-enrolled voter, you must be:
• 18 years of age or over on Saturday 26 October 2024 and
• not a state-enrolled voter within the City of Casey.
You may apply to enrol if:
you have purchased a rateable property in the City of Casey since the last election but you are not a resident of the City of Casey, or
you are not an Australian citizen and you live in, and pay rates for, a property within the City of Casey, or
• you pay rates on a property you occupy in the City of Casey and have no other voting entitlement within the City of Casey, for example you are a shop tenant and pay rates to the Council for the tenancy, and you have no other voting entitlement within the City of Casey, or
• you are a director or company secretary of a corporation within the City of Casey that pays rates to Casey City Council and you have no other voting entitlement within the City of Casey.
How do I apply to be a Council-enrolled voter?
If you meet any of the criteria and wish to enrol, contact Casey City Council on 9705 5200 for a council enrolment form. Council enrolment forms must be received by the Council by the close of roll at 4 pm on Wednesday 7 August 2024
How can I check if I am Council-enrolled?
You can check your enrolment details by contacting the council on 9705 5200.
Thinking about standing for election?
To nominate as a candidate for Casey City Council, you must: be an Australian citizen and enrolled on the voters roll for Casey City Council and
• be eligible to become a councillor and
• have completed the mandatory candidate training provided by Local Government Victoria before lodging your nomination with the Election Manager.
For further information, visit vec.vic.gov.au
Enrolment closes 4 pm Wednesday 7 August 2024
State-enrolled voters can register for free VoterAlert SMS and email reminders at vec.vic.gov.au
A marooned SUV is passed by a ute at the flooded Centre Road and Rimfire Drive estate. Hallam Valley wetlands are in the background. (Supplied)
Greg Flood and other affected business people at Centre Road, Hallam in late 2021. (Stewart Chambers: 259111)
Say ‘Hellow’ to the team
By Ethan Benedicto
Umbrella Support’s Hellow Media was officially underway with an exciting start on Thursday 18 July, after all 12 participants gathered in the Bridegwater Family and Community Centre for an afternoon of filming.
Donned with stage lights, backdrops a camera and a teleprompter, it was easy for nerves to hit everyone early on, but according to Cindy Warren, all it took was for that someone to take the first step, and everything else followed like clockwork.
“I am so proud of these guys, today has been amazing, every single one of them has stood in front of the camera and I honestly didn’t think that was going to happen,” Ms Warren said.
“For us [support workers], it’s about creating that space of feeling calm, feeling safe, and feeling like you’re part of a team”.
With some teamwork exercises to warm up before stepping in front of the camera, the group of 12 braved the shining lights and began their introductions for the first piece, with Ms Warren remarking that it didn’t take long for them to ease into it.
For her, it was to foster that realisation within the members to “get to know each other and to understand that this is a really safe space, but also a space to grow and a space to learn”.
“There’s excitement and buzz in the air, every single one of them is now lining up for a second time, they want to do it again.
“This opportunity is not readily available to a lot of people, so to create this space and to give them this chance is so exciting, and to see them shine and to walk out of here today with smiles is going to be amazing,” Ms Warren said.
Although there was a script to follow, every participant was more than keen to add their own twist to their parts, adding the flair of character that very well embodies the group, from big smiles to flashy poses. The next step for the team at Hellow Media is to put their people skills to the test, with the aim to contact local businesses, organisations and clubs for a possible feature in the group’s YouTube channel, but also to “find out what they do to help others in the community”.
“I’d really like to look at more not-for-profit organisations that give back and how we can help them spread their message and their outlets as well,” Ms Warren said. While the afternoonwasshort,itwasthestarttheteamneeded to throttle them into the coming release of their first episode which has yet to be announced.
Dinosaurs roam Casey Fields, Cranbourne East for Lyndhurst Secondary College Athletic’s Carnival. (Stewart Chambers: 420811)
Ben smiled big after finishing his introduction. (Ethan Benedicto: 420364)
Zoe struck a pose as the team finalised their shots. (Ethan Benedicto: 420364)
The Hellow Media team; back row from left to right: Jordan (Media Consultant), Thomas B, Thomas E, Lachlan, Ashleigh, Shan, Ryan, Claire, Krystle (Support Worker); front row from left to right: Cindy Warren (Company Director), Delia (Program Volunteer) Zoe, Gipsy, Bethany, Tyson, Ben, Jessy (Support Worker). (Ethan Benedicto: 420364)
Veolia breached licence
By Violet Li
Hallam Road landfill operator Veolia breached its licence and the general environmental duty, the Supreme Court found.
Winsome Anderson, who owned a 38-hectare property east of the landfill, accused the landfill operator Veolia of breaching its licence and the general environment duty and interfering with the potential use of her land.
The court accepted the two breaches but dismissed the claim of interference.
Ms Anderson is entitled to seek relief from the two breaches under the Environment Protection Act 2017, but she will not be compensated for the assessment of a vent curtain system along the boundary under the claim of interference.
The vent curtain system was to mitigate the migrating landfill gas (LFG).
The trial started on 15 November 2023 and Justice Michael McDonald delivered the judgement on Thursday 18 July 2024.
Ms Anderson claimed that Veolia breached its operating licence and general environment duty (GED), as the tip’s landfill gas (LFG) had migrated to her property and exceeded safety benchmarks at the boundary.
Veolia rejected the claims.
The court ruled that Veolia breached its licence by failing to take all practicable measures to prevent emissions of LFG from exceeding the prescribed levels by up to 80 times in the subsurface geology at the landfill boundary.
It was discovered that between 1 July 2022 and 30 October 2023,Veolia failed to take three practicable measures to prevent emissions of methane gas from exceeding the benchmark in the subsurface geology at the landfill boundary.
The three practicable measures included placing a final cap on cell 12, ensuring the optimal efficiency of its LFG extraction system, and preparing and implementing a remediation action plan.
The court revealed that cell 12 was full in May 2020 and cell 13 in February 2023, andVeolia’s licence mandates that the operator must cap the cells within two years of complete fill.
Experts evidenced that there was no current impediment to Veolia placing permanent caps on both cells.
As the design faults in the leachate drain-
age measures of cells 12 and 13 provided a pathway for LFG to escape, the final capping would be “very likely” to stop LFG’s continuous escape.
Veolia did not explain its failure to put a final cap on cell 12.
However, experts evidenced that it was common to wait as long as possible to gain commercial interest for the landfill operator to place more waste inside the cell.
Veolia was found to accordingly breach the general environmental duty.
Ms Anderson also claimed that the pollution from the tip hindered the potential horticultural development of her land, as it necessitated the design of an “in-ground pathway intervention structure at the boundary of the landfill to address the changing risks of LFG”
in the information requirements of the planning permit application.
An email from Ms Anderson’s planning consultant to Casey’s statutory planner revealed that Ms Anderson was “not prepared to invest what would be a considerable amount of money in an attempt to satisfy these comments without first having the security of a planning permit”.
The absence of the design later led to the rejection of the permit.
Ms Anderson initially sought a $14 million “in-ground pathway intervention system in the form of a landfill gas vent curtain system”.
Later in March this year, she revised the order to seek an assessment of the feasibility of constructing a vent curtain system along the 600-metre boundary.
Considerations when starting a business TAKING CARE
Borrowing outrageously from a famous quote by Niccolo Machiavelli in “The Prince” (1513) which was actually about the difficulty of managing change:
“…there is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.”
It occurs to me that this quote could just as easily be applied to starting a new business.
Typically there is a lot of initial excitement especially around the nature of the product or service that is being provided, but there are some fundamental questions that really need to be answered if the business is going to be successful.
Here are five key questions that should be considered:
Who is my target market?
No matter how good your product or service, if people don’t know about it, you can’t sell it!
This means understanding who will buy your product/service and the market sector to which they belong so that you can target your prospective clients more precisely.
However, unless you have created something completely different (highly unlikely), you will have competition in this space in which case it is vital to be able to answer the question:
“why would someone buy from me instead of the competition?” so that you can apply this knowledge in your marketing material.
How can I make money with my product or service?
Selling is of course important, but making money (i.e. profit) is essential.
However, if you have never sold the product or service before, how much do you know how to charge?
The answer is to build a budget for the financial year based on a set of assumptions and include everything you can think of that will come in and go out. It is well worth being a bit conservative about the income from your prospective sales as people tend to over-estimate how much revenue they will actually achieve in a year.
When it comes to expenses, you need to consider all possible overheads (such as wages, utility costs, bills etc) as well as the costs associated with the sales themselves (e.g. raw materials or contract/casual labour).
Based on the amount of product sold or service provided and the sales you need to make, you can then estimate the product price or charge out rate. What business functions do I need to think about?
This is pretty straightforward: sales, marketing, production or service delivery, fi-
nancial control, staff wellbeing, customer support and overall business direction (the ‘Entrepreneur’ role as Michael E Gerber describes it in the “E-Myth Revisisted”).
The latter is frequently overlooked but is critical as it effectively constitutes ‘working on the business’ and enables clear focus.
What do I need to focus on?
Thiscanbeconfrontingsincetherewould appear to be so much but this is where a ‘business strategy’ can really help.
This essentially comprises defining specific strategic SMART goals which need to be achieved and should provide a method for measuring and managing progress. Who do I need to assist me?
When starting out, don’t try to do it all yourself otherwise you will waste time on things better done by others. It is essential to get a good accountant to structure your business correctly right from the start, a bookkeeper to manage accurate accounts and a decent business advisor can help.
Ian Ash ACC AIECL AInstIB
Managing Director OrgMent Business Solutionswww.ombs.com.au
The court dismissed the possibility of the order as Justice McDonald did not consider it “reasonably necessary to prevent, minimise or remedy Veolia’s breach of the GED or noncompliance with the licence”.
He also stated that Ms Anderson had not established that “but for the presence of LFG on their land, the City of Casey would have granted their planning permit application for a horticultural development”.
The court is considering orders forVeolia to prepare a landfill gas remediation action plan that identifies all practicable measures to reduce emissions of LFG at the boundary, implement the action plan, and provide the final cap design for cells 12 and 13 at the landfill and progress construction of the caps.
It will make the final orders on 26 August.
Man struck in hit-run
A man has been deliberately struck in a hit-run in Doveton on Sunday 21 July, police say.
A black Holden station wagon and a white Holden ute had been allegedly involved in illegal burnouts and street racing in the Tristana Street area about 11am.
The 42-year-old Doveton victim approached the drivers, asking them to curb their behaviour, Sergeant Paul Holtzinger of Achilles Taskforce police told ABC Radio.
The drivers got out of their vehicles and assaulted him in a home driveway, Sgt Holtzinger said.
According to police, the station wagon driver then deliberately drove at the man who was still on the driveway.
The victim was rolled onto the bonnet as he and the vehicle went through a neighbouring timber fence into another residence’s front yard.
He did not require medical treatment. An SES crew repaired the damaged fence, Sgt Holtzinger said.
The two males in the Holdens drove off toward Paperbark Street.
At this stage, they and the vehicles have not been located, police say.
Any information or dashcam/CCTV footage to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au
Landowners Lindsay Anderson (left) and Winsome Anderson (right) next to the Hallam Road Landfill in 2018. (FILE)
Precinct in the works
By Violet Li
Clyde is one step closer to a new sports precinct as the Casey Council acquired a part of the designated land.
The proposed Clyde Park Sports Precinct, which is 6 kilometres away from Casey Field, will provide facilities for several underserviced sports in Casey, such as baseball, softball, rugby league, rugby union, and hockey, according to the Council Meeting agenda back in June 2019.
The agenda proposed the compulsory acquisition of three private properties outside the Urban Growth Boundary on the southeast corner of the intersection of Ballarto Road and Muddy Gates Lane in Clyde. They are the 1910 Ballarto Road, the 1980 Ballarto Road, and part of the 225 Muddy Gates Lane.
City of Casey Manager Growth and Investment Kathryn Seirlis confirmed that the Coun-
cil compulsorily acquired a part of 225 Muddy Gates Lane pursuant to the Land Acquisition and Compensation Act 1986 in January 2022 for the future construction of the Clyde Park Sports Precinct.
The conditions of the other two lands are unable to be shared by the Council at the moment due to legal privilege.
The proposed sports precinct will also integrate with the proposed future adjacent Clyde Regional Park.
When asked about the timeline of the proposed sports precinct, City of Casey Manager City and Asset Planning Keri New said the development of sport and recreation infrastructure in the Clyde Park Sports Precinct was a long-term project that might not be delivered for many years.
“Work hasn’t commenced on the preparation of a masterplan for public consultation,” she said.
but also their
Being active key to de-stress and mental health
By Ethan Benedicto
A recent survey, called the Largest Sporting Survey by rebel Sports revealed that 67 per cent of Australians use sports and exercise to relieve stress and support their mental health.
For participants of the Berwick Springs Parkrun, this sentiment rings true, with Amanda Cunningham saying that being active and taking on running as an everyday activity changed her life.
Amanda first began running in December of 2015, but was instead greeted with a series of unfortunate events; from her husband Dave’s heart attack and surgery, and the passing of close family members in the years to follow.
For Amanda, running and exercise has given her an “outlet”.
“I don’t think I could have gotten through what I’ve been through since 2015 if it hadn’t been for exercise.
“I’d probably be sitting in a corner somewhere, having been through the crap with [Dave’s] health, losing my sister, losing my parents, and other things going on in the family.
“It’s helped keep me focused and sort of not fall in a wallowing heap, so to speak,” she said.
However, it wasn’t necessarily just being
active that helped Amanda, with her also adding that connections made with the running community can be long-lasting, with the friendships playing a key role in her destressing.
Vice chancellor of research and executive dean of the Institute of Health and Wellbeing at Federation University’s Berwick Campus, professor Remco Polman said that in short, moving around is key to staying physically and mentally healthy.
According to Professor Polman, being physically active results in positive emotions, “it releases endorphins, which makes you feel better”.
“Exercise and sport are good for you, but doing it in a club context is even better, so having these social aspects, this connection with other people is above and beyond just doing exercise.
“I think it’s even more important postCOVID because people probably lost quite a lot of connections, and sport, again, is a way to reconnect with people rather than online,” he said.
Both Zavanya (Sav) and Donna are also on the same page, agreeing that communities such as Park Run foster not only the essence of being active but the enjoyment of engaging in these activities through the connections made.
To Sav who has been part of Parkrun for
over 10 years, it’s as simple as getting outside with people”.
“I suffer from anxiety and have found relief in walking or running, [and] when I was running all the time I got so much joy in what I was achieving.
“The other thing is, the people we’re meeting on a Saturday morning to go do a park run or for a walk during the week, you’re talking about lots of different things; you’re not caught up sitting in your house,” Sav said.
Donna, who was reluctant to participate at first said that once she did, she was immediately reeled in by the community spirit.
“I kept turning up by myself every week, my first friend was a man in his 60s.
“You form friendships with people that are very tight, so there were a lot of things that came out of just that one moment of going,” she said.
Speaking on physiological changes benefitting psychological factors in the human body, increasing fitness leads to improved blood flow to the brain, which also correlates to an enhancement to the brain’s executive functions, according to Professor Polman.
“There are these changes happening, and they help in making better and quicker decisions because of the diffusion of nutrients and oxygen in the brain is decreased due to better blood flow,” he said.
Exercise is also directly related to P300 brainwaves – P3 for short – which measures the brain’s event-related potential and are typically associated with cognitive functions such as decision-making and attention.
The professor added that exercise has been shown to increase the amplitude of P3 waves; reinforced by research from a journal article on the effects of acute moderate exercise by Dr Naresh Jumar et al. with latency in P3 waves being significantly reduced after exercise.
“If you keep exercising, you actually can see that these things maintain over time, the brain as a whole responds in a better way when people exercise compared to when they don’t.
“The key here is that you have to exercise on a regular basis to reap the benefits, so if you really want to improve your fitness levels, you have to do it in a systematic and regular way,” Professor Polman said.
To Dave, Amanda’s husband, being physically active has saved his life once after suffering a heart attack, and the couple aims to maintain their lifestyle, step by step.
For Sav, sometimes all one needs to do is “put your pants on each day”.
“If you put your pants on, you can get out the door, and if you can get out the door you can get walking or running.”
Sav (left) and Donna (right) are long-standing members of the Berwick Springs Parkrun, and have listed benefits of being active not just in their fitness,
mental health. (Ethan Benedicto: 421292)
Amanda Cunningham has been part of Parlrun since 2015, and has said that running and being active have served as her outlet to destress and keep herself at ease.
The proposed Clyde Sports Precinct (yellow) is next to the proposed future Clyde Regional Park (green) and the future Melbourne Water retarding basin. (Casey Council)
Tributes to former MP
By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Former Cranbourne Labor MP Jude Perera has died at the age of 71.
His family announced with “deep sadness” on social media on 23 July that their “beloved father, grandfather and our whole family’s rock passed away” .
Several current state MPs such as Lee Tarlamis, Pauline Richards and Tim Richardson paid tribute to their former colleague.
Perera was the first Sri Lankan-born and –educated MP elected to a lower house of parliament in Australia in 2002.
He served four terms, retiring in 2018 after a long battle with renal disease and two kidney transplants.
Growing up in Sri Lanka, Perera was steeped in left-wing politics in what was a turbulent environment.
His father Edmund, a coconut plantation manager, was a leader in the Marxist party Lanka Sama Samaja and hosted meetings with activists around his kitchen table.
After dabbling in politics and struggling to make ends meet, he left Sri Lanka with wife Iranganie and two small children for a “better life”.
He joined the ALP in reaction to the Kennett Government.
And in 1998, his political know-how helped him to build local support for ALP preselection in the seat of Cranbourne.
In his memoir released last year, he says many Sri Lankans were intially surprised at his preselection in what was then a heavily Anglo Saxon electorate.
“Many asked questions such as, ‘Did they easily give it to you?’,” Mr Perera writes.
“What they really meant was, ‘How come a dark-skinned Asian migrant has been selected by the white skin majority to stand for parliament?’”
Growing up in rural Sri Lanka, Mr Perera was steeped in left-wing politics in what was a turbulent environment.
His father Edmund, a coconut plantation manager, was a leader in the Marxist party Lanka Sama Samaja and hosted meetings with activists around his kitchen table.
After dabbling in politics and struggling to make ends meet, he left Sri Lanka with wife Iranganie and two small children for a “better life”.
In Australia, he joined the ALP in reaction to the Kennett Government.
His memoir Challenging Incomplete Democracy delved into great detail into his political philosphies. It also described when then-Opposition
Leader Daniel Andrews dumped him as opposition parliamentary secretary.
Perera had missed a division during Parliament resulting in the Opposition“losing a vote we should have won”.
“I was sick as a dog and was disappointed with how Daniel Andrews had treated me, a loyal supporter.
“This event coupled with my health issues led me to consider retirement.”
In 2020. Perera appeared as a witness in the IBAC Operation Sandon inquiry into alleged corrupt dealings between property developers, MPs and Casey councillors.
He admitted during the inquiry that his formal submission in favour of a land zoning in Cranbourne West was effectively written by developer John Woodman’s planning consultant.
Perera had earlier received financial support from the developer JohnWoodman for his election campaign, an IBAC report found.
“Mr Perera contended that this did not generate any sense of obligation… that assertion
was contradicted by the lengths to which Mr Perera went to further Mr Woodman’s requests and objectives,” IBAC reported.
Prior to the report’s findings, Perera told Star News that he agreed that Victoria should follow NSW’s lead and ban political donations from developers.
“The issue is that people should not give donations for personal favours.”
Reflecting on his tenure as an MP, Mr Perera told Star News that he was most proud that he helped many with immmigration and visa issues.
He says he went beyond the call of duty. And in many cases his intervention helped people migrate to Australia.
However, Mr Perera said last year that his health is “not the best”. After two failed kidney transplants, he was back on three dialysis treatments a week.
He was listed for a third transplant, but unlikely to receive it due to his age and the extra antibodies he’s acquired from previous transplants, he said at the time.
SEMMA slams cuts to training organisations
By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A South East manufacturers group has labelled State funding cuts to 22 private training organisations as “senseless”.
The State Government argues that the affected registered training organisations (RTOs) were providing courses in over-supply or weren’t aligned with workforce needs.
However, South East Melbourne Manufacturers Alliance (SEMMA) says the RTOs provided much-needed nationally accredited courses.
“It’s hard to understand why the policy makers think cutting funding during a skills crisis will help fill skilled roles or upskill people who are desperately needed in the manufacturing and building trades,” SEMMA chief executive Honi Walker said.
“This defies the government’s own recent
Skills First program that clearly outlines the industries that are considered priorities. It makes no sense.”
Walker said the skill shortages would severely impact the Government’s proposed renewables sector growth and its housing plan.
SEMMA has also long warned of skills shortages such as welders, CNC machine operators and engineers.
“It is just not feasible to think reducing the number of training courses won’t negatively impact the number of trainees.
“Some people don’t enjoy the TAFE experience and prefer an RTO instead.”
Opposition skills and training spokesperson Bridget Vallance said as a result of the cuts, RTOs were describing “detrimental and long-term impacts for many industries, including construction, manufacturing and
early childhood education”.
The State Government argues the 22 reduced contracts were a small minority of the 242 Skills First contracts to RTOs.
The contracts were awarded according to highest priority workforce needs such as construction, clean economy and aged/disability care, it argues.
“This year, we’ve invested a further $555 million into the training system, which will support even more Victorians to upskill into meaningful, well-paid careers,” a Government spokesperson said.
“We’ve given our RTOs more certainty this year so they can plan for the future and deliver quality training toVictorians that is aligned with real industry and workforce needs.”
In 2024, the Skills First contracts were extended to two-year terms for the first time.
SEMMA chief executive Honi Walker argues training cuts make no sense in a skills shortage. (Supplied)
The newly-elected Cranbourne MP Jude Perera on the steps of State Parliament in 2002. (Supplied)
Jude Perera appearing at the IBAC Operation Sandon inquiry in November 2020.
The retiring Cranbourne MP Jude Perera, pictured right, on the hustings in 2018. 188079 (Stewart Chambers)
Zain earns VCE award
Casey Grammar graduate Zain Wasif received a prestigious Premier’s VCE Award after scoring top marks for Industry and Enterprise.
Zain, the 18-year-old from Officer, was recognised for his hard work and outstanding achievement in the 2023 VCE at a special presentation ceremony at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on Wednesday 17 July.
The Premier’sVCE Awards recognise the exceptional accomplishments of individual students and pay tribute to the schools, teachers and families who play a valuable role in supporting students during their VCE studies.
Zain attended Casey Grammar School for six years and Industry and Enterprise was one of his favourite VCE subjects.
It prepares students for the world of work and incorporates topics such as the workplace culture of different organisations, occupational health and safety, the impacts of changing societal values on workplaces and the impact of technology.
“The subject builds enterprising skills and work experience through a range of practical
and written tasks. We looked at our own personal work experiences so far to understand how various industries operate and we studied a range of Australian and international industries,” Zain said.
Zain, who is now studying physiotherapy at university, has some advice for the current batch of VCE students preparing for exams later this year.
“Understand how VCE grades are marked, break down the questions and be straightforward and concise in your answers,” he said.
“Don’t stress too much, take breaks and enjoy activities outside of study, too.”
“Casey Grammar is thrilled to see Zain receive a Premier’s VCE Award. It is very well-deserved and recognises Zain’s commitment to his studies,” Casey Grammar principal Fiona Williams said.
“Zain was an exceptional student who always did his very best inside and outside the classroom. He brought energy and plenty of ideas to school and Casey Grammar wishes him the very best for his future.”
Locals share concerns on proposed church
From page 1
It added that the plans would not be able to accommodate the volume of patrons, considering that their current site at Holy Trinity Anglican Church “average 90-plus cars on Sundays” and “have been warned several times by CFA next door… due to fire hazard/ ambulance hazard in blocking of the road”.
“We majority of members of Immanuel Mar Thoma Church feel that we are not being given the fair facility we are supposed to get from the so called church construction team,” the letter said.
The writer of the letter shared some similar concerns with the neighbouring residents saying that current planning capacity limits “will lead to serious traffic blocks as well as accidents, fire hazards and ambulance hazards on Shrives Road”.
“Majority – more than 60 per cent – of the members in the church community is of the opinion that we need to plan ahead for at least five years and make a decision of acquiring a bigger land and building a bigger church in a commercial or multipurpose zoning,” the letter said.
Currently, the site at 67 Shrives Road has been designated as a Low Density Residential Zone.
According to the planning document in relation to the impact on neighbourhood character, careful consideration for landscaping has been taken into account, with the front and the rear setbacks open for planting canopy trees.
In addition, it also stated that the proposed building is “highly articulated with a variation of colours” which aims to minimise the appearance of visual bulk; furthermore, it was also stated that if and when complete, the development would enhance the streetscape and provide visual street appeal.
Mr Warner’s other concerns lay with Shrives Road’s current condition, with traffic congestion extending from Webb Street, and along Dee Wy Road through peak hours of the day, with the speed limit still capped at 70km/h.
“If you’re coming from Hampton Park, you’re going to be trying to make a right turn and even at the best of times it’s actually a danger,” he said.
Included in the application, theTraffic Impact Report detailed that Sunday peak hours would be 10am to 11am, with volume at 585 vehicles eastbound and 452 westbound.
The document stated confidence in patrons utilising existing public transport, but in the event that all visitors were to arrive by car – with 65 trips in and out expected – the
traffic generated by the site is stated to be readily accommodated by the surrounding road network.
For Mr Warner, however, the church’s maximum capacity of 200 people with 58 car parking spaces poses a concern for the current traffic volume.
“Neighbours have been complaining here for around 10 years about the road if you’re coming from Fountain Gate, you tend to go up quite quick and if there’s someone turning out of the driveway, you’re not going to see them,” Mr Warner said.
In more detail, the proposed use of the church would see 200 people between 9am and 11am on Sundays, 85-100 people for Sunday school between 11am and 12pm and 50-60 people for regional language school on Sundays between 12pm to 1pm.
Young family fellowship on Sundays, between 4pm to 6pm would see 50-70 people, with choir practice on Saturdays accommodating 50-60 between 4:30pm to 6pm.
Prayer fellowships on Fridays between 6pm to 7pm would see 20-30 people, and weekdays will have 5-6 visitors for counselling and or special meetings and must be attained through appointment.
Operating hours for the church would be as follows: Monday to Friday from 9am to 7:30pm, Saturdays from 9am to 6pm and Sundays from 8:30am to 6pm.
The traffic report adds that Shrives Road “already carries higher levels of traffic during the AM and PM peak hours and operates at a good level”.
“The additional traffic generated by the site is negligible on a Sunday morning and considered to be very low – less than 50 vehicles per direction – impact on Shrives Road,” it said.
Lack of proper footpath access was another issue that Mr Warner had been concerned about, with crossing to the opposite nature strip from 67 Shrives Road made difficult due to the lack of proper crossing amenities and traffic calming devices.
If improvements to Shrives Road were made beforehand, such as widening of lanes, Mr Warner believed that “it would lessen the concerns dramatically”.
“It would make it a lot safer to put in proper footpaths; it’s not just the traffic.
“They [the document] talk about using footpaths that are 300 metres away, it’s the lack of footpaths on this side, there aren’t any,”
he said.
Touching on the access to the site through public transport, the planning document states that the site is “not considered to be within the public transport network”, but that there are buses operating within 350 metres of the site at Harold Keys Drive.
It also added that with the development of the area, it is “recommended that council investigate” the provision of a footpath on the southern side of Shrives Road and a proper crossing to the north.
As it stands, there is no direct way for pedestrians to access 67 Shrives Road.
Mr Warner and Mr Sowden met with Casey’s senior statutory officer, planning and building, Lachlan Leahy on 17 July, expressing their concerns about the proposed development.
The City of Casey will not be deciding on the application before 29 July, with a Facebook page titled ‘No Church here thank you’ reminding local members to submit their objections to council before the cut-off date. The planning application is open to the public and can be viewed at the City of Casey’s website.
Casey Grammar graduate Zain Wasif received a prestigious Premier’s VCE Award after scoring top marks for Industry and Enterprise. (Supplied)
The current home at 67 Shrives Road will be demolished to make room for the proposed church. (Ethan Benedicto: 421351)
Seat-swap hoon is fined
By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A Berwick hoon has been sentenced over seatswapping with a passenger while driving on Monash Freeway and other dangerous acts.
Subhanu Mittal, 20, had pleaded guilty to 15 charges including reckless conduct endangering life, driving with a suspended licence, dangerously losing traction and being a Pplater driving a prohibited vehicle.
Police had detailed Mittal’s 360-degree burnouts, fishtailing, 200-km/h drag racing on Monash Freeway as well as seat-swapping at high speeds on the freeway, in Domain Tunnel and on Princes Highway, Hallam over four months in 2023.
During the seat swaps, the high-powered BMW was left on cruise control and lane-assist while without a driver for up to 17 seconds. One of them was performed on the Monash on a Saturday afternoon.
With his licence suspended at the time, Mittal posted his Domain Tunnel seat-swapping video on social media with the label: “No licence, no worries”.
During the stunt in Hallam, Mittal swapped seats with a 17-year-old learner driver moving out from behind the wheel.
On a video of the incident, the L-plater exclaimed “that was crazy as s***” and that he wouldn’t do it again.
Mittal responded that it was “safe as”. There was no one in the driver’s seat for nine seconds, the court heard.
In a sentence indication last month, Dandenong magistrate Julian Ayres rejected a prosecution submission for jail time, as well as a defence submission for a non-conviction.
He noted there was a need to protect the community from “potentially disastrous consequences”.
Leaving the driver’s seat was “almost at the highest end of reckless conduct”.
“It was a miracle there was no crash or collision. It’s extraordinary – thankfully – almost inconceivable that it didn’t happen.”
On the other hand, Mittal was “very young” at the time and “obviously very impressionable” with a limited history of driving offences and no drug or alcohol issues.
“(I’m) not sending him to jail but it has to be a conviction. It’s too serious globally,” Mr Ayres said at the time.
In sentencing on 17 July, Mr Ayres said he doubled the 12-month minimum licence loss
stolen John Deere tractor
Police are investigating following the theft of a tractor from a vegetable farm in West Pearcedale on Saturday 22 June.
Unknown offenders attended the market garden of the property on South Boundary Road at about 12.30am on Saturday 22 June.
The offenders then stole the large green 2000 Model John Deere 5075E tractor with registration XW57BA.
Investigators have released an image of the $60,000 tractor and CCTV captured from a neighbouring property showing the stolen piece of machinery being driven north on South Boundary Road towards Baxter-Tooradin Road.
Police are appealing for public assistance to help get this tractor back where it belongs.
Detectives are particularly interested in anyone who may have sighted the tractor or anyone who may have CCTV or dashcam
due to the multiple dangerous acts.
Mittal was convicted, fined $4000, disqualified from driving for two years and put on a two-year community corrections order.
The CCO includes supervision, mental health treatment and a likely road-trauma awareness course.
Victoria Police also applied to confiscate the high-powered BMW used for much of the offending.
The car was owned by the company of Mit-
The issue was set for a hearing at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 21 October.
Mittal’s co-accused twin brother Sushant meanwhile is contesting up to 110 similar charges at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court in July.
The twin had rejected a sentence indication in March that included a jail term if he pleaded guilty.
footage from the time and area of the theft. Anyone with information that could assist is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a report at www. crimestoppersvic.com.au.
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A CCTV footage from neighbouring property showed the stolen tractor being driven north on South Boundary Road towards Baxter-Tooradin Road after midnight. (Victoria Police)
The stolen large green 2000 Model John Deere 5075E tractor with registration XW57BA. (Supplied)
tal’s father. The father told the court he was seeking legal advice on whether to oppose the forfeiture.
Jail term for drug driver
By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A Hampton Park drug-driver has been jailed after fleeing from police across several suburbs, ramming a divvy van and crashing at high speed into two cars at a red light.
Ilija Stojanovic, 35, pleaded guilty at the Victorian County Court to a bevy of charges including conduct endangering life, recklessly causing injury, failing to stop at a car accident and theft, firearm and drug offences.
Sentencing judge Claire Quin said it was fortunate that victims weren’t more seriously injured, given he didn’t brake or take evasive action as he crashed into the turning cars at more than 100km/h at a Lynbrook intersection.
In the early hours of 1 November 2023, he had been detected driving a stolen 2012 Jeep Cherokee with false plates at high speeds on Monash Freeway.
He accelerated away from an attempted
police intercept, which was abandoned due to the risk to the public.
Tracked by the police Air Wing, Stojanovic reached speeds of about 150km/h on the freeway and more than 170km/h on South Gippsland Highway during a 25-minute escapade.
Stojanovic later reversed into a police divisional van which partially blocked his car in his home’s driveway in Hampton Park.
Two officers – one outside the van and one just starting to get out – had to take evasive action.
Police deployed stop sticks on Short Road but Stojanovic continued accelerating through traffic on two deflated tyres.
At between 112 and 127km/h, he ran a red light at Lynbrook Boulevard and South Gippsland Highway and crashed into two turning cars.
There was no evidence of Stojanovic brak-
ing prior to impact.
One of the drivers suffered severe bruises and persistent pain in her thighs, shoulders, chest and knee as a result.
The Jeep crossed a grass median embankment, crashed into a pole and came to rest on the opposite side of the highway.
Stojanovic fled on foot towards Lynbrook Village shopping centre, jumping down an embankment wall where he was arrested.
He was hospitalised for a month with leg injuries – which have hampered him ever since. A blood test revealed that meth was in his system.
Police seized a deal bag of meth and a gun magazine, gun barrel and ammunition round, the Jeep’s original plates and a stolen drivers’ licence.
The Jeep had been stolen from Fountain Gate shopping centre about a week earlier.
Judge Quin noted that Stojanovic was trau-
matised by growing up in war-torn Bosnia.
His family initially settled in Keysborough in 2000 with limited possessions, little command of English language and no money.
The judge wasn’t satisfied that he’d suffered “profound disadvantage”, given that he’d started his own painting business.
Stojanovic had extensive priors for similar drug, driving, gun and dishonesty offences.
His daily ‘ice’ abuse, reportedly to cope with childhood trauma, was directly linked to his offending but was no excuse, Judge Quin stated.
She had “limited confidence” in him overcoming his drug addiction, though his injuries may deter any further offending.
Stojanovic was jailed for four years, with a non-parole period of two years and three months.
He was disqualified from driving for five years.
Push for medicinal cannabis driving changes
By Corey Everitt
A South East resident is sick of living in fear for simply taking medication for chronic pain, prompting him to support the establishment of a legal defence for unimpaired drivers with a medicinal cannabis prescription.
A 68-year-old retiree, for the last five years Brad has been prescribed medicinal cannabis to help his sleep and treat chronic neck pain.
Despite having a strict nightly regimen where he never gets behind the wheel within 12 hours after treatment, he can still lose his ability to drive if he tests positive for cannabis.
“I only take it at night, there is nothing recreational about it, it’s not my thing,” he said.
“It can make a real mess of things for me, I am never ever sure if I will run into a drug bus.
“I always leave 12 hours after using any of the medicine before I get behind the wheel, but cannabis can stay in you for a month.”
The psychoactive effect of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) - the main component of cannabis - lasts only a few hours for an average dose.
However, THC is a fat soluble compound which can store in fat cells meaning it can remain in a person’s system for a matter of days or even months while a person in all other factors is sober.
Victoria Police at roadside testing use a saliva drug test which can detect the usage of marijuana up to 24 hours after usage.
If not detected, the police can ask for an impairment assessment and follow up with a blood or urine test - the latter can come back positive for cannabis use within the previous 30 days depending on level of use.
A first time detection through a saliva test penalises the driver with a 6-month suspension.
Brad has been driving for over 50 years with no offence to his name after thousands of kilometres within his personal and work life.
He finds it offensive that he could be among criminal offenders for something his GP prescribes him.
“I’ve never had a serious penalty, never lost my licence, never gone over in demerits,” he said.
“The community is better with me taking this medication, otherwise I will be driving without a good night’s sleep.
“I’m treated like a criminal for taking a legal drug.”
The alternatives are limited for him, he could go off the medication which would severely limit him as his wife lives with mobility issues.
He could try a different treatment such as opioid painkillers, which he has been prescribed in his life.
He took up medicinal cannabis in his retirement and stuck with it as he got away
from opioids - a highly addictive drug which the World Health Organisation says is attributed to 600,000 deaths worldwide by 2019.
Cannabis is much more manageable and effective for him, even though‘it’s never been really his thing’ he can keep use and tolerance down.
“It’s an analgesic, muscle relaxant, it turns the whole thing down and tolerance builds slowly,” he said.
“Whereas opioids build up straight away, you have to increase your dosage for it to work. It makes you feel crook, I had liver problems when I was taking it - all of that is gone.
“I keep to a strict daily dosage, when I feel it’s not working as usual, I take some time off to build back tolerance.”
Nonetheless, Brad says he has to choose to be‘worried all the time of being caught’. To him it doesn’t seem much relief will be coming from Spring Street anytime soon.
Recently, the State Government announced they will be starting a trial to test medicinal cannabis users while driving.
Expected to wrap up by late 2025, this was a delay from a promised solution by 2024 given by then Premier Andrews in 2023.
The problem for Brad is compounded by his experience of never wanting to drive while impaired.
“Many of us take it at night, some people have to have treatment in the day, but we don’t want to drive under the influence,” he said.
“But this Government has done very little for the issue and seem like they are resigned
to doing nothing this term.”
The central concern is legal, Brad supports the recent campaign by Legalise Cannabis Victoria MP Rachel Payne in calling for a legal defence for unimpaired drivers who test positive.
“Ordinary working Victorians are losing their licence even though they are taking their prescribed medication as directed by their doctor,” Payne said.
“There is nothing wrong with their driving. They shouldn’t be penalised because testing only shows presence.
“It’s a six-month loss of licence for a first offence, and a 12-month loss of licence for a second offence. We will campaign hard in July to secure a legal defence for Victorian patients.”
Legalise Cannabis Victoria MPs David Ettershank and Rachel Payne. (Supplied)
SHOP LOCAL & WIN!
Your Berwick Star News and leading local businesses are giving you the chance to win a $50 gift voucher from businesses across the region!
We are publishing this Shop Local & Win page in the Berwick Star News for the next four weeks listing local businesses that have something special to offer. You have the chance to win a $50 gift voucher from each participating business... that makes for a super prize!
For
New pool campaign builds
By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A pro-Doveton Pool sticker campaign has been launched to press for funding the complete $14.7 million upgrade of the site.
Doveton Eumemmerring Township Association chair Stefan Koomen was pleased that Casey Council’s early works were going ahead as planned.
The council has allocated $4.26 million to the works in 2024-’25.
However, without federal and state funding, the revamp has been scaled down from a $21 million revamp to $14.7 million.
The project is staggered across three stages, with the council funding the $7.91 million stage 1 rebuild of the outdoor 50-metre pool.
Future stages will be subject to funding from state and federal governments as well as community feedback, according to a council report in March.
“Our campaign is still continuing for funding and delivering the next stage of the upgrades so that the pool remains a great destination for families,” Koomen said.
“We are giving away free stickers so people can get behind the campaign.”
Casey Council confirmed at a public question time on 16 July that preliminary works had started onsite, with pool replacement works to start after the 2024-’25 season.
“We do not anticipate any major disruptions to the pool operation and opening times this summer,” Casey city design and construction manager Mick Barrett stated.
Meanwhile, the relocatable building at
BUSINESS PROFILE
Pool at the Park is set to be relocated to Webb Street, Narre Warren.
It had previously provided a temporary kindergarten and been leased as office space. Doveton College were seeking to lease it for adult education, according to Koomen.
“With the adoption of the (pool) master plan and the intention to provide public open space for the community it is time for this building to be relocated and the land vacated for public use,” Barrett stated.
The building will provide a home for Casey North Information and Support Service, which assists vulnerable clients and families, he stated.
After a fierce community campaign in 2021, Casey Council reversed its plans to replace all of the pools with parkland.
However DETA has criticised Casey’s plans to remove the childrens shallow pool and slides.
According to an earlier council report, the rebuilt pool may include environmentally sustainable design features, such as energy capture and recovery, more efficient electric services, and water use and capture systems.
Stage 2 could include a beach sand pit, plaza, canopy tree planting, upgraded splash pad, playground, outdoor fitness equipment, barbecue and toilets.
Stage 3 will upgrade the pool building.
The stickers are available via savedovetonpool.com or 0403 033 243.
Shining bright at St Margaret’s Berwick Grammar
Students are encouraged to shine bright at St Margaret’s Berwick Grammar thanks to the school’s innovative Diamond Education Model.
Four years ago, the school developed a world-leading Diamond Education Model, which SMBG principal Dr Annette Rome says provides students with the best of all worlds when it comes to tailoring teaching and learning in ways that cater for the different needs of boys and girls.
The school is co-educational during the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program offered through the Early Learning Centre and the Junior School, which helps the younger students develop positive relationships with the opposite sex.
In year 7, SMBG students study at dedicated campuses; the girls at Berwick and the boys at Officer.
In senior years there are cross-campus socio-emotional learning opportunities with boys and girls coming together to participate in house events, debating, performing arts and camps.
In VCE students of both genders are brought together for learning and activities, which allows the school to offer a wide range of VCE subjects, while also preparing students for the next step in their lives as respectful young adults.
Dr Rome said the Diamond Model “honours all that we know about single-gender education“ and builds on the decades of research carried out into co-education which shows that there are subtle differences in the learning and support needs of boys and girls. For example, boys typically have shorter attention spans and benefit from practical teaching methods. Girls typically have longer attention spans but often lack confidence in their own abilities, particularly in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects.
“The Diamond Model allows students to develop as strong empowered young women and as good men and yet still have opportunities to be with each other in a controlled environment,“ Dr Rome explained.
“There is a lot of evidence, particularly around adolescent girls, that their ability to learn subjects like maths and science is ad-
vanced in a single sex environment. Having worked for many years in girls’ schools and many years in co-ed schools, the Diamond Model to me is the ideal model which is why we introduced it.”
Under the Diamond Model students are unaffected by traditional gender stereotypes with more girls choosing STEM subjects and more boys feeling empowered to take up creative subjects and get involved in the performing arts.
Equally important is the reuniting of students during the final years of their secondary educational journey for some shared learning.
“At the senior end of the school there are some shared classes which I believe promote a healthy pre-tertiary environment,“ Dr Rome said.
“The benefits of having the capacity to interact as respectful young people is maximised, academic opportunities are broader and also the learning opportunities are richer having a broader variety of perspectives at the senior end of school.
“It really does prepare young people for university and also teaches and emphasises respect.
“The other benefit is that throughout the whole school journey the girls and boys can interact and learn about themselves and each other through social and emotional learning opportunities. For example there are shared orchestras, choirs, productions, some camps and service learning which is what we call community service.“
The Diamond Model is unique to SMBG. Other schools have approached Dr Rome keen to learn the secrets to the model’s success.
Dr Rome said the Diamond Model has been embraced positively by the teaching staff and SMBG families.
“Because we have staff who work across both schools, the experience and understanding of the whole school is much stronger and it means a lot of systems and processes are closely aligned.
“It teaches everyone an understanding of boys and girls and to appreciate the strength of both cohorts,” she said.
“The Diamond Model has been completely energising for students and staff. We involve the students a lot in decision making and the kids have responded very positively.”
She added parents were also supportive
of the model, which allows their children to be taught in ways that best suits their gender while ensuring they share the same core SMBG values.
St Margaret’s Berwick Grammar’s vision is to ’strive to be our best, now and in the future, for the enrichment of all and the planet“.
Dr Rome and her staff believe the Diamond Model is the best way to help all students succeed and achieve the school’s vision.
St Margaret’s Berwick Grammar students are encouraged to pursue their passions.
Doveton
Stefan Koomen with daughter Frankie and the new Doveton Pool campaign stickers (Supplied)
Dandenong Pavilion dining
Dandenong Pavilion (DPav) is delighted and extremely proud to have won the MMM Best Parma in Melbourne. Our team of highly motivated and experienced chefs work tirelessly to create and deliver some of the finest food available in Melbourne and winning the Best Parma in Melbourne is testimony to this. Matt, our head chef and Joel, our venue manager, have truly enjoyed working with the MMM team, and we thank MMM for this wonderful opportunity.
We use only the freshest ingredients, and for our parma we only use free-range chicken, quality cheese and Napoli. We have developed a process whereby the breast remains moist while being thoroughly oven baked and the Napoli is home-made and tasty.
Dpav has been established for 18 years and provides the ultimate dining experience to our many satisfied guests, over 4,500 of whom have reviewed our establishment with a social media average rating of over 90%.
The venue offers:
· A modern, stylish and comfortable environment.
· Plenty of on-site parking.
· A large menu catering for all dietary requirements (including children).
· Disabled facilities.
· An elegant bar area and an amazing, heated al fresco area set in gardens.
Our function spaces cater for up to 50 guests seated and around 80 in a cocktail format. Over the years, we have hosted weddings, birthday parties, engagements, wakes, baby showers, and numerous corporate events. Dpav is open every day from 11.30am to 10.30pm (kitchen closes 9.30pm). We look forward to entertaining you in our venue, and guarantee that you will enjoy your experience or we will make amends.
A few additional features: DPav is an award-winning restaurant (please
check our website for details). In addition to the best Parma in Melbourne, we also have award-winning burgers, a range of homemade scrumptious (and original) desserts, and a suite of enviable entrees a menu of Specials that changes each month. Dpav prides itself on offering the best value-for-money across the entire menu, with only top-quality produce, generous portions at affordable prices and friendly helpful service.
Coffee DPav also serves fantastic coffee, with our
baristas formally trained, and for all you coffee lovers, we are open all day, so if your local closes in the afternoon, we offer you free parking on-site, a comfortable environment (inside and out), and great coffee.
Pav’s Pantry
We have recently launched our own range of in-house, take-home condiments following lots of customer requests, all available to sample while dining and to buy on your way home. The range is called Pavs Pantry and comprises a range of sauces, spices and other condi-
DANDENONG PAVILION
ments we have used in our dishes for many years, with products available on-line at www. pavspantry.com.au or at the restaurant.
The Pav’s Pantry range comprises Habanero Hot Sauce (mild, medium & hot), Smokey BBQ (Plain and with Cayenne Pepper), Buffalo Sauce, Cajun Seasoning Spice, Chicken Salt, and from September 2024, the range will expand to include Tomato Relish (Smooth & Chunky), our unique Paprika Chips Salt, Garlic Salt and Fried Chicken Seasoning.
WINNER TRIPLE M BEST PARMA IN MELBOURNE
WE ARE TOTALLY CHUFFED! AND OUR CHEFS ARE OVER THE MOON!
DANDENONG PAVILION HAS WON ANOTHER AWARD WINNER OF THE 2024 TRIPLE M RADIO STATION BEST PARMA IN MELBOURNE
Dandenong Pavilion has been established for nearly 18 years and we have won 12 awards. We are open for lunch & dinner 7 days a week from 11.30am to 9.30pm. Come for the food, stay for the experience. Plenty on-site parking, function spaces, stylish bar, heated al fresco area set in gardens, large menu catering for all dietary requirements.
Dandenong Pavilion – Come for the food, stay for the experience.
WHAT’S ON
Merinda Park Learning & Community Centre
Join us on July 24th, 9.30m onwards to see what Merinda Park Learning and Community Centre can do for you. Enjoy a day of free classes and activities, visit our childcare, chat with our friendly staff, learn about our programs, give us feedback, meet new friends or perhaps, enjoy a cup of tea in our Drop-in lounge - your lounge away from home.
Berwick Neighbourhood Centre
Open Day
If you would like to view our rooms and meet our wonderful educators at our little centre, please feel free to attend our Open Day on Saturday 27 July 2024 from 9.30am to 11am at 112 High Street, Berwick. We offer 3-year-old Play & Grow for children turning 3 by the end of April in the year they enrol and childcare for children aged 15 months to 4 years. We have shorter sessions being either 5 hours in Play & Grow or a 3- or 5-hour session in childcare. If you qualify for the childcare subsidy, we can apply it to your fees. Please note that these sessions are very popular, and we have very limited spots left for 2025 - our Bush Adventures that we offer is already full and a waiting list now applies, so don’t delay in enrolling your child if you would like a spot for 2025. For more information visit berwickneighbourhoodcentre.com or contact the centre’s Timbarra office on 0397041863.
Cranbourne
U3A
OUR NEW ROOMS IN BOWEN STREET
During the term break our members have been very busy setting up our furniture ready for classes to commence on July 15th, next Monday. It has been lovely seeing the main room transformed from a Kindergarten to our social and educational rooms for our many classes. The Council has been extremely helpful getting last minute maintenance done so all is ready now. Our craft classes, music and singing groups are all excited to begin again. If you would like to visit us we are at 20 - 22 Bowen Street, Cranbourne, near Camms Road. Drop in between 10 - 3 each weekday. We would be happy to show you around.
· Or you can visit our website for more detailswww.u3acranbourne.org.au
Casual dancing is part of the many activities the Casey Cardinia Life Activities Club has to offer. (Stew Chambers: 145671)
Casey Cardinia Life Activities Club
Casey Cardinia Life Activities Club can offer you stimulating Activities and Friendship. We hold weekly Social Activities with dance to low-key in-line dancing if you want to tap your feet, great music, chat time, then enjoy scrumptious afternoon teas! Day, short and long trips away via Coach, a Weekly Morning Coffee Club, Monthly Saturday Country Pub lunches, Monthly Evening / Day Tuesday Dine - Outs, Weekly Walking Group, Weekly Table Tennis Group, Seasonal Daytime
ASRC Foodbank @ RRH Dandenong Food Drive
Food drive supporting people seeking asylum Saturday 27 July: 10 am to 2 pm
Please help us make a difference in the community! ASRC Foodbank @ RRH Dandenong is hosting a food drive on Saturday, July 27th, from 10 am to 2 pm. We provide food to people seeking asylum who do not receive government support. We would love your donations of basmati rice, canned veggies (corn, peas, carrot and tomato), tuna in oil, coconut cream/milk, olive oil, biscuits, razors and deodorant, jam/honey/peanut butter.
· The drop-off location is at the rear of 205 Thomas St, Dandenong (enter via the Oldham
Musical Theatre Outings, Entertainment Function Days and more. Come along and get to know us by visiting us on Thursdays at 2 pm (socialising and low-key dancing, no partners needed, at Brentwood Park Neighbourhood House Bemersyde Drive Berwick, or, do join us for a Coffee and a chat with our friendly bunch on a Wednesday at 10 am at Little Sparrow Cafe Fountain Gate.
· Are you new newly retired, or new to the area, or For more information, don’t hesitate, just contact our Enquiry Officer Gloria on 0468363616
Lane car park).
· For more information, please contact Kate Quin at kate.q@asrc.org.au. Your generosity will make a real difference! Thank you!
Cranbourne Senior Citizens Free Community Day - Proudly sponsored by the City of Casey.
Dance with Eileen Hams, lunch and afternoon tea included, Friday 2nd August 10:30am-4pm. Not a member? Doesn’t matter, come along and join the fun.
· Weekly activities - Line Dancing Mon. 10am12pm, New Vogue and Old Time Dance Tue. 1pm-3:30pm, Carpet Bowls Wed. & Sat. 11:30am-2:30pm, Bingo Thur. 11am-2pm.
· For all enquiries or bookings contact Marilyn
Casey’s Rainbow Action Plan launched
The City of Casey has since endorsed their Rainbow Action Plan 2024-2028, which aims to improve the lives of the council’s LGBTQIA+ residents and families.
The plan was developed in consultation with the local community throughout 2023 and 2024, providing a roadmap for actions and initiatives that promote LGBTQIA+ inclusion, equality and protection from discrimination.
Casey’s chair of administrators, Noelene Duff PSM said that the plan is vital in improving outcomes for the community.
“Every individual, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or sex characteristics, deserves to feel safe and respected in their community,” she said.
The Action Plan itself focuses on three main components, which are inclusion, leadership
and safety with actions such as:
- Embedding policies, programs and services that support LGBTQIA+ communities
- Ensuring LGBTQIA+ inclusion is publicly promoted throughout the community
- Providing staff and volunteers with learning opportunities to increase awareness about LGBTQIA+ inclusion
- Collaborating with other organisations to develop resources to support inclusion and safety for LGBTQIA+ people
- Developing and leading inclusion initiatives across the local government sector
- Strengthening the cultural safety of existing programs, events and facilities
“As an advocate and ally of the LGBTQIA+ community, council is committed to improv-
ing the lives of people and families from our rainbow community by reducing discrimination and exclusion and increasing access to local support services.
“We are immensely grateful to our community members who provided feedback and shared their experiences which has helped shape this Action Plan,” Ms Duff said.
Moving forward, the action plan will use a monitoring and evaluation framework to ensure that the council’s efforts are effective and accountable.
The cycle will undergo a process of monitoring performance and evaluating outcomes; bi-annual updates; an annual comprehensive report; and consulting with the Rainbow Advisory Committee, which continues with future endeavours.
mobile 0432 107 590.
Blind Bight Community Centre
Art Smart with Sandy - 40 years of experience in teaching Art and Design to adults/children both overseas and in Melbourne. These Art classes are designed to focus on teaching students the fundamentals needed by every artist i.e. basic techniques of the art form, exploring a variety of materials, enhancing drawing skills and broadening the scope of creative possibilities and your artistic potential.
Tuesdays 6th August – 10th September 6 weeks 10am – 12 noon
Cost $240 per person, per term (includes tutoring & materials and to be paid in full prior to the class proceeding) Max number 6
Stamping Flair
This will be a birthday card series and each week you will create 2 birthday cards based on a theme. Join in for an individual class or register for the entire series and get a discounted price. Class will include everything you need to complete your projects including guided instruction.
Friday 8th August - 7.00pm - 9.00pm
Cost $20 per session or $70 for 4 sessions. Contact Rochelle Laird-Smith 0404 255 001
The hey dee ho music program is an educational music experience where children learn the concepts of beat, rhythm, tempo, pitch and dynamics in a play-based environment. Different educational themes are presented each week using props, puppets, costumes and percussion instruments to deliver a multi-sensory experience.
· Tuesdays 23rd July to 17th September 2.00pm - 2.30pm. Cost $13 per child, per class and children under 12 months are free. $117 per term. For more information contact Catherine on 0417 591 229 or book below.
· For more information & for bookings www. blindbightcommunitycentre.com.au
Casey Council has since endorsed their Rainbow Action Plan, which aims to foster a safe and inclusive environment for LGBTQIA+ residents and families. (On File: Unsplash)
THE LOWDOWN Q&A
Tell us about yourself and the organisation(s) you work for.
I have been married for 17 years to my wife Lauren who is a midwife and we have three children: Max, Ella and Ruby who all attend a local high school.
As health professionals, my wife and I have spent our professional careers serving and caring for others which we feel very strongly about.
I was born and raised in Mildura and moved to Melbourne when I was 18 to study pharmacy at university. Growing up in the country gave me a strong sense of the importance of community and how important primary producers and industry is to our employment and our economy.
ThePharmacyGuildofAustraliaisamember’s association that represents Australia’s 6000 communitypharmacies. Pharmaciesarethemostfrequentlyvisitedandaccessibleprimaryhealthcare destination in Australia.
What has been your most memorable moment during your time in that (those) organisation (s)?
A once-in-a-century global pandemic with COVIDwasverymemorablebothasapharmacist inmypharmacyandbeingarepresentativeofthe Pharmacy Guild. Our pharmacy kept our doors openandturnedupeverydaytoprovidecareand advice for our community. At first, pharmacies were not part of the COVID vaccination roll-out and as part of my role with the Pharmacy Guild, I advocated strongly that pharmacists should be able to administer the vaccine and patients receive it from their local pharmacy. In September 2021,IstoodwithPremierAndrewsatalive-to-air press conference to promote the COVID vaccine rollout through pharmacy.
What do you love the most about working for the organisation (s)?
Helping make a difference to people’s health
NEWS
with Tooradin Ward candidate Anthony Tassone
Tooradin Ward candidate Anthony Tassone. (Violet Li: 419757)
and wellbeing every day both as a local pharmacist at the local level and advocating for primary healthcare on a state and national level.
If you were an animal, what animal would you be?
I’m a dog person. I love how dogs are loyal and give unconditional love. I can relate to that.
What were you like as a kid?
Asakid,IwasalittlemorequietthanIamnow but have always had a determination to ’have a go’ and make a difference even as a School captainofmyprimaryschoolatIrymplePrimaryoutsideMildura. Inacountryprimaryschool,wehad large class sizes often with multiple year levels.
What event, past or present, would you like to witness?
I would have loved to have been at the Sydney
Clay arts to grace Bunjil Place in August
Exhibition Generation Clay: Reimagining Asian Heritage will grace Bunjil Place from 3 August, celebrating the vibrant versatility of clay by a new generation of Asian-Australian contemporary artists.
The exhibition is curated by Vipoo Srivilasa, an award-winning contemporary artist and curator, who invited fourteen artists from across Australia to create new work using a palette of predominately blue and white.
These works re-imagine cultural expectations, presenting a fresh perspective within a traditional colour palette and form.
Blue and white ceramics have a long and complex history tracing back centuries from early Islamic and Chinese wares.
Together, these artists are redefining traditional and ceramic forms to reflect their personal histories and memories, cultural heritage, and family tied to mythological and popular culture narratives.
The artists include Armie Sungvaribud (TAS), Asahi So (NSW), Casey Chen (NSW), Dai Li (Qld), EJ Son (NSW), JayantoTan (NSW), Mai Nguy?n-Long (NSW), Monica Rani Rudhar (NSW), Nani Puspasari (VIC), Theodosius Ng (VIC), Yang Qiu (NSW), Yen Yen Lo (VIC), Yoko Ozawa (VIC) and Zhu Ohmu (VIC).
At the centre of the exhibition is The Bloom Room, a special making area where exhibition visitors can participate in a range of changing monthly activities, from hand-crafting origami flowers and tiny clay objects to sharing stories.
The colour blue is also a unifying feature of the exhibition’s design, alluding to the wider discourses of blue and white patterning, its connections to the global movement and its reinterpretation and translation through form and motif over time.
‘’I have brought together some of the most
exciting ceramic talent and together we are creating, what I believe, is a first-of-its-kind exhibition – Asian Australian ceramicists interpreting the blue and white palette in new ways,” Vipoo said
“I have also worked with the Asian diaspora on the exhibition design, construction, writing and photography of the show.
“The works, along with the participatory nature of the exhibition is something that I’m very proud of.’’
The exhibition will be from 3 August to 24 November 2024.
An opening celebration will be held at 9.30am on Saturday 3 August, along with a Tea Ceremony.
An Artist Market will be held on the same day from 10am to 2pm, featuring 35 stallholders, including artists from the exhibition.
Olympics in 2000. Seeing Australian athletes representing our country and winning Gold at home brought immense pride to our great country.
Which six dinner guests, dead or alive, would you invite to dinner?
I would have a mix of entertainers, creative people and world leaders who I think would be interesting: Winston Churchill, Queen Elizabeth II, Marilyn Monroe, Nelson Mandela, Leonardo DaVinci, and RobinWilliams.
What three words would your friends use to describe you?
Determined. Approachable. Leader.
What would you do on your perfect ’day off’?
Spend it with my family in any activity we could all actually agree on! I love going to the beach and spending time near the water so a day trip or spending any time on the coast works for me.
Where is your happy place?
Walking my cavoodle Betty around the local neighbourhood. IdomybestthinkingwhenIam out walking with her. Also playing guitar helps clear my mind.
If you had to compete on MasterChef, what dish would you cook?
Pasta is my favourite food so my go-to dish would be fresh homemade Spaghetti bolognese with pork and veal and a nice glass of Australian red wine.
Where is your dream holiday destination?
Being from an Italian background I would love totakethefamilyonatriptoEuropetolearnmore about the history and experience the culture.
THREE … ways to get involved with the National Homelessness Week
1
Organise a creative fundraiser Drawing pictures for others’ furry friends, running a marathon, a barbecue at the park, and selling your homemade cookie and lemonade are all creative and achievable ways to fundraise for the cause. And they are also ways to bring some colours to your lives.
2
Volunteer with organisations Offering your time and action for free is one of the most straightforward ways to help people in need. Local community organisations that support underprivileged people always need an extra helping hand and maybe it’s where you can start.
3
Write to your local MPs and council Homelessness is not an issue that could be solved overnight. Collective and continuous efforts are the key. You can start with the advocacy with a single email or letter.
An unrivalled location on the corner of Station Street and Rossiter Road in the heart of Koo Wee Rup. The site of 118m2, offers the unique opportunity to occupy one premises, while receiving an income from the other with an established tenancy in place.
The site benefits from the following features:
• Established tenant in place paying $1,030 + GST, and outgoings per month on a lease to February 2025, with a 3-year option to renew
• Suitable for immediate owner occupation in the other premises
• Prominent corner location
• Rear shared car park
Address: 275 Rossiter Road, Koo Wee Rup
Floor Area: 118m² | Category: Retail FOR SALE $500,000
For more information or an inspection, please contact: Shannon Hynd | 0499 980 100 Commercial Department Manager Todd McKenna | 0418 391 182 Managing Director
Bunjil Place. (FILE)
The land affected by the application is located at: 52 Carolyn Close NARRE WARREN NORTH VIC 3804 Lot 2 PS 912806T
The application is for a permit to: Two Lot Subdivisionn and Variation of Covenant in Instrument N049100S
The applicant for the permit is: MG Land Surveyors
The application reference number is: PA23-0710 - (Bhavna Gungabison)
You may look at the application and any documents that support the application at the office of the Responsible Authority. City of Casey Bunjil Place 2 Patrick Northeast Drive NARRE WARREN This can be done during office hours and is free of charge.
Documents can also be viewed on Council’s website: https://www.casey.vic.gov.au/viewplanning-applications
may object or make other submissions to the Responsible Authority.
An objection must:
•be made to the Responsible Authority in writing to, Manager Planning, P.O. Box 1000, Narre Warren 3805 or emailed to caseycc@casey.vic.gov.au
• include the application number and site address
• include the reasons for the objection, and
• state how the objector would be affected.
The Responsible Authority must make a copy of every objection available at its office for any person to inspect during office hours free of charge until the end of the period during which an application may be made for review of a decision on the application.
The Responsible Authority will not decide on the application before: 12 August 2024
If you object, the Responsible Authority will advise you of its decision.
TIP-STARS
Party balloons to Paris for Henderson
By David Nagel
Blowing up balloons and dressing up as a fairy are part of the unique journey of Berwick’s Rebecca Henderson who will represent Australia in race walking at the Paris Olympic Games.
The just turned 23-year-old is currently at the Australian athletics team camp in Montpellier, France, and arrives in the Olympic Village on 29 July.
She will have two days to put the finishing touches on her preparation for the Women’s 20km Race Walk on Thursday 1 August, before partnering up with Declan Tingay in a new event; the Marathon Race Walk Mixed Relay on Wednesday 7 August.
Henderson will become a dual Olympian in Paris, after finishing 38th in the 20km event in Tokyo in 2021.
She is currently ranked 19th in the Road to Paris qualifying series, so expectations are high that she will obliterate her finish from three years ago.
“Anything in the top 20 would be really great,” Henderson said from Switzerland, just days before heading to France.
“My best result at a world championship is 20th, so if I could improve on that, that would be fantastic.
“To Athletics Australia, top eight is a final, so that would be really great.
“I’d have to race the best I’ve ever done, but you never know.
“It’s not out of the question, so that would also be a really great goal.’’
Despite now being a familiar and respected figure in Australian athletics, Henderson has had to endure the financial challenges that many Olympians face.
Preparing for an Olympics is expensive, with overseas training and events a necessity if an athlete wants to train with and compete against the best.
Bec has received almost $10,000 from the Australian Sports Foundation, which is the non-profit fundraising platform through which people can make tax-deductible sports donations.
But the former Dux of Berwick College has also taken things into her own hands, supplementing her part-time work as a dental nurse
through a variety of jobs; from hosting kids birthday parties and shopping centre workshops, to tutoring a handful of high school kids in maths and science.
“I often go to shopping centres and we run craft workshops, so often I’m wearing a fairy dress, or if it’s Christmas an elf dress or Easter Bunny stuff,” she explained.
“Sometimes we do cookie or cupcake decorating or face painting and I can do balloon animals, which is probably my favourite one, making the balloons.
“I get to travel around a bit; we do giant bubbles as well, and the kids love that one. It’s a great job!
“My parents, Cathy and Wayne, have made lots of sacrifices throughout my life, so me working definitely puts not as much pressure on them.
“They’ve helped me get to the Olympics, and get the race experience in I need as well.’’
Unfortunately, her family won’t be in Paris - it’s too expensive - but will be at next year’s worlds in Tokyo, where Bec recently nailed the qualifying time for the 35km walk.
Bec’s partner, and his brother, will be at the Olympics to offer close support.
Henderson has been training roughly 15 hours per week, combining 100-130km of walking with some rigorous gym sessions to make this Olympic Games her best.
“I think I’m definitely much betterequipped this year,” she confessed.
“Tokyo was kind of a surprise to be selected.
“In 2020, I was a junior, so I had qualified for the world junior championships, which is only 10km and our race at the Olympics is 20km, but that got cancelled due to Covid.
“If you had asked me in October or November, 2020, if I had a chance of going to the Olympics I probably would have laughed and gone ‘no, don’t be silly’.
“So, it was very quick that year coming onto the walking scene and just improving a lot because of those training camps that we’ve been on; they’ve been really important to my training and development.”
At the Olympic Games she placed 38th in the stifling heat in Sapporo where she clocked 1:38.21.
Her post-Tokyo season was superb.
Competing in Eugene at the 2022 World Championships, she placed 20th in 1:34.38.
Her place was the equal sixth best by an Australian in this event at the Worlds.
Combining with Jemima Montag (fourth), it was just the second occasion, and not since 1999, Australia had two athletes inside the top20.
Two weeks later at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games she just missed the podium, placing fourth in the 10km walk in a time of 44:44.58, just four seconds outside her PB.
The rise of Bec continued in the summer of 2023.
Twice over four weeks she smashed her 20km walk best.
Initially she smashed her PB by one minute-fifty in February clocking her first sub-1:30 time of 1:29.54.
In Japan in March, she took another 71 seconds from her PB to clock 1:28.43, elevating her to number three Australian all-time.
In May 2023, in just her second 35km walk, she broke the National record clocking 2:47.54.
In August she competed at the world championships, placing 32nd in Budapest clocking 1:35.51.
And all this after an accidental beginning to race walking.
“I started little athletics when I was about five because I went to watch my cousin’s race after gymnastics one Saturday,” she said.
“I always tried my best but wasn’t very good at most of the events when I was younger, I used to get really excited when I would come second last in the sprints.
“In under 9s at my club we started the race walking and I gave it a go and won the race on my first attempt; which was very exciting as I’d never really won anything before.
“I did some training with my dad and one of the coaches from my club and qualified for the state championships where I placed ninth.
“I really liked walking so I just kept training once or twice a week and just kept enjoying athletics.”
And we’ve enjoyed watching your journey Bec; we might even blow-up some balloons and dress up as a fairy when you do us all proud in Paris in early August.
Kidd returns
By Marcus Uhe
With coaching vacancies cropping up across the local football landscape, Narre Warren has locked away the services of Steven Kidd for another season at Kalora Park.
Kidd is enjoying a brilliant first season at the helm at Narre Warren, a side he enjoyed much success with as a player, and currently has the Magpies primed for another premiership tilt with four games remaining in the home-andaway season, sitting a game clear at the top of the table in Outer East Football Netball Premier Division.
It wasn’t a difficult decision for Kidd, who has hardly put a foot wrong since replacing Shane Dwyer, and will likely lead the club into a new era in the Southern Football Netball League in 2025, pending league approval.
“It was probably always something that I was going to do, provided the club was happy,” he said.
“Obviously changing leagues and stuff like that, it’s a bit of an exciting time I suppose and it’s a good group of players to work with.
“We just want to keep building the young group and see where we can take it to.
“I think it (moving competitions) will be an exciting and new thing for us, and (we’ll) get that Cranbourne rivalry back, and (with) Dingley.
“Cheltenham is a strong side and so is St Pauls, so there are a few really strong teams in that competition that will be challenging for us.”
His Magpies notched a 13th win from 14 games on Saturday afternoon in a wet and turgid affair against a plucky Officer side playing with a point to prove.
Belted by 98 points back in round four, Officer offered far more resistance in the return clash, going down by 16 points in a 7.8 50 to 4.10 34 contest.
Four of the opening six goals went the Magpies’ way, helping to establish a break on their opponents before the rain set in and made scoring tough.
The weather conditions were “virtually a carbon copy” of what the Magpies faced in their only loss this season to Upwey Tecoma, and Kidd felt the Kangaroos played the elements better.
“They played a really good brand of wet-weather footy and we probably struggled a little bit to adapt,” he said.
“I thought we overused the ball a little and I think Officer turned up really ready to play, and looking that they had a chance against us.
“They played really well and we were probably lucky to get away with a win.
“Having said that, we opened up a three-goal lead and it never changed from there too much.
“We’d probably like to improve our wet-weather footy going into the last part of the year anyway, because there’s a good chance we might get some wet conditions coming up.”
Peter Gentile made it through a second game back from injury unscathed, with defenders Joel Zeitsman, Hayden Johnson and Tom Russell among the Magpies’ best.
Officer handed a senior debut to another teenager in Diesel De Santis, who marked the occasion with a goal, and Ben Gilberto impressed in his first senior game since round five.
Berwick’s Bec Henderson is ready to take on the world at the Paris Olympic Games. (Dean Lewins/AAP)
Narre Warren coach Steven Kidd has signed on for another season. (Rob Carew: 420283)
Cannons fire at Monash Uni
By Jonty Ralphsmith
Casey has secured a 2-1 victory over Monash in what coach Andrew Harris described as“basically a midseason finals game.”
The two teams are fighting for the last finals spot in the Women’s Vic League 1 competition, with Pakenham entering the clash a win behind Monash Uni, but with a mildly easier draw on the run home.
The result means the Cannons will be in control of their destiny in the last month as they look to make it back-to-back finals campaigns at the level.
Casey scored the first two goals of the game to take a commanding lead into halftime, with strikers Mikayla McDonald and Emma Harris linking up for the first from the field, and McDonald capitalising from a short corner for the second.
“There was a level of intensity from the start that was mentally above all the other games we have played so far – the girls understood the importance of it,” coach Andrew Harris said.
“We dominated the first half, scoring goals in the first and second quarter to go ahead.
“We found ourselves behind in a lot of games this year so to get an early buffer was good.”
Monash University was then able to dictate terms for much of the second half, putting a goal away midway through the third quarter to heap pressure on Casey.
At one stage late in the third quarter, Casey was reduced to just eight players on the field due to a yellow card and pair of green cards, with their grit throughout the day underlined in that period.
“Monash pressed defensively in the second half and we started to get sloppy,” Harris revealed.
“They scored halfway through the third quarter then we were under siege for the last ten minutes of the quarter.”
Goal keeper Sarah Sutton-McLellan made several crucial short corner saves early in the fourth, before Casey was able to wrench back control late and hold on for a significant victory.
“The girls adapted really well to the pressure of the game,” Harris said.
“To put the first two goals on the scoreboard took pressure off for the rest of the game but then to show the resilience when we led by only a goal was enormous.”
While a positive result, the Cannons are still yet to take the scalp of a team in the top five, so will be keen to prove to themselves across the next month that they are capable of winning a final.
Meanwhile, the men had a big 7-0 win over Frankston, and while the result was an expected one, the goal difference gained from the result could prove instrumental on a tight ladder.
Kynan Brown (middle) layed an astonishing 24 tackles for the Casey Demons on Saturday against Frankston. (Rob Carew: 408033)
Johnson jumps over Casey
By Marcus Uhe
Beaconsfield forward Matt Johnson played a major role handing the Casey Demons a 10th loss for the VFL season in a 27-point Demons loss at Frankston’s Kinetic Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Johnson kicked four first-half goals and three during a disastrous stretch of six consecutive goals for Frankston during the second term that sunk the Demons in a wet, low-scoring affair.
10.8 68 to 5.11 41 read the final score, with the second term the game’s major outlier and ultimately deciding factor.
Casey was outscored 7.2 to 1.2 in that period, with Johnson a focal point in the Dolphins’ forward half, as Frankston turned a sevenpoint deficit at quarter time into a 29-point half time lead.
Johnson nailed one snap from a tight angle at a forward 50 stoppage, another major from a difficult set shot outside 50 and a third at ground level after his teammates took the advantage from a free kick further afield against Casey defender Blake Howes, helping Frankston race to a 28-point lead late in the quarter.
Resting ruck Jake Bell goaled late in the term for Casey, but poor defending from the Demons at the next centre bounce allowed the Dolphins to immediately answer back, and take a 29-point lead into the half.
Beyond half time, there were only two goals scored apiece, with heavy rain making life difficult in the third term, as Casey’s poor kicking for goal netted them just 1.6.
on
scored
Casey has maintained its second placing
Symonds returns in big Stingrays win over Sandy
By Jonty Ralphsmith
AFLW Academy member Elli Symonds has returned from a long-term injury layoff in fine style in Dandenong’s big 14.7 91 to 1.2 8 victory over Sandringham at Linen House, Seaford.
The key position player had no issues getting her hands on the footy and her follow-up was excellent, bringing intensity to finish with 22 disposals, nine hitouts, two goals and six tackles.
A forward/ruck who was powerful, polished and aggressive in 2023, Symonds has given herself an excellent platform to launch from.
She will play Dandenong’s next two games before looking to impress in Vic Country’s last game of the carnival
Roan Steele, Shane McAdam and Oliver Sestan all missed chances, with McAdam looking particularly dangerous in the forward half as a speedy ground level threat.
Despite winning the clearance battle by 13, the Demons were unable to capitalise with territory wins, losing the inside 50 count by five.
Led by Kynan Brown’s outstanding 24 tackles, Casey finished with a higher tackle-count in the slippery conditions, but it mattered little in the final result.
Brown added 27 disposals, 11 clearances and a goal to his stat line, with MitchWhite not far behind on 24 disposals, 13 tackles and 13 clearances.
Johnson’s Beaconsfield teammate Mitch Szybkowski had 17 disposals, seven tackles and five clearances.
Regular contributors Bailey Laurie, Jack Billings, Adam Tomlinson, Tom Fullarton and Lachlan Hunter were all absent through AFL selection and travel or injury, depleting the Casey side at the selection table.
The Demons host Greater Western Sydney on Saturday morning at Casey Fields in an attempt to start a winning conclusion to the season.
Johnson’s four continued his excellent goal kicking form, moving to outright second in the Frosty Miller Medal count.
Elsewhere in the VFL, Beaconsfield’s Kade De La Rue was recalled for North Melbourne in its 14-point loss to Cal Porter’s Box Hill, while Narre’s Jack Toner had 13 disposals and five tackles in a slogfest at Williamstown.
A six goal to nothing first term set the tone for Dandenong, with nimble forward Evelyn Connolly scoring three of those in a seven-minute patch.
Connolly finished with five goals from 12 disposals and four tackles to lift her season tally to 15 from nine games.
Utility Makhaela Bluhm kicked one inside the first 90 seconds of the second term to put an exclamation mark on a scintillating start for the Stingrays.
Jemma Reynolds was typically tidy with 30 possessions while Tahlia Sanger’s strong form continued with 24 disposals and a goal, while Kayla Dalgleish was fierce with nine tackles.
The boys were defeated 9.11 65 to 11.7 73 against Sandy in the afternoon at the same venue.
The Stingrays were playing catch up from midway through the second quarter, with goals to Narre Warren’s Sam Toner and Vic Country ruck Jordan Doherty briefly trimming the margin to within a goal at the 17-minute-mark of the fourth term.
The Dragons, though, were able to kick the match winner soon thereafter.
Larke Medalist Harvey Langford continued his strong form with 30 disposals and four shots on goal, Doherty combined 28 hitouts with 20 disposals and Charlie Orchard and Kane Hurst were solid in the backline.
Toner, meanwhile, was one of the Stingrays’ two multiple goal kickers, and also fin-
ished with five tackles.
Gippsland’s boys and girls both had wins on the weekend, with the girls victory effectively cementing a finals spot.
The Power defeated Bendigo 6.5 41 to 2.5 17, with a two goal to zero third term decisive.
Lily Milner played one of her best games at the level, combining 22 disposals with four tackles, Ash Perkins was an excellent rebounder across halfback, while Rebecca Fitzpatrick and Ella Stoddart were both key cogs.
Gun Ash Centra continued her strong form with 30 disposals and three tackles.
The boys were forced to come from behind against Eastern, winning at a wet Morwell 11.13 79 to 11.3 69 against Eastern Ranges.
In a slippery slog, Eastern had the lead for most of the game until midway through the third, the Power kicking four of the last six to outlast the Ranges.
Bottom-aged prospect Zach O’Keefe played a perfect wet-weather small forward’s game, combining five shots on goal with 10 tackles, while under-16s cult hero Will Malady kicked two goals and snared five marks on debut.
Willem Duursma and Xavier Lindsay were typically strong, while Alixzander Tauru spent time on the ball and laid some bruising tackles and marking target Asher Eastham spent time in defence.
Elli Symonds was in fine touch in her first game back for the Rays. (Rob Carew: 359433).
Craig Moore, Dave Noney and Tristan Chaffey all
doubles.
the Vic League 2 table, a point clear of the chasing pack – and crucially, with the second best goal difference in the competition, behind only Yarra, well clear atop the table.
Cannons’ goalkeeper Sarah Sutton-McLellan made some crucial last-quarter saves. (Gary Sissons: 347266).
Redbacks coach calls time
By Jonty Ralphsmith
Hampton Park coach Hayden Stanton will step down from his role at the end of the 2024 season.
Stanton informed the Redbacks committee of his decision two weeks ago, and made the announcement to the playing group following their victory over St Kilda City on Saturday.
The experienced mentor says this year will be his last coaching at any level as he prioritises his family and work as a real estate agent.
“Fundamentally, I’ve just been doing it for so long and it’s got to the point where I’ve put my heart and soul into it and I now need to focus on my profession and family, so my priorities have shifted,” Stanton said.
Stanton has coached six clubs across the past 23 years in local footy, passing up on the opportunity to coach at a higher level to maintain a work-life balance.
“I’ve given everything to footy and have been committed to every club I have ever coached and have given 100 per cent of myself
and that’s all you can do,” Stanton said.
“There’s been lots of things I’ve enjoyed but most importantly, I’ve enjoyed coaching young men and trying to make them better on and off the field – that’s been the most important thing for me.
“You’re not just coaching these young men in football, you’re coaching them in life so to see players doing well off field is a joy I’ll miss because clubs are full of good people.”
Stanton is a well-regarded leader who took over as coach of the Redbacks ahead of the 2023 season, having previously coached several clubs at difficult junctures.
He so far has a 20-12 record with the club, overcoming adversity throughout his tenure on and off the field.
“With no rooms, nowhere to train at times, being off our home ground, player absences, towing the line with player points last year, his
commitment has been second to none,” president Craig Seers said.
“What he’s done has been remarkable and he will leave the club in a much better place than it was when he got there.
“He’s oldschool and has done everything he can, giving his utmost to the club.”
Speaking about his two seasons at Hampton Park, Stanton said: “They’re really good people, hard working and try really hard to make something of a club in a low socioeconomic area.
“It’s hard to fathom what we’ve had to deal with, so to likely take them to two finals series is pretty brilliant.”
The club has already received moderate interest for the 2024 job, with Stanton set to help the club source a leader.
The club is hoping to be led by a playercoach in 2025.
Magpies maul Kangaroos while Lions lay it on the line
By Marcus Uhe
Pakenham has all-but secured a finals berth in Outer East Football Netball A-Grade netball in 2024 following an important win in trying conditions over Emerald at home on Saturday afternoon.
Sitting third with 40 points midway through round 14, the Lions are four games clear of seventh-placed ROC with four matches to play, and boast a far superior scoring percentage.
Should Pakenham get the better of ROC in round 15, they will book their ticket back to the finals after not featuring in the previous two years.
The Lions moved into third courtesy of a 41-36 win over Emerald in a game with finals permutations for both sides, and provided an early taste of September netball.
Emerald’s height in the front court saw Matt Cooke tweak his starting line-up, with Evie Drake, so often a defensive wing, moving to wing attack in the opening stages.
An even first quarter saw goals traded and Emerald pocket a slim leading at the first break, but the first four goals of the second term saw the Bombers jump to a six-goal lead.
Drake moved back to wing defence to resume her triumvirate with Charlize Reid and Caitlin Cooke, and the trio thrived in making life tough for Emerald star Kaylah Loulanting.
The trio, supported by the midcourt teammates, shut off the easy short passes and forced Emerald to take risks with long balls over the defence, allowing Pakenham to
make easy interceptions.
It forced Loulanting away from the post, where she wins so many of her scoring opportunities, and took away a major weapon for the Bombers in the process.
After trailing by six goals early in the term, Pakenham rallied to tie the scores at 18, and 11 of the half’s final 12 goals saw the Lions edge ahead 22-18 at the long break.
Charlotte Hudolin replaced Rose Laidlaw at goal shooter and combined well with Kelly Cousins to help the Lions rally back into the contest.
Whatever they discovered in the second quarter clearly worked, carrying their mo-
mentum into the third term with four of the first five goals to lead by as many as seven.
Cooke’s rebounding and run from the defensive half was extremely influential and led Pakenham into a number of easy scoring opportunities as Millicent Utber and Jordyn Adams helped to advance the ball down the court at lightning speed, with Emerald’s defenders struggling to keep pace.
The situation became even harder for Emerald, when goal defence Naomi Larsen was ordered off for two minutes, leaving her side at a numbers disadvantage on the court.
Pakenham’s lead reached eight goals during the quarter but Emerald nailed the final three goals of the term to make it a five-goal
margin at the final break.
Pakenham needed a burst to shut the contest down early in the final quarter and got exactly that, nailing six of the first eight goals to reach a nine-goal advantage.
Emerald closed the contest stronger but could not breach a six goal gap in the quarter, with the Lions prevailing by five goals.
Hudolin nailed 23 goals of the bench was supported by 11 from Kelly Cousins.
Loulanting was left wanting for a similarly supportive teammate, scoring 31 of her side’s 36 goals.
It was a far-simpler task for Narre Warren, which dismantled ROC by 41 goals at home. In true Magpie fashion, the reigning champions finished strongly, their largest lead coming at the end of the game in the 7534 result.
Unsatisfied with the 29-goal lead at the final change, a 19-7 final quarter in the Magpies’ favour showed an unrelenting and unsatisfied urge to flex their muscle over the competition, finishing with 15 of the final 18 goals.
Sophie Hennessey excelled in a new role at centre without Brittany Mashado, and Grace Ioelu did the majority of scoring, nailing 43 goals.
Isabella O’Shanassy scored 19 for ROC thanks to a positional swing.
Elsewhere, Wandin was forced to grind a 10-goal victory over Wooir Yallock, courtesy of 37 goals for Emmalia Blake.
It’s a much-needed win for the Bulldogs, having lost two of its last three and falling back into the top six quagmire.
Crees overcomes challenges to make her mark in Paris
Casey Cardinia Athletics Club star Dayna Crees will make her Paralympic debut in Paris in the F34 javelin throw and shot put.
Crees, who has suffered from Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia since birth, started her journey in athletics at the suggestion of her physiotherapist.
“They recommended I try and get into running,” Crees said.
“I was 12 and I initially started my journey as a runner and jumper (100m, 200m and long jump) and then progressed into standing throwing, shot put and discus.” Her balance weakened and she transitioned into seated throwing.
“It has been a long journey from the start to now and we have faced many challenges along the way, having to learn how to use different muscles in my body when my lower half was restricted.”
“Also not being able to see our progress from gym work and throwing was pretty difficult too.”
The Covid-19 years were difficult for everybody.
For athletes it limited training and competitions.
Seated throwing also took time for Crees to adapt too.
Although Crees still holds Australian youth long jump records, it is the throws she is excelling at.
In the F34 classification, she holds every Australian Under-15 to open record in shot put, discus and javelin.
At the 2023 Victorian open championships, Crees set a significant mark in the javelin with a throw of 16.25m.
Not only did it raise her own Australian record it would earn her selection in the Australian team for the world championships in Paris later that year.
“I am so excited and grateful for this opportunity, my team and I have worked so hard to get where we are today,” Crees said ahead of her world championship selection.
“My dream of representing my country has been achieved and I’m proud of myself and my support network.”
- David Tarbotten, Athletics Australia. First published in June 2023.
Dayna Crees is off to the Paralympics to represent Australia in the F34 javelin throw, and shot put.
(Athletics Australia)
Pakenham’s Evie Drake makes life tough for Emerald’s Madison Taylor in A Grade netball. (Stewart Chambers: 420278)
Hayden Stanton coaching on Saturday. (Rob Carew: 420281).
