Dandenong Star Journal - 26th November 2024

One step forward...

Dandenong was in shock, so soon after being uplifted by hundred marching against gendered violence last Tuesday 19 November.

Domestic violence survivor Simone O’Brien, who was almost beaten to death by her ex-partner in 2012, inspiringly addressed the Walk Against Family Violence.

She has since advocated to empower women, survivors and children, as well as working with perpetrators to “make them own it”.

“I wanted to have a voice for us woman and children to make change.

“We can say ‘no, we can walk around the street - we shouldn’t feel that we can’t.’”

However, soon after the event, there was chilling news that showed the fight was far from over.

That evening, Victoria Police announced that the body of teenager Isla Bell was found at a Dan-

denong waste facility.

Missing for weeks, police allege Bell was murdered early last month. Her body was kept in a fridge and transported across the South East until dumped with hard rubbish in Bentleigh.

Marat Ganiev, 53, of St Kilda, was charged with Bell’s murder, and Eyal Yaffe, 57, of Hampton, charged with assisting an offender with murder.

As of August, Counting Dead Women Australia reported 46 women killed by violence from a partner or ex-partner this year.

Reported family violence continues to rise in Greater Dandenong, up 5.3 per cent in 2022-’23.

O’Brien told the Walk Against Family Violence to look out for “red flags”.

“Any little red flag is a big red flag in domestic violence.”

More on the stories, turn to pages 4-5

Isla Bell, 19, who was missing for seven weeks before her remains were found at a Dandenong waste facilitiy on 19 November. (Supplied)

A Filipino community group makes a stand against family violence. (Stewart Chambers: 442544)

Reunited with life savers

By Sahar Foladi

A man who had collapsed in Noble Park has been reunited with the heroic first-responders who saved his life.

The 84-year-old, Ralph Di Scala was gardening along with his daughter Gina in August when he suffered a cardiac arrest without warning under a tree.

Terrified, Gina dialled triple-zero, conducting CPR in an effort to revive her father.

She says the incident was a shock as he’s very healthy as a retired concreter, a “hands-on” person with no prior heart issues.

“It’s just unfortunate that day that he collapsed and he didn’t scream. He didn’t say anything.

“I hadn’t seen him work so well that day, he was very excited. I actually had to say to dad look slow down. It’s time to stop, we have to go home.

“You’ve done a lot for the day but he refused and he kept going.”

Following instructions from the triple-zero operator Karah, Gina worked for seven minutes on her father before Fire Rescue Victoria arrived at the scene and took over.

“I was just completely in shock because my dad was always strong and fit. To see him collapsed and unwell was very scary.”

On Tuesday 19 November, Ralph together with his daughter stood laughing with the first responders for the first time since he gave everyone a fright.

FRV leading fire-fighter, Chris Binaisse said he’s “really humbled” to see Ralph.

“It’s just amazing. We don’t normally get to see the outcome of everyone’s hard work.”

Seeing Ralph again was like a delight for the first responders, whose eyes glistened with happiness and lips curved with big smiles.

One of the paramedics on the scene, Izzy from Ambulance Victoria says they had to defibrillate him twice before Ralph started to wake up.

“We had to put him back to sleep, keep him nice and safe and take him up to hospital, but it’s probably one of the most efficient sort of cardiac arrest that I’ve been to in my career.

“I had really, really high hopes that he would

survive this so it’s amazing to see him walking around.

“It did feel so calm and I think that’s all attributed to his daughter Gina doing the right thing, grabbing her phone and her willingness to work on her dad, which would have been one of the most horrendous things to do, I reckon.”

Izzy has been a paramedic for five years saying it’s a “rarity” to see an event like this “go so well.”

“To actually see a patient who’s been through this survive, not only survive it but walk out of hospital and be able to be relatively back to their normal self - it’s amazing.”

Ralph himself doesn’t remember when or how he collapsed, but just when he woke up the next day in the hospital.

He surprised everyone at the same time after he woke up despite the doctors saying he may not survive.

Gina considers it a “miracle” after she had to make the “tough phone call” to her family members to let them know of his initial prognosis.

“I had to ring my dad’s sister that lives overseas in Italy, I was very reluctant to, but I thought I better do the right thing and let them know just in case.

“I was very scared and that was a really hard phone call to make.”

Ralph is left with ongoing appointments due to straining a leg muscle during his fall, which has affected his foot movement.

“We’re doing some lot of rehabilitation now

- we’re going to the podiatrist and we’re also going to be doing a cardiac rehab program through Monash,” says Gina.

“So Dad still has a few medical appointments and he has to do some special exercises to help him.”

The family are relieved there was no brain damage.

The first responders applaud Gina for playing her part very well, conducting the CPR especially when she last had training at primary school in the 1970’s.

“I remember at school we all got little books that we could take home, read and all that information stuck with me.

“When I rang triple zero, they were talking me through to make sure that I had everything in my hands positioned in the right spot for dad to have effective CPR.”

She says she hasn’t had a refresher course but it’s a good idea for everyone to be familiar with doing CPR.

“You might be somewhere and if you can help someone to survive, give them the best opportunity to survive, I think that’s really important.”

Ralph lives independently with his wife and laughs at being told he has to look after himself more than ever now.

70 years in the making, Alstom factory keeps on rolling

Father-and-son workers Richard and Mark Scholten have been part of many generations of Dandenong-produced trams and trains.

They took centre stage as employer Alstom celebrated 70 years of its rolling stock factory on Frankston-Dandenong Road on Friday 22 November.

In that time, the site’s built more than 600 trams and 800 trains for Victoria – many still in service, some for export.

The iconic fleets include the Comeng trains, Z, A, B and E Class trams, ‘Blue’ Harris train carriages and the V-Line VLocity trains.

The Scholtens have spanned much of the 70year history on the factory floor.

“I’m very happy to work here where my father worked,” Mark says.

“We worked on many different projects over many, many years, and I’m very proud I can follow in my dad’s footsteps to say I’ve built Victoria’s transport system.”

Richard started at the site in the 1980s, with Mark joining as a teenager doing odd jobs.

After becoming an apprentice fitter, Mark joined his father at Dandenong working as a boilermaker on the Endeavour and Explorer project for NSW in 1994.

Mark was back at the factory in 2002 as one of two people hired to prepare the site for the VLocity rail project.

Since then, he’s been part of fitting and repairing Victorian rail infrastructure.

With more than 500 staff, the factory still plays an active role in all three of Victoria’s major rolling-stock projects.

These are building 100 Next Generation G Class trams, 25 X’Trapolis 2.0 metro trains and 124 VLocity trains.

The latter project has been ongoing since 2003, with some original team members still on the project.

Richard says the manufacturing still hap-

pening at Alstom was all the more important due to the loss of heavy industry in Victoria and Dandenong.

“It’s very important we get the tradespeople and businesses back where they should be,” he says.

His son says the community should be proud of the Dandenong-built fleets.

“To build VLocity trains here locally where the customer is very happy with the safety, the performance and the maintenance of the vehicle is next to none when it comes to local manufacturing.”

Alstom’s national managing director Pascal Dupond said “Victoria is the home of rail manufacturing in Australia, and Alstom’s Dandenong site is central to this legacy”.

“Our contribution to Victoria’s public transport network is made possible by the skills, expertise, and dedication of our team in Australia.

“We are proud to continue this deep partnership with the State to deliver world-class trams and trains.”

Father-and-son duo Mark and Richard Scholten at the Alstom factory, Dandenong. (Supplied)A VLocity train - the fleet is still being built at the Dandenong site.

A Commeng train being built in the Dandenong factory.

Fire Rescue Victoria, Ambulance Victoria and a triple zero call operator reunite with Ralph after saving his life. (Sahar Foladi: 445020)

Ralph’s daughter Gina reunites with the group of first responders who saved Ralph’s life. (Sahar Foladi: 445020)

Memeti mayor, Tan deputy

By Sahar Foladi

Two Labor Party members have taken the mayoral and deputy mayor positions on Monday 18 November, sparking criticism from non-ALP councillors.

Jim Memeti was officially declared as the City of Greater Dandenong mayor for his sixth stint in the role, elected unopposed to lead the young council for a year.

In accepting the position, Cr Memeti acknowledged the previous mayor Lana Formoso and the outgoing deputy mayor Richard Lim.

Councillor Sophie Tan was also nominated unopposed as the deputy mayor. She served in this role in 2021 bringing in some experience in her sixth

year as councillor.

However, not everyone was cheerful at the appointment as Greens party member Rhonda Garad rose to urge removal of Labor Party’s “voting restrictions” that Labor councillors have told her “prevent them from voting for any councillor outside of their party.”

“I’d like to congratulate our new Mayor, Cr Memeti, and deputy mayor, Sophie Tan. I look forward to working closely with them to serve our community’s best interests.

“It’s no coincidence that we’ve had Labor mayors—and now a deputy mayor—exclusively from the Labor Party for decades, with only one exception.

“During my time door-knocking in the recent election campaign, many residents shared their

Keysborough chapel sale ‘close to finalised’

By Cam Lucadou-Wells

The sale of a Keysborough historic church is close to being finalised.

Uniting Church of Australia stated that it was “presently finalising contract arrangements” with an undisclosed buyer of the circa 1877 former Wesleyan Methodist Church site at 176 Chapel Road. For four years, community group Friends of Keysborough Historic Chapel – backed by a 2300-signature petition - had urged City of Greater Dandenong to buy the 4.1-hectare site.

However Uniting Church confirmed the council had not made a late bid.

“This is really, really disappointing,” Friends of Keysborough Historic Chapel member Gaye Guest said.

Recently, several council-election candidates –including elected councillor Melinda Yim - stated the council should reconsider its earlier refusal to buy the site for an alleged $2 million.

“If it can’t be restored for a religious purpose, it should be for community use, an aged care service or community service,” Yim said prior to her election.

“I would prefer it to be in the community rather than for private use.”

There were rumoured concerns about the council bearing extra costs, such as renovating the building that had fallen into disrepair and been

trashed by vandals. Sunshine-based Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga had expressed an interest to purchase at a lower price, restore the older church as a museum and use the wooden building as a chapel.

The church went onto the private market in September, with expressions of interest closing on 10 October.

The site was being marketed as suitable for town homes, childcare, a place of assembly, aged care/nursing home, education and medical, subject to council approval.

The 147-year-old church is protected by a local heritage overlay.

concerns about the mayoral role continually circulating among the same group of people.

“The community wants a truly democratic system of mayoral selection that will best serve the interests of everyone.”

Thenewcouncilforthenextfouryearsaremadeup of eight Labor party members, two Greens party members and only one independent, Bob Milkovic from Dandenong North ward.

Cr Memeti was first elected to Council in 2005, on a mission to change people’s perceptions of Dandenong. He has since served the community as mayor in 2010, 2014, 2017, 2020 and 2021.

A proud Dandenong resident of more than 50 years, married to Mary, a father of three and grandfather of six, Memet’s family smiled proudly from

the chambers as he gave his speech.

“Dandenong is home to four generations of my family.

“I am as proud now to represent our diverse, vibrant, multicultural community as I was the day I was elected back in 2005. We have much to celebrate!

“Whatever faith you follow, wherever you were born and whatever language you speak at home –Dandenong, and indeed Greater Dandenong - can be a welcoming home for anyone.

“We have a manufacturing hub of national significance. We have wonderful people, a food scene to rival any in the world, and our community is resilient and tenacious. I am committed to bringing my experience to serve this community.”

Jailed for grooming girls

By Cam Lucadou-Wells

A 60-year-old Noble Park engineer who tried to procure girls for sex while overseas has been jailed.

Raul Palanas pleaded guilty at the Victorian County Court to procuring the two 15-year-olds, to grooming and possessing more than 700 child abuse images and videos in early 2022.

The Filipino-born father-of-two had messaged the girls requesting to pay for sex while on a trip to the Philippines.

He’d also requested explicit photos of them – all while knowing their young age.

While visiting relatives in the Philippines, Palanas further discussed arrangements with the pair, requesting one of the girls to bring along her 13-year-old sister.

He was found to have met at least one of the victims.

However there was no evidence that any sexual contact took place or that money changed hands.

On his return to Australia, Australian Border Force officers discovered child abuse material on his phone.

Parlanas made full admissions, with further material seized on CDs, a computer and flash drive at his family home.

In sentencing on 22 November, judge Simon Moglia said the “truly abhorrent” of-

fending involved a “stark” age difference between the then-58-year-old and his victims. He was presumed to do long-term harm to the children involved. Their trust in others and future relationships would be undermined.

Judge Moglia noted the “category-2” child abuse material was offensive but not “high-end” or offered for sale.

A “highly remorseful” Palanas had no prior convictions, made full admissions, was a hard-working provider to his family and offered an early guilty plea. His offending was attributed to an increasing use of pornography to replace sexual intimacy.

A psychologist, who’d since treated him, said Palanas had reformed his attitudes and dysfunctional behaviours.

He’d made no attempts to deny and minimalise his offending, which he accepted was “repulsive”.

Judge Moglia accepted Palanas was likely to be at low risk of reoffending. But his sentence must also deter others as well as serve as just punishment.

Palanas was jailed for three years and eight months. He will be eligible for parole in 22 months.

He was ordered to report as a registered sex offender for life.

Sixth-time mayor Jim Memeti and deputy mayor Sophie Tan to serve the community for the next year. (Supplied)

Rhonda Garad (Gary Sissons: 442319_04)

The 4.1-hectare site on Chapel Road, Keysborough, with the c.1877 chapel on the right. (Gary Sissons: 318679)

Signs of strength against FV

By Sahar Foladi

This year’s Walk against Family Violence event sent a bold message - to identify the ‘red flags’ of domestic abuse.

Domestic violence survivor Simone O’Brien, who almost lost her life at the hands of her expartner in 2012, was the guest speaker at the Greater Dandenong Council annual event on Tuesday 19 November.

Supporters marched from the Dandenong Market to Harmony Square, where O’Brien addressed the crowd.

An advocate for a decade now, she told Star News that it was an honour for her to be at the event with such a great turnout.

For her, the most rewarding bit was to see “so many people involved in the walk.”

“I get flown internationally and nationally. It’s disappointing when you go to an event and see a handful of people.

“Seeing every seat taken plus more with guests that came out in support of this DV walk - they should be truly proud of themselves.

“As a survivor I was truly blown away to present and let everyone know we’re not alone and we’re a team to make a stance in this crisis.

“It was fantastic to see so many nationalities there as well.”

The annual Walk against FV is one of the most important events on the council calendar, a walk of support for the survivors of family violence and those experiencing it now.

O’Brien shared her story of survival on how it led to her advocacy for survivors, women and children.

Almost beaten to death with a baseball bat, the “ripple effect” on her children has been “unimaginable” she says.

It was her South African neighbour and Samoan neighbours who stepped in to save her life.

“When I was attacked, they put their life on hold and grabbed the perpetrator.

“When I look at anyone I don’t care what they look like, what colour or what language they speak, we have to work as a team.”

As a result of the attack, she has lost sight in her right eye and the sense of smell. Her skull is held together with screws and titanium plates.

O’Brien took the advocacy path after that. In between medical appointments, treatments and operations, she has been empowering women, survivors and children to make a difference.

“It’s getting bigger, people say you’re well known. But it’s just me. I wanted to have a voice for us woman and children to make change.

“We can say ‘no, we can walk around the street - we shouldn’t feel that we can’t.’”

Surprisingly, she also works with perpetrators in and out of jail “making them own it.”

“When I go to schools, I have students saying, ‘thanks for saving my dad’s life, he pleaded guilty and is doing drug rehab.’

“It’s the best feeling, a little win is a big win.”

With her ex-partner, something as little as not being able to take a ‘No’ for an answer would trigger him to leave her with life-long scars

“Any little red flag is a big red flag in domestic violence.

“My determination in life is, we’ve all got nieces, aunties, sisters, daughters and I don’t want this to happen to them. The message is to report, look out for the red flag and let them be accountable for their own actions.”

As she stresses the importance of spotting the red flags, she also says many women don’t take action. They feel too embarrassed and ashamed, with the “different emotions that women go through” as well as the perpetrator not letting them out of sight.

According to the Counting Dead Women in Australia, as of August this year 46 women have been killed at the hands of their partner or expartner.

According to Crime Statistics Agency data, reported family violence incidents in Greater Dandenong rose 5.4 per cent in 2022-23.

The highest rating form of abuse was verbal and emotional followed by physical abuse.

The highest recorded offence was the breach of family violence order (1533), family violence common assault (588) and criminal damage (278), with 62.8 per cent of resolved offences resulting in arrests in 2023 and 37 per cent left without arrest.

Guest speaker Simone O’Brien urged the crowd to look for the ‘red flags’ of domestic violence. (Stewart Chambers: 442544)

Leading the charge against family violence. (442544)

Hundreds of marchers took a stand against family violence. (442544)

Greater Dandenong Council chief executive officer Jacqui Weatherill. (442544)

Crowds filled the streets of Dandenong for the Walk Against Family Violence. (442544)

Josh West did the Welcome to Country. (442544) A member of Australian-Filipino Community Services at the march. (442544)

The long trail of supporters. (442544)

State MP Lee Tarlamis, Greater Dandenong mayor Jim Memeti and state MP Ann-Maree Hermans with an emphatic banner. (442544)

A Filipino group supporting family-violence prevention. (442544) State MPs Ann-Maree Hermans and Lee Tarlamis. (442544)

An Anglicare group at the event in Harmony Square. (442544)

Mayor Jim Memeti addressed the Walk Against Family Violence. (442544)

Final hours on CCTV: Police

By Holly Hales, AAP

The final hours of missing teen Isla

life have been captured on CCTV from the Melbourne apartment building of her alleged killer, according to court documents.

The documents released on Wednesday afternoon detail how the 19-year-old allegedly ended up at Marat Ganiev’s St Kilda East apartment on October 7.

Ms Bell was last seen leaving her home in Brunswick on October 4 but family members said she was active on social media until three days later. Ganiev, 53, appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday charged with Ms Bell’s murder. Eyal Yaffe, 57, from Hampton, faced a charge of assisting an offender with murder.

Ganiev’s building was surrounded by a CCTV system that covered the front door and window of the apartment, according to a Victoria Police summary.

Ms Bell was seen entering the apartment for the last time on October 5 and was never seen to leave again, according to police. Two days later, police allege a fight can be seen through a gap in the front kitchen window of Ganiev’s apartment.

“What appears to be a fight can be seen through a gap in the front kitchen window of Ganiev’s apartment,” the summary says.

“Investigators observed what appears to be Bell’s head whipping around as if she has been struck.

“She falls to the ground and Ganiev can then be seen striking her on the ground of the kitchen.

“What appears to be Bell’s head can be seen rising up before being pushed back down by Ganiev’s arm.”

Ms Bell was captured on CCTV through the

Nod

same window up until 2am on October 7.

During the next few days, Ganiev is shown allegedly cleaning the apartment.

A fridge wrapped in clear plastic and black tape was allegedly moved from the apartment in a trailer attached to a RAV4 by the two men and taken to Caulfield South where it stayed until October 22.

Police allege the fridge was used to store Ms Bell’s body.

A neighbour reported the fridge to police because it was attracting flies and had a “foul smell”.

The trailer carrying the fridge was allegedly moved to a Bentleigh East property before being shifted to Mulgrave days later in a Hino removal van. A resident discovered Ms Bell’s remains on November 18 after he removed the plastic wrapping, the fridge door swung open and a bag fell out.

He believed the bag contained animal remains, and dumped the fridge on a street corner near hard rubbish in Bentleigh.

The man then placed the bag holding Ms Bell’s remains in a residential rubbish bin before later contacting police.

Human remains, which are yet to be formally identified, were found at a waste management facility in Dandenong on Tuesday evening.

Detectives raided homes in Bentleigh East and Mulgrave on Tuesday.

Ms Bell’s family have been notified of the discovery and police say they will be provided support services.

Her mother Justine Spokes had previously made emotional pleas for information about her whereabouts including at a press conference on October 22, the day Ms Bell would have turned 20.

There has been no activity on Ms Bell’s bank or social media accounts and her phone has not pinged to any telecommunication towers.

to theatre project

Peninsula Community Legal Centre’s (PCLC) interactive theatre project has been recognised in the 2024 Australian Crime and Violence Prevention Awards (ACVPA).

The non-profit legal services organisation’s ‘This is not who I want to be’ interactive theatre project has received a bronze award in the community-led category of the 2024 ACVPA.

ACVPA recognises best practices in the prevention or reduction of violence and other types of crime in Australia.

Designed for secondary school students in Casey, PCLC’s project provides legal education on family violence and forced marriage to young people from multicultural communities.

It was formed in response to data showing that teenage girls were already experiencing controlling relationships and family violence and that some were going on to forced marriages after leaving school.

PCLC’s chief executive officer Jackie Galloway said the number of young people affected by family violence within the community was “way too high”.

“We wanted to find a new way to deal with this problem by educating young people about the underlying attitudes that support violence and to give them tools to question this,” she said.

“By using theatre performance with professional actors to tell the story about the impacts of family violence and forced marriage, we have successfully educated teenagers who may experience these controlling situations.

“This knowledge and these tools will allow them to shape a different future.”

Holt MP Cassandra Fernando commended the project’s work to break the cycle of violence and the attitudes that support it.

“For the past five years, Casey has recorded one of the highest rates of family violence in Victoria,” she said.

“I congratulate PCLC for their work in finding creative ways to respond to this problem, not only through this award-winning project but also the free legal services they offer to the Casey community.

“These include a school lawyer program in one of the largest secondary colleges in Casey, which enables students access to free legal advice for their problems, as well as ongoing legal education on family violence, youth crime, and other common youth law problems.

“Violence affecting young people is an issue that the whole community needs to work together to address.”

The theatre project has been run in partnership with Uniting’s KOMAK program and a team of professional actors and theatre makers led by creative producer Tara Leigh Dowler, with original funding from the Victoria Law Foundation.

Additional funding from the Victorian Legal Services Board has just been announced to extend the project to more schools in Melbourne’s outer south-east, which will also cover the issue of youth crime.

“The award is a huge honour for PCLC”, Ms Galloway said.

“It recognises the work that we have been developing over a number of years to find innovative and creative ways to reduce violence within our community.

“We are looking forward to using the additional funding to extend these benefits to a larger number of students in secondary schools across the outer south east, where levels of violence affecting young people remain way too high.”

The Peninsula Community Legal Centre provides free legal services across the south-east region of Melbourne, with a branch office in Cranbourne and other visiting services at community locations in Casey and Cardinia. Schools interested in the project can contact PCLC at (03)9783 3600, email pclc@pclc.org.au

Man accused of covering up Isla Bell killing seeks bail

By William Ton, AAP

A man accused of transporting Melbourne teen Isla Bell’s body in a fridge is attempting to be freed on bail as her mother spoke of “paralysing grief” over the 19-year-old’s alleged murder.

Eyal Yaffe, 57, appeared at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday, where details of his alleged involvement in Ms Bell’s alleged killing were aired after he was charged assisting her accused murderer Marat Ganiev.

The teen was last seen leaving her Brunswick home on October 4, but had been communicating with a friend on social media for another three days, court documents alleged.

CCTV cameras allegedly observed Ms Bell entering Ganiev’s St Kilda East apartment on October 5 before capturing a fight occurring through a gap in the apartment’s front kitchen window two days later, Detective Senior Constable Benjamin Curran said on Friday.

Police alleged Ms Bell was alive until 2am on October 7.

Over the next few days, Ganiev was allegedly seen cleaning his apartment before it’s claimed Yaffe arrived in a RAV4 on October 9 towing a black fridge on the back of a trailer.

Yaffe had allegedly booked overnight accommodation in Warburton in eastern Victoria on October 8, but the detective told the court Ganiev asked Yaffe to contact him before he left.

The accused travelled to Warburton for five hours before returning without staying the night, he said.

It was alleged Yaffe cut short his trip after a call from Ganiev and returned to Melbourne before he supplied the black fridge and removed the old fridge, which contained Ms Bell’s remains.

Ms Bell’s body had allegedly been inside the old fridge for 10 days, which the detective said would have had a “distinct smell”.

“The accused found the fridge containing something and that smelled foul. The accused assisted in the removal of that fridge to a second address,” he said.

“It is not possible for the accused not to have known given (his) knowledge of Ganiev’s drug use and behaviour, and the fact that he had a young female in the apartment ... and not believe she had been killed.”

Police allege Ms Bell’s remains had been

placed inside a bag, stuffed into the fridge and wrapped in clear plastic before being dumped outside the apartment.

It was removed on October 17 and transported across half a dozen locations in Melbourne’s southeast before human remains, yet to be formally identified but believed to be of Ms Bell, were found at a tip in Dandenong on Tuesday.

Prosecutors on Friday opposed bail, arguing Yaffe was an unacceptable risk to the community’s safety.

Prosecutor Daniel White claimed Yaffe could interfere with witnesses and could assume other identities and fail to surrender into custody.

“(He) has been evasive in the investigation and interaction with police has been evasive,” Det Sen Const Curran said.

But Yaffe’s barrister Ian Hill KC argued the case was solely relying on circumstantial evidence, as he asked for his client to be freed on bail.

He said investigators did not have any witnesses or evidence to indicate Yaffe was aware of Ms Bell’s alleged murder or that her body was in the fridge, as the hearing continues.

Outside court, Ms Bell’s mother Justine Spokes said she had been “horrified to read the grizzly details” of her daughter’s murder. “My grief is paralysing, and I cannot function,” she wrote in a post on social media.

Greater Dandenong City Council election

Declaration of results

The following candidates were elected to Greater Dandenong City Council at the general election held in October 2024: Cleeland Ward

GARAD, Rhonda

Dandenong North Ward

MILKOVIC, Bob

Dandenong Ward

MEMETI, Jim

Keysborough South Ward DO, Isabella

Keysborough Ward YIM, Melinda

Noble Park North Ward

FORMOSO, Lana

Noble Park Ward

TAN, Sophie (elected unopposed)

Springvale Central Ward LE, Alice Phuong

Springvale North Ward

O’REILLY, Sean

Springvale South Ward

TRUONG, Loi

Yarraman Ward

DANH, Phillip

Further details about the results are available at vec.vic.gov.au

Bill Irvine Election Manager 11 November 2024

Authorised by S. Bluemmel, Electoral Commissioner, 530 Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria.

Holt MP Cassandra Fernando, PCLC chief executive officer Jackie Galloway and PCLC’s Kirsten Young. (Supplied)

Justine Spokes, mother of Isla Bell. (AAP Image/James Ross)

Bell’s

Ratepayers billed for monitors

By Cam Lucadou-Wells

Casey ratepayers will be charged $1335 a day plus expenses for each of the two council monitors over the next 12 months, according to figures revealed at a Parliament hearing.

The pair were appointed by the State Government to oversee the newly-elected Casey Council – which will pay for the monitors’ salaries and expenses.

The daily rates would equate to fulltime equivalent annual salaries totalling $974,550.

Local Government opposition spokesperson Peter Walsh seized on the figures from the Department of Government Services during Parliament’s Public Estimates and Accounts Committee hearings on 19 November.

This month, the Government named five new monitors to oversee the recently-dismissed Srathbogie, Whittlesea and Casey councils – in what Mr Walsh called a “growth industry built on poor governance and mistrust”.

According to the State Government, the remuneration reflects the expertise and experience required for the role.

It appointed the monitors from 6 November 2024 until 6 November 2025, to “support good governance” and to “help prevent the recurrence of issues that led to each council’s dismissal”.

“Victorians rightly expect elected councillors to maintain a high standard of governance – where risks to good governance have been identified, experienced monitors are appointed to guide councillors to help them best serve their community,” a Government spokesperson said.

“Monitors support elected councillors to deliver good governance and help prevent governance failures that can result in a council’s dismissal or suspension.”

Casey Residents and Ratepayers Association president Brian Oates said the monitors were “overkill”, noting that the 2020’24 panel of administrators were meant to “change the culture” at Casey Council.

He said that only one councillor out of the 12 elected this month was part of the council that was sacked in 2020.

The Casey monitors are the recently-deployed Casey Panel of Administrators member Cameron Boardman and Strathbogie Shire ex-Monitor Peter Stephenson.

They will report directly to the Local Government Minister.

A City of Casey spokesperson told Star News: “The Municipal Monitor terms of reference and remuneration amount, payable by Council, is set by the State Government.”

At the time of the monitors’ appointment, Casey chief executive Glenn Patterson said their “expertise and experience would be invaluable in supporting the new council”.

Koomen, Ambros to lead new council

By Ethan Benedicto

The City of Casey has welcomed its new Mayor and Deputy Mayor after official announcements on Tuesday 19 November.

Following a special council meeting at 4pm in Bunjil Place, Waratah Ward’s Stefan Koomen has been elected as Casey’s mayor, with Kalora Ward’s Melinda Ambros as the deputy mayor.

Though labelled as a special meeting, this was also the first time all councillors - save Anthony Walter - officially gathered with a public audience, with the affair also attended by members of the local community and former candidates such as Jane Foreman and Gary Page.

Koomen, who was moved to tears after he was unanimously voted in as the mayor, said that exalted to be the first mayor in over eight years.

Addressing the meeting, he said that he was “absolutely delighted to be here as a councillor, along with my fellow councillors, and secondly as a mayor”.

“I’m genuinely taken aback, thinking on when I first started knocking on doors earlier this year in Doveton - to think that right now I’m a councillor, let alone mayor was not something that crossed my mind.

“I came into this role with a real desire to serve our community and I’m happy to be here.”

While he was moved to tears after thanking his mum, wife, kids, fellow councillors and everyone else who had shown support for him, Koomen also added “I don’t think we could have wished for a better group of people”.

“It’s often said that the voters don’t it wrong and they didn’t this time, and I think we’ve got a real collection of different experiences and different backgrounds.

“An exemplary group, that based on the last week we’ve been together, can really work together to serve the people of Casey.”

Koomen said that the first thing as mayor he aimed to do was build a culture of good governance and trust from the residents, acknowledging that the councillors themselves are also residents, “we want the people to know that we’ve experienced and we’ve felt the difficulties of the last five years”.

“We were shocked about what happened and we have to be upfront about that, and I think our job is to bring back that trust and we’re ready to do that,” he said.

A true sense of pride and honour also graced Ambros, who, after also being unanimously elected as deputy mayor, was taking in her full capabilities of representing the people on important levels of local government.

“To be standing here as deputy mayor, I know I couldn’t have been here without my fellow councillors and I’m grateful for their support and trust in me,” she said.

“But also I couldn’t have been here without the voters, the residents, my family, husband and children - and I’m looking forward to supporting the whole City of Casey and moving in the right

direction.”

Working towards Ambros’ vision of a stalwart deputy mayor, she said that it is important to “identify that we have support around us”.

“To utilise that support that we do get from the council and also from my fellow councillors and the community, that is the best way to, in turn, support me and help me do my job.

“It’s also knowing about the fact that I am human, and I have limits, but I did take on this responsibility and I will do it to the best of my ability. I can’t do it alone, I have to do it with the people around me,” she said.

After a round of photos and prior to departing for the election of mayor dinner, Koomen added that while he was not expecting to be taking the seat, “democracy is back”.

“The representatives are back and we are ready to help, ready to make decisions on behalf of the community.

“This [mayor] is a full-time role, it needs ab-

solute commitment and I’m ready to give that so from tomorrow I’ll be straight into it.

“I would say I’ve got a lot of experience working in government and across different councils so I think I’ve got the ability to hopefully lead a team and bring together this new group and make sure we get the governance right and make decisions in the best interest of the community.”

As for the first step, Koomen is adamant that all councillors being on the same page is integral before making any big decisions, emphasising that a “strong team” is needed to cater to the city’s needs.

Quarters Ward’s Carolyn Eaves and River Gum Ward’s Lynette Pereira have also been elected to be part of the council’s audit and risk committee who are scheduled to have their induction for the role early in December.

While the councillors finalise their last steps of introduction, the first general council meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday 10 December.

City of Casey farewells administrators

By Violet Li

Casey’s three administrators officially finished their term after the mayor and deputy mayor elections on Tuesday 19 November.

A close-out report was tabled in September, detailing the accomplishments, challenges, and community sentiment during their four-year term in Casey.

In the report, it is stated that the administration panel has been focusing on “addressing governance issues, rebuilding public trust in the Council’s decision-making and delivering reforms that uphold integrity and transparency through clear, contemporary policies and decision-making”.

Actions prioritised and introduced include reviewing governance and integrity systems in Casey, setting out a clear governance audit and action plan, endorsing a new protocol and policy for councillors and their role in land-use planning, developing a new policy to guide strategic planning scheme amendment requests from proponents and developers, reviewing delegations to

ensure they are appropriate, and embedding conflict of interest obligations in revised Governance Rules.

City of Casey chair of administrators Noelene Duff PSM, on behalf of the Panel of Administrators, Miguel Belmar and Cameron Boardman, said the panel of administrators had supported Casey to lead and deliver critical services for the community and ensure that Casey community continued to thrive and receive the support after challenging times. She highlighted the delivery of major capital works across Casey, including delivering more than $23 million to parks and open spaces, upgrades to the major aquatic facilities, including a roof replacement at Casey ARC, and the completion of an $8 million sporting hub at Casey Fields, with an indoor training facility to support elite-level competition.

“We guided Council’s response to the Covid by modifying the way many of our services were delivered to ensure they could continue to operate for our community,” she said.

“We also endorsed the fourth and final year of

our Council Plan 2021-2025 and supported our Shape our City community engagement program that will help build our new community vision.

“We saw 117 participants graduate from Council’s Community Leadership Program, which provided free training for new, emerging and existing community leaders in Casey who wanted to further develop their leadership skills and learn about community engagement and local government.”

Ms Duff PSM said the community’s best interests had always been at the centre of their decision-making during their term.

“We have laid strong foundations for the incoming council to build upon, always taking a strategic focus,” she said. “It’s a great privilege to serve a community in the role of a councillor. The 12 incoming councillors have a big job ahead of them in ensuring that they are strategic and focus on the big-picture issues for the Council and the community as it continues to grow in the future.”

Mr Boardman officially transitioned to his new role as a municipal monitor of Casey on Tuesday 19 November.

Melinda Ambros (Deputy Mayor) and Stefan Koomen (Mayor) were both unanimously elected by the council. (Stewart Chambers: 442356_18)

Woolworths South East workers on indefinite strike

By Cam Lucadou-Wells

More then 200 workers at a Woolworths warehouse in Dandenong South have joined a nationwide indefinite strike on Thursday 21 November.

United Workers Union logistics director Dario Mujkic said about 220 unionised staff out of the warehouse’s 300-workforce were on strike until Woolworths reopens EA negotiations.

Three other Woolworths warehouses were hit by strike action in Victoria and NSW, with a frozen goods warehouse in west Melbourne to join the next day, 22 November.

At Dandenong South distribution centre (DC), about 2 million cartons of ambient goods are stored and distributed to supermarkets each week.

A striking worker, who didn’t wish to be named, said supermarket shelves would start becoming emptier in coming days.

Bulkier goods that are harder to store on-site would be first affected – such as toilet rolls, bottled water and soft drink.

He said workers were seeking pay rises and the scrapping of performance targets – dubbed the Framework - that he says are unsafe.

In the lead-up to Christmas, he said he was prepared to remain on strike without pay for at least two weeks.

“It’s very positive at the moment. Everyone is nervous – everyone has families to support, mortgages to pay.

“We know we have to suffer to reap the benefits.”

He said they were seeking a “living wage” – a raise from $35 an hour to $38 an hour in the next EA’s first year to keep up with cost of living.

On those figures, the proposed first-year raise would be about 8.5 per cent. However, Woolworths claims the union proposal is 14 per cent and “significantly above inflation”.

Warehouse workers also argue the Framework was a dangerous standard that would cause injuries to workers in their rush to keep up, he said.

According to the supermarket chain, the Framework was developed with “safety as an inherent component”.

“The union has asked for no measurable performance rates,” a Woolworths spokesperson said.

“Less than 2 per cent of our team have experienced coaching or retraining under the framework to improve productivity.“

UWU national secretary Tim Kennedy said workers needed a “proportionate wage increase to deal with the cost pressures they face”.

“Big corporations like Woolworths have accrued ever-increasing profits in this period contributing to growing wealth inequality in Australia.

“No one wants to see bare supermarket shelves in the lead up to Christmas. Woolworths can fix this by coming back to the table and negotiating a fair agreement.”

Man charged with home invasion and affray

A ninth person has been charged over the alleged shooting of a Dandenong man in Frankston North this month.

A 22-year-old Seaford man was arrested in Melbourne’s CBD just after midday on Wednesday 21 November.

Armed Crime Squad detectives charged him with aggravated home invasion, four counts of common law assault, affray, violent disorder and two counts of criminal damage. The man was expected to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court that day.

A 59-year-old Frankston North woman was also arrested by police last night. She was interviewed and released pending further enquiries.

The activity follows a public appeal for information by police on Tuesday, 19 November as part of their investigation into a linked home invasion and non-fatal shooting.

A 36-year-old man from Dandenong was shot during what police will allege was an altercation with a group of people at a park on Armata Crescent about 7.15pm on Monday, 4 November.

The victim was taken to hospital where he remains with life altering injuries.

Eight people were previously charged with a range of offences in relation to these incidents, including:

• A 17-year-old Bentleigh boy

• An 18-year-old Frankston North woman

was allegedly shot. (Gary Sissons: 444936)

• A 21-year-old Mornington man

• A 22-year-old Frankston North man

• A 23-year-old Mornington woman

• A 24-year-old Cranbourne North man

• A 26-year-old Carrum Downs woman

• A 29-year-old Carrum Downs man

• A 28-year-old Cranbourne North woman was arrested and released pending further enquiries.

Kennedy said the Framework “has the potential to increase risk in an already very dangerous industry pushing people to work faster for fear of losing their jobs”.

A Woolworths spokesperson said there wasn’t expected to be “immediate impact” on stores.

“We have extensive contingency plans in place to minimise any ongoing impact to customers, including significantly increasing stock levels in stores serviced by these DCs, and utilising the oth-

Casey City Council election Declaration of results

er 20 DCs and 8,000 team members in our network to ensure regular deliveries to stores.

“We have already put forward several offers with competitive pay that is above industry standards, above local market rates, above inflation, and well above the Award.

“Over the past seven years, team members at these four DCs have had pay rises above inflation, and the most common earnings for full time team members is between $85,000 and $95,000.”

The following candidates were elected to Casey City Council at the general election held in October 2024:

Akoonah Ward

DOWLING, Scott William

Casuarina Ward

ROSS, Kim

Correa Ward

ROWE, Gary

Cranbourne Gardens Ward

CROWTHER, Michelle

Dillwynia Ward

WALTER, Anthony

Grevillea Ward

PERRY, Dave

Kalora Ward

AMBROS, Melinda

Kowan Ward

TAYLOR, Shane

Quarters Ward

EAVES, Carolyn

River Gum Ward

PEREIRA, Lynette

Tooradin Ward

DIZON, Jennifer

Waratah Ward

KOOMEN, Stefan

Further details about the results are available at vec.vic.gov.au

Amanda Golding Election Manager 11 November 2024

Some of the 200-plus workers on indefinite strike at Woolworths’ distribution centre in Dandenong South. (Supplied)

Police cordon off a crime scene in Frankston North, where a Dandenong man

Authorised by S. Bluemmel, Electoral Commissioner, 530 Collins Street, Melbourne, Victoria.

Artist creating new life

By Sahar Foladi

A young aspiring artist has crafted a creative way to adjust to life in Melbourne’s South-East.

Narges Hazareh, of Noble Park, dreams of establishing a successful career in art after many challenges keepher from doing just that as an Afghan refugee who lived in Iran for the past 20 years.

Born and raised in Afghanistan, her family fled the country as a Hazara minority to Iran. She describes life as “difficult” while facing racism from Iranians.

“I left Afghanistan very young, so I don’t remember much about my homeland.

“We were not allowed to open a business, have a sim card or a bank account.

“I was subjected to racism from Iranians and told I should work as a cook or a tailor – low level jobs associated with Afghans. It broke my spirit, so I stopped my studies. It was at that point that I decided that I had to leave Iran.”

She wanted to study IT but as an Afghan refugee wasn’t allowed to attend university in Iran. So she stopped studies after Year 9 taking on jobs at hair salons, did pedicures to support herself financially and that’s when she discovered resin art and unlocked her creative potential.

However, the Iranian Government’s restrictions restricted her from practising her passion on a larger scale.

Resin art is created when a runny chemical called epoxy resin is combined with various colour pigments and additives to produce a blend of unique patterns and textures.

“I started very small watching an artist do basic techniques. I learned the basics and then I studied more at home.

“I started selling pieces and hired people to help me, but I was not allowed to set up a business by the Iranian authorities because I was a refugee. But in the future, I would like to start a business selling my artwork here in Australia.”

It has been five-months since she migrated to Australia, improving her English language and even setting up workshops in February next year sharing her passion and teaching the process of resin art, supported by her AMES case manager Farzana.

Farzana has connected Narges with an arts group in Hampton Park. which had led to opportunities and her flourishing as an artist.

“Upon her arrival, she felt excited and eager to grow her art.

“In her first meeting with me, she shared her artistic skills and asked for help in connecting with organisations that could support her goals in Australia.”

While it’s exciting and nerve-wrecking to start a new life in a new country, Narges misses her siblings and her partner who are still in Iran, hoping to bring them to Australia with her.

“I am very close to them. I was struggling when I first came, feeling overwhelmed and missing them

“Now I feel a little bit better but my heart still feels very tightened sometimes thinking of them.”

Her upcoming workshop is considered to be a breakthrough in her career, helping her to keep busy and move closer to achieving her dream.

Speaking of her first upcoming workshop, she says she is eager to help people who are interested to learn.

“I feel very good. I really want to teach them everything I know and it’ll be a very proud moment for me.”

Men making healthy reforms

By Ava Cashmore

On Tuesday 19 November, reformer pilates instructor and founder of ‘Pop-up pilates OZ’, Etaize Anstis, hosted a free men-only reformer Pilates class at Genesis Dandenong.

Coinciding with International Men’s Day, this initiative aimed to encourage men to prioritise their health and well-being, using pilates as a gateway to building strength, flexibility, and mental wellness.

“Men are less likely to speak up when unwell or seek help from doctors, leading to higher rates of suicide and undiagnosed illnesses,” Etaize says.

“This event is a push to break that cycle and get men involved in their health.”

According to the Australian Institute of Family Studies, mental ill-health remains high among Australian men, with up to 25 per cent experiencing a diagnosed mental health disorder in their lifetime.

Regular pilates participant, Denis Waterman, said “I regularly take part in Pilates to improve my

flexibility, help my posture, and overall health.”

Genesis Dandenong is also offering a free seven-day trial of reformer Pilates classes throughout November to encourage participation.

She has conducted workshops in Iran after she started to attract pupils to her resin art journey. Narges creates physical objects like diary covers, bookmarks, clocks and much more with resin.

ing to learn from her. She regularly posts her works and its progress on her Instagram page Gallery_sun.

Knitted kindness for homeless

By Sahar Foladi

A multicultural group from Southern Migrant & Refugee Centre (SMRC) has knitted and donated beanies and scarves for the homeless at the charity Cornerstone.

Less than 10 people from diverse backgrounds teamed up to create 50 beanies and scarves.

The program kickstarted when Mieke joined SMRC two years ago after her husband passed away.

As one of the few experienced knitters, she joined program coordinator Vino and participant Elizabeth to create the craft group.

Vino says the activity helps everyone involved, providing a boost of self-worth especially to the elderly.

“What I can see is that seniors sometimes can still contribute to society - that’s the link I can see. It makes me and them feel good, appreciated and accepted in society.

“I have a feeling we have achieved that.”

There are 25 registered clients in the SMRC’s multicultural group and many more are inspired by the program’s achievements and want to part of it.

“You learn to have a lot of patience, to get along

with other nationalities,” Mieke says.

“It’s our first donation from our club, we’ll have to wait and see how we go next year.

“Hopefully we improve on it, and get more people interested.”

Vino runs seven programs at the SMRC including a Vietnamese group, adementia respite group, a creative minds art group and a Romanian outing group. This is just one way of connecting with the community. she says.

The young and motivated artist is full of potential saying she welcomes anyone who is will-

Narges Hazareh stands proudly next to her artworks.(Stewart Chambers: 445053_01)

Reformer pilates instructor Etaize Anstis with Alias, Rob, Dimitrios and Denis (front). (Stewart Chambers: 444018)

Etaize Anstis, centre, with Shiki and Manuel at the mens-only pilates class. (Stewart Chambers: 444018)

SMRC’s multicultural group present gifts to Cornerstone volunteers. (Stewart Chambers: 444938_01)

Naomi, Jim, Mieke and Elizabeth with some of the 50 beanies and scarves donated to Cornerstone. (Stewart Chambers: 444938_03)

255km/h hoon gets CCO, too ‘vulnerable’ for jail

By Cam Lucadou-Wells

A serial hoon from Berwick has been spared jail for an eight-month spree of high-speed, dangerous social-media stunts on public roads.

Sushant Mittal, 20, had pleaded guilty at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court to a long list of offences – including 11 counts of reckless conduct endangering life for 11 separate driving incidents in 2022 and 2023.

The P-plater had admitted to speeding up to 255 km/h, street racing and rapid swerving between heavy traffic in his family company’s sports Mercedes - a car so high-powered it’s prohibited for P-plate drivers.

Several times, Mittal had also seat swapped with a passenger while travelling on Monash Freeway.

The car was effectively driverless during the transition – but for cruise control and lane-assist.

The incidents took place in Hallam, Clyde North, Berwick, Dandenong North, Eumemmerring, Mulgrave, Blackburn North, Glen Waverley, Parkville, Mt Waverley, Box Hill North, Wheelers Hill and Melbourne.

On 19 November, magistrate Malcolm Thomas said he’d come “extremely close” to sentencing Mittal to a youth justice centre.

However, he noted that the “vulnerable” ex-private school student with poor social skills would be “no doubt” subjected to bullying and abuse in custody.

Mittal had been “bullied at Haileybury”, so “you can imagine what it’d be like bullied at Parkville”, Mr Thomas said.

Mittal’s youthful age and being a first-time of-

fender were significant mitigating factors. His offending was largely a product of his immaturity, Mr Thomas said.

“I accept that you’re immature even for your age.”

Mittal had not reoffended since his arrest in April 2023, and had “reasonably good” rehabilitation prospects, Mr Thomas found.

After receiving a torrent of social media abuse during his case, it was more likely he’d not reoffend.

On the other hand, Mittal had “wantonly and totally unnecessarily” put a large number road-users at peril for “social media and likes - or to show off”, the judge said.

During what the judge termed a “lifestyle of arrogance”, Mittal had exclaimed that it was like playing a “game”.

It was only through “luck” that no one was seriously injured or killed, Mr Thomas said.

Defence lawyer Chris Farrington had told the court that Mittal was distressed by abusive, threatening social-media messages in recent weeks, warning what would befall him in jail,

It “heightened” his expectations of what custody would be like.

Having tried to gain “respect” on social media, Mittal was now aware that the public were “disgusted” and “hate” perpetrators of this sort of offending, Farrington argued.

While in the shower recently, he suffered a medical episode - “some sort of shock” - in which he lost functionality but was still conscious.

Prosecutor JJ Jassar urged for a combination of youth detention and a CCO, given the repeated “deplorable” offences even after a police warning.

Any offener facing potential jail would endure “high anxiety” prior to sentencing, Jassar said. “That is the norm.”

With head bowed for much of the hearing, Mittal wiped his eyes and nose several times after receiving his sentence - a two-year community corrections order, including judicial monitoring and 350 hours of unpaid work.

He was also convicted, fined $2000 and disqualified from driving for five years.

Mr Thomas said the “punitive” community corrections order was designed to deter Mittal and oth-

ers – taking into account his youth and previously clean conviction record.

He hoped Mittal had “grown up” and would “act in an adult and mature way”.

“Grasp the opportunity that’s been given you.”

Mr Thomas ordered for the forfeiture of “tainted” property used in Mittal’s crimes, such as the family company’s Mercedes and his phone.

The family has 60 days to appeal the car’s forfeiture to the State.

Mittal was scheduled to appear for judicial monitoring at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court in February.

The Victorian Government is making it easier for families to find a three and four-year old kinder learning program they can count on.

The Kinder Tick recognises kinder programs that are led by a qualified teacher.

It highlights kindergartens and long day care centres that offer play-based programs to help children learn and grow, before they start school.

It also identifies services that are approved for Victorian Government funding.

Melbourne Magistrates’ Court. (Cam Lucadou-Wells: 171634)

Merry-go-round owner had passion for fun

OBITUARY

KEVIN GRAHAM KRYGGER

21 March 1933 – 6 November 2024

A fun-loving larrikin who ran a popular merrygo-round at Dandenong’s famous former trashand-treasure market has been remembered as an “icon”.

Kevin Krygger, 91, had run his hand-painted sideshow ride – accompanied by Slim Dusty and yodelling music - every Sunday market for more than 35 years.

It wasn’t until his mid-eighties that “age got the better of him” and he stopped the attraction in 2019, his son Adrian recalled.

“I remember riding the merry go round as a child, as did my sister, and then our kids did as well as countless thousands of others in the community.”

Donning a leather pouch of coins, he played “some of the oldest country music you have ever heard”.

“Although I don’t think anybody liked the music, everyone knew that it meant the ride was operating.

“He would always spruik through an old loudspeaker, ‘Merry go round ride for children, bring the little darlings over…. leave the little buggers at home’ - jokingly of course as everyone knew.”

His humorous pranks included running between the seats during the ride and pretending the kids hit him on the “bum”.

The weekly joy was what “kept him going so

long”, says Adrian. “Because he loved doing it so much.”

“The trash and treasure market was a community. He developed friendships there, everybody knew him.”

Born in Ballarat, Krygger was one of five children. His mother Alice died from tuberculosis just a few days after he was born.

“He was lucky to survive, as he could have easily contracted TB during the pregnancy, but did not.

“He did however, have a very unusual shaped kidney, and had to stay in hospital for six months. He actually ended up being written into medical journals because of his kidney.”

Krygger married twice, becoming father of four and grandfather of six.

The travelling salesperson had a passion for footy, Fords, fishing, family, German Shepherd dogs and doing things for others, Adrian says.

Carnivals were another passion. He started operating rides at the Portarlington carnival during school holidays and became close to the Ver Vurth family.

He also befriended entertainers Ernie Sigley and Tony Barber.

After many decades, the Dandenong Trash and Treasure Market closed - due to the sale of the Lunar Drive-In cinema on the same site.

Meanwhile, in recent years, Krygger developed the degenerative condition, dementia. He moved into an aged-care facility in mid-2023 and died on 6 November.

Clan lab cops catch alleged trafficker

Clandestine Laboratory Squad detectives have charged a man with trafficking after raids of factories and storage sheds in Springvale, Moorabbin and Clayton on 20 November.

Police allegedly seized more than a tonne of 1,4-butanediol – equivalent to 100,000 potentially lethal doses of the drug.

Large amounts of steroids and prescription medicine, as well as steroid manufacturing equipment were also allegedly seized.

At a dismantled “large sophisticated” Clayton clandestine lab, police discovered about 730 kilograms of 1-4 butanediol, as well as 20 litres of tartaric acid used to purify methamphetamines.

Detective Acting Inspector Mark Newlan of

Clandestine Laboratory Squad said 1, 4-butanediol had legitimate use as an industrial solvent or cleaning product but was “incredibly dangerous” and potentially “fatal” when ingested.

“Criminal syndicates care only for the profits this dangerous substance can make them – substituting it for GHB given the cheaper price.

“Overwhelmingly what users believe is GHB is 1,4-Butanediol.

“The drug can be unpredictable and the difference between survival and a fatal overdose can be very small.

“There is absolutely no safe amount to ingest — that’s why we’re committed to removing it from unintended hands.”

Free buses trial voted down

By Cam Lucadou-Wells

South East Metropolitan MP Rachel Payne has vowed to continue fighting despite a proposal for free and more frequent public-transport buses being voted down in State Parliament last week.

Both the Government and Liberal-National Coalition opposed the Legalise Cannabis party’s motion, including a 12 month free-bus trial as well as a review of bus routes.

The Greens supported the proposal.

“Sadly, the government and opposition voted against this commonsense proposal,” Payne said.

“Both the government and opposition agreed that the bus networks need work yet did not support this proposal for a review of the networks as well as consideration for incentivising people to get on buses.”

Payne said the free travel plan had parallels to Queensland’s recently-introduced 50-cent fares.

“I haven’t given up. I will continue to fight for a fair go for everyone.”

She said too many in the outer South-East suburbs were in “public transport deserts with no trams, infrequent trains and substandard bus services”.

This led to entrenched disadvantage, isolation, cost of living pressures, pollution and road congestion.

In Parliament, Labor upper house MP Michael Gallea said eliminating fares only improved patronage to a “small degree” – “nowhere hear enough to justify the cost of making it free”.

Service frequency, connectivity and reliability were the “things that drive patronage”.

Gallea said Victoria’s Bus Plan was focused on network improvements, such as the extensions of 831, 798 and 928, as well as extra weekend services on the 800 Dandenong to Chadstone. He conceded there were “pockets” of Melbourne that were “not optimal”.

“When you have slow, meandering bus routes, you actually drive down the potential patronage and you also of course require more resources to use it.

“Where we can have clear, direct, logical bus routes such as the extensions that we are doing in, for example, Clyde North, … that means that you can really maximise the benefit of those bus services.”

Trafficking charge after Springvale raid

Four people were charged after police allegedly mounted a drug raid in Springvale on 22 November.

Police say they allegedly seized traffickable amounts of methylamphetamine and heroin at the Newcomen Road home.

Cash, about 48 diazepam tablets and cannabis were also allegedly seized.

A man attempted to flee and was quickly arrested, police say.

The other occupants were also detained.

A 32-year-old Springvale man was charged with drug trafficking and dealing with suspected proceeds of crime.

A 36-year-old Mordialloc man was intercepted by police about 3.30pm on 21 November.

His car contained 10 kilograms of an unidentified powder and stolen registration plates, police say.

Further steroids and clan lab equipment were then allegedly seized by policeduring a raid of a Mordialloc home.

The man was charged with trafficking a large commercial quantity of 1,4-butanediol, possessing a prescribed pre-cursor, and possessing substances, documents and equipment for trafficking.

He was remanded to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 13 January.

He was remanded to appear at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 25 November.

A 55-year-old Springvale man, a 38-yearold Springvale person and a 24-year-old Melbourne woman were each charged with drug possession and bailed to appear at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 6 March.

A 53-year-old of no fixed address was issued with a drug diversion and released from custody.

Greater Dandenong Neighbourhood Policing Team, Greater Dandenong CIU and Divisional Response Unit officers conducted the raid as part of an ongoing investigation, police say.

Kevin Krygger at his famous merry-go-round at Dandenong Trash and Treasure Market. (Supplied)

Kevin Krygger recently surrounded by family at Christmas. (Supplied)

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY

A journey of resilience

As a member of Parliament, I like to give voice to my community and constituents. Today, I would like to provide Maya from Syndromes Without A Name (SWAN) Australia, an opportunity to share some of her story.

Amplifying Leadership: A Journey of Resilience, Advocacy, and Inclusion

This International Day of People with Disability (IDPwD), I’m proud to celebrate the theme for 2024: Amplifying the leadership of persons with disabilities for an inclusive and sustainable future. As a working mum, student, business owner and advocate, this theme resonates deeply with me. It’s a call to action to champion voices like my son’s (who can’t speak for himself, verbally) so we can build a brighter, more inclusive world.

My son Lloyd, lives with a rare genetic condition, one of 300 worldwide. His diagnosis, after a long and challenging journey, changed my life forever. As a young mum, navigating countless medical appointments and therapies was overwhelming, especially while working and studying. I found community and strength through Syndromes Without A Name (SWAN) Australia. Their peer support network gave my family the holistic support we needed to thrive, empowering me to step into leadership roles I never thought possible.

Inspired by Lloyd’s determination and the incredible families I’ve met through SWAN, I launched RareWear, an adaptive clothing brand for children with additional needs. RareWear is about more than clothing—it’s about inclusion, independence, and amplifying the dignity of every child.

This year’s theme reminds me that leadership comes in many forms: Advocacy, innovation, and everyday resilience are powerful ways to pave the way for a sustainable future. Lloyd fuels my passion for creating a world where every person,

regardless of ability, is heard, valued, and supported.

As we celebrate IDPwD 2024, I hope we amplify the voices of persons with disabilities, ensuring they and their families are empowered to lead a future defined by inclusion and op-

Using proper terminology

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

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

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

Avoid the use of words and phrases such

as crippled, a victim of, unfortunate, suffering from, incapacitated or worse, words that have evolved from historically medical terms to become hurtful slurs. Using the word ‘normal’ is also, depending on context, one that should generally be avoided when referring to people with a disability.

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

Instead of saying ‘a blind person’ or ‘a quadriplegic’, perhaps consider rephrasing to ‘a person who is blind or has a vision impairment, or ‘a person that has quadriplegia.’

portunity. With compassion, commitment and community, I know we can make that future a reality.

- Written by Maya Pinn BHSci Syndromes Without A Name (SWAN) - Australia

Ann-Marie Hermans MP, Lloyd, Maya and Rinal.

Aspiring star’s thrilling win

By Ethan Benedicto

Directing a film and acting in it are challenging in their own ways, but doing both at the same time is worthy of renown and such is the case for 20-year-old Endeavour Hills local Tay Barrientos.

Her piece, titled ‘Liar’ won the Best Feature Film Award during SmartFone FlickFest 2024 which took place between 15 to 17 November, with the hour-long thriller filmed solely on her iPhone.

Combining well-placed elements of music, lighting, visuals, framing and most of all, acting, Tay was more than surprised when she was called onto the stage to accept her award.

“I didn’t realise I had won, I thought [the announcer] was just calling me up to the stage,” Tay said.

“I get up there and she hands me the trophy and I read it and it says, ‘Best Feature Film’; she hands me the mic and tells me to start my speech and I say, ‘what?’.

“But of course, I’m thankful and I feel great, it’s amazing to see all the hard work pay off.”

The film, which was first released in September, follows the journey of Mackenzie Belmonte, who tragically loses her brother after a car accident.

However, not all is as it seems; with the loss cutting deep despite the siblings’ shaky relationship, Mackenzie stumbles upon Harmony Love (played by Hayley Christine) and her brother Donovan Love (played by Bailey Christopher) who, on the same night, were also involved in an accident.

The film is packed with moments of grief and sorrow, but also resilience, mystery and suspense, where scenes of Tay battling through her emotions are aplenty.

Tay first attended a SmartFone FlickFest event in 2022, where she recalled being amazed at what the festival had to offer.

Little did she know that two years later she would be the one on the podium with the trophy clutched in her arms.

“I was really excited, I was still in shock,” Tay said.

“I feel like it didn’t hit me that we won until the next morning because I woke up in my hotel room and I went and checked that I still had the trophy, it was like a dream.”

From simply being in front of a camera to sometimes forgetting to press record, Tay said that the filming process “did get a bit difficult”.

“Especially the scenes where it’s obviously just me in there, me in the room, it was a little bit weird.

“I’d be talking to myself because there’s a lot of phone calls [in the movie], there’s no one reading me the lines, or the other characters’ lines, I kind of just had to say it in my head.”

Close shots also proved to be quite daunting at first, despite the final product delivering strong

Families in the flying seats

By Ava Cashmore

Hundreds of families and aviation enthusiasts gathered for the annual family open cockpit weekend at the Moorabbin Air Museum on 16 and 17 November 2024.

Hosted in partnership with the Moorabbin Airport Corporation (MAC), the event provided the public an opportunity to step into the cockpits of historic aircrafts.

The weekend was packed with activities, including performances by the Scout Band and a special appearance by the Royal Flying Doctor Simulator.

Star Wars cosplayers from the Knightfall Garrison also attended the event, delighting many families attending.

For local resident Tieng and her family, including her young son Luka, this day is a cherished tradition, having attended for many consecutive years.

“We love it”, said Tieng, “we just love looking at the history, and there’s lots of volunteers that tell us more information, which is really helpful to understand the whole story.”

Visitors also enjoyed a sausage sizzle, a coffee van, and a book sale.

“This is the sixth or seventh open day event we’ve done now, and it just continues to grow,” said Ewan McArthur, General Manager of the Moorabbin Air Museum.

“It’s a really good chance for young kids to jump into cockpits and get a feel of what it’s like to fly—whether it’s small aircraft, jet aircraft, military, naval, or commercial planes. Sometimes it even sparks an interest in pursuing aviation careers.”

The museum showcased its extensive collection of historic aircraft, including the Wirraway, Wackett, Beaufort, and Beaufighter, along with rare items such as 110-year-old BE-2 wings.

Behind-the-scenes tours of the workshop also offered a chance to see the restoration work that keeps these aircrafts alive.

There were also several youth programs in attendance, including the Air League, Air Scouts,

bouts of emotional intensity.

“It was weird to get those kinds of angles, I had to really hold my phone to my face, I had no tripod or anything,” Tay said.

“You know, having to do the scene, pretending that I’m on the phone, my hands up around somewhere else.

“I was holding the phone super close to my face, those were the scenes I definitely hated the most, I said to myself, this is not a good angle for me.”

The film took its first steps in February this year, but Tay hit some hurdles and progress halted for a few months when she found herself having little to no motivation to pick it up again.

“For a few months, I was just like, ‘I can’t’, and I didn’t want to do it anymore you know? I kind of gave up on it,” she said.

However, things changed when a spark of inspiration hit her after watching the movie ‘Missing’, especially the 2023 movie’s use of text messages and media.

“I changed the script a little bit, then I altered it, I also had to film some more scenes and redo them in June,” Tay said.

“From there I began editing and it was finished in September.”

Studying psychology and criminology, Tay’s expertise wasn’t necessarily in the field of media,

and the “Winjeels Group” program, which engages youth in hands-on aviation projects.

“If we don’t get youth involved, we won’t have older people to work on the planes,” said Winjeel’s representative, David.

Despite occasionally challenging weather conditions, the event attracted around 2000 visitors across the weekend.

“It’s a great privilege to look after this collection and make it accessible to the public,” McArthur said.

The family open cockpit weekend continues to celebrate Australia’s aviation history, and inspire new generations of future pilots, engineers, and aviation enthusiasts.

yet fuelled by a clear vision and a headstrong attitude, all of her pieces fell into place.

“I had an idea in my head, and I would write the script while I was imagining it,” she said.

“I knew how I wanted each line delivered, so as we filmed, and because a lot of the scenes had me in it, I was kind of just bossing myself around in my head.”

The process of acquiring talent and filling in essential gaps such as music also proved to be a challenge, nevertheless, Tay remained resourceful, curating her own background melodies as well as sourcing key royalty-free music.

As for the talent and her co-stars, Tay got in touch with Hayley (Harmony Love), who she had met at a modelling event a few years prior.

From there, Bailey (Donovan Love) joined the team and told Tay that he was an aspiring actor, with Tay more than happy to provide him with a space to let loose his ambitions.

“For the characters and as I was writing, I made different random conversations that I would want in the film, even if I’m not going to use them.

“Donovan as a character, he wanted to be closed off and kind of creepy, and I knew I wanted Harmony to be one of those characters where you don’t know if you love her or hate her,” Tay said.

With a plot twist down the line, and considering that Tay has several alternate endings to ‘Liar’ completed and stored, there are plans of building herself up to more movies and “move away from my smartphone”.

“I feel like if I was to use professional lighting and cameras, I would want a team helping me, I don’t know if I could do it by myself, but I definitely want to do that eventually,” she said.

Over 40 awards across six categories were given during the event, with filmmakers, creatives and actors taking home prize packs worth in excess of $50,000.

As she savours her and her team’s award, Tay has a penchant for the directorial role, with any future projects seeing her possibly taking on a specific mantle.

Knightfall Garrison Star Wars cosplayers. (Supplied)

Knightfall Garrison Star Wars cosplayers enjoying the event. (Supplied)

Luka posing with his Star Wars friends. (Ava Cashmore: 445445)

Knightfall Garrison Star Wars cosplayer. (Supplied)

Museum volunteer, Shabbir Wahid, in front of his favourite plane. (Ava Cashmore: 445445)

Tay Barrientos on the night of the award during SmartFone FlickFest 2024. (Supplied)

Tay, playing Mackenzie Belmonte in one of the scenes of her film ‘Liar’.

Cherishing their memory

The Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (SMCT) is delighted to host their Children’s Remembrance Service on Sunday 8 December, for the first time at Bunurong Memorial Park.

This service is an opportunity to reflect and honour the memory of cherished babies and children during a time that can often be especially difficult for those who have lost a loved one.

For many, attending this service has become an annual tradition to commemorate their beloved children, while for some this might be a new experience.

During the service, there is a special moment for the recalling of the star. This is a real star that was acquired by SMCT and named ‘Eternal Light’ in memory of all the babies and children who have gone before us. It’s a tradition upheld since the first Children’s Remembrance Service in 2005.

The ‘Eternal Light’ star serves as a constant reminder that throughout the grief process you are not alone. The Children’s Remembrance Service provides support, connection and comfort to families and community members.

Attendees are welcome to share a message on their tribute wall, located within Bunurong Memorial Park. SMCT hopes that these tribute messages symbolise the loving memories that stay forever in our hearts.

Last year, the Mayor of City of Greater Dandenong Cr Lana Formoso and the CEO of MyRoom Children’s Cancer Charity Margaret Zita OAM attended the event.

“We have witnessed how this event allows families to feel connected, understood, and embraced by a community that truly cares. We would love to extend this out to childhood cancer families who have lost a child,” Margaret said.

SMCT is privileged to organise this meaningful event each year and hopes it offers a space for you to honour and celebrate the memories of your children.

Please note: Registration will open at 4pm

with the service commencing at 5pm. For more information, please email events@ smct.org.au or contact us on 03 8558 8278.

The free service will be held at Stratus Reflection Space, Bunurong Memorial Park (790 Frankston - Dandenong Road, Dandenong

South, 3175). RSVPs are essential.

The Southern Metropolitan Cemeteries Trust (SMCT) is delighted to host their Children’s Remembrance Service on Sunday 8 December, for the first time at Bunurong Memorial Park.

Best of the press awarded

More than 170 people attended the Victorian Country Press Association’s pinnacle event for 2024, held at the RACV Resort in Torquay on Friday, 15 November.

The awards night was the culmination of the VCPA’s annual conference, in which delegates from across Australia heard from a world-class field of speakers, headlined by International News Media Association executive director and CEO, Earl Wilkinson.

VCPA chairman Jared Loughnan said Mr Wilkinson was widely regarded as one of the news media industry’s most experienced and respected speakers, and his presence and participation in this year’s conference was a major highlight.

“Earl is a true leader in our industry and our members and other conference delegates thoroughly enjoyed his presentation, and his company over the time he was able to spend with us,” Mr Loughnan said.

The awards night was compered by comedian Dave O’Neil and had 19 awards announced as part of a new look for the VCPA’s major yearly event, with a record 537 entries received.

Major winners included the Phillip Island and San Remo Advertiser, which was named winner of the open category Newspaper Excellence award, the Yarrawonga Chronicle in the under 2500 circulation paid newspaper category and the Shepparton Adviser as winner of the Best Free Newspaper.

Star News Group featured prominently in the awards.

Cranbourne Star News reporter Violet Li was commended for her story Home Fires Fury.

Judge Alison McAdam said her story was commended for cleverly linking a breaking news event with a long-running campaign for a new fire station.

LOOKING BACK

100 years ago

27 November 1924

Observations

Hundreds of Dandenong residents crowded round a free open-air exhibition of juggling, balancing etc. in Lonsdale-Street Dandenong for a night or two last week. The show was decidedly clever but not very elevating or instructive. The A.N.A competitions were on in the Town Hall at the same time, and all the best amateur talent of this and several other districts was taking part. There were numerous competitors, and these in turn have numerous relatives and friends, and excellent programs were organised for each night. Yet the attendance at the Town Hall could be counted in dozens, although the competitions were for the encouragement of young and promising performers, and also a fine advertisement for the town and district. No comment is needed, except to suggest that Dandenong residents prefer “Cheap Jack” entertainments to those of a more instructive and useful nature.

50 years ago

26 November 1974

Picket Line Protest On Parking

Dandenong housewives plan to picket the Myer Dandenong carpark. Protests are mounting over the company’s policy of charging 20 cents to park in the four-storey parking garage. Housewives say other retailers and supermarkets provide free on-site parking in many cases for an unlimited period. Picketing of the carpark was instigated by Mrs Barbara Stanczewski, her relatives and friends. She said “I feel busy young Dandenong mothers and working wives are entitled to at least park at Myer Dandenong for up to two hours for free.” Myer Dandenong manager Mr Manzie said that Myer thought the charge of 20 cents was “quite reasonable and that even at 20 cents for two hours the carpark was maintained at a loss.”

20 years ago

22 November 2004

Super Junction

A conceptual image of Dandenong’s key interchange with the Frankston-Mitcham Freeway shows a triple-deck super junction that is set to be the country’s largest. The new freeway will pass through at ground level with Princes Highway elevated above it and Heatherton Road will pass over that on a third road deck, The interchange will improve vehicle flow as it will eliminate the need for intersection traffic

“The journalist seamlessly switches between reporting the latest event and explaining the background context, and includes good quotes throughout the story,” she said. “The photos are well composed, showing the action of fighting the blaze as well as featuring the main primary source.”

Rob Carew’s entry Show Delight was highly commended in the Best Agricultural Photo category.

“Rob has captured what will probably one of this young girl’s most memorable moments,” judge Peter Hyett said. “Proudly, but with some obvious challenges, this young girl strives to place the ribbon around the prizes winning entry’ neck. Capturing these moments takes a keen eye, patience and the ability to respond quickly which

Rob has managed to achieve. The use of long lenses does reduce your ability to create the perfect picture in relation to depth of field but with a strong focal point on the young girl face this picture draws you in to this very proud moment.”

Gazette reporter Corey Everitt was commended in the Best Agricultural Story category for his On The Land feature headlined Chicken Before The Egg.

“Great headline and beautiful photos,” judge Simone Smith said. “A deep-dive into an agricultural business, this article includes the ideal combination of background, production detail and personal quotes to tell a well-rounded story about the development of a local egg business and what it has meant to this family.”

Corey was also highly commended in the TAC

Award For Road Safety for his piece Road Trauma to the Fore, which judge Samantha Cockfield described as an in-depth look at how volunteers working for Amber Community, a not-for-profit dedicated to addressing road trauma, are changing attitudes of people convicted of serious road traffic offences.

“Corey’s portrayal of the volunteers, some of whom had previously been convicted themselves, showed a strong level of trust between the reporter and his subjects. The story also explored the potential of extending the use of seminars beyond offenders, to all young drivers.”

Kelly Price was commended in the Best Locally Produced Advertisement category for her Meet Your Local Agent ad for Barry Plant.

“This is a great ad and creates a sense of intimacy but inviting readers to learn more about the agents,” judge Krista Shada said. “The layout is simply but works really well with the colour scheme and business logo and information. The copy is engaging and designed to encourage a real relationship between buyer or seller and the agent.”

Editor Garry Howe was commended in the Best Editorial or Opinion category for an Editor’s Desk in the Gazette on IBAC’s Operation Sandon investigation into planning issues at Casey Council.

The judge was Patrick Elligett, editor of The Age.

“Garry Howe’s notes from the editor’s desk are eminently readable,” he said. “Engaging to the last word, his snappy assessments of complex issues are delivered with such familiarity that they leave readers feeling like they’ve just caught up with the editor for a coffee and a chat. The tone might be casual, but the topics are important and the messages they contain are compelling.”

Compiled by Dandenong and District Historical Society

lights. Greater Dandenong CEO Carl Wulff was impressed with the design concept “It will be the biggest interchange facility in the country to rival anything in Los Angeles,” he said. Although motorists will have to pay to use the tollway, the council’s community support group manager, Ross Hepburn, is adamant they will get a much better piece of infrastructure than something funded by the State Treasury.

5 years ago

25 November 2019

Ibac Hearing Developer’s ‘puppets’ A property developer allegedly paid cash to Casey councillors and treated them as his “puppets” as part of a campaign to rezone Cranbourne West land, an anti-corruption hearing has heard. It was alleged that the developer, John Woodman, paid $80,000 in cash deposits to Cr Sam Aziz and $17,500 to Cr Geoff Ablett in the lead-up to Amendment C219 deliberations in 2014. Mr Woodman and his associ-

ates had been lobbying councillors to rezone the land from industrial to residential – a move that would create a windfall profit of tens of millions of dollars. The IBAC investigation will focus on corruption involving Casey councillors and property developers, particularly three planning issues. They are the Amendment C219 rezoning of land in Cranbourne West, the H3 intersection in Hall Road, Cranbourne West, and the Pavilion Estate.

A proud Hanna with Berryvale Russia and a ribbon to take home at the Berwick Show. This image by Rob Carew was highly commended at the VCPA awards.

The building of the Heatherton Road overpass as part of the Eastlink tollway project in 2006. (445432)

Construction of the Heatherton Road, Princes Highway and Eastlink intersection in 2007. (Meagan Rogers: 445432)

In 2006, the then-Mulgrave MP Daniel Andrews, left, with a SEITA officer, announces a $1million package to keep Heatherton Road connected to Princes Highway when Eastlink is built. (Stewart Chambers: 445432)

A view of the Heatherton Road overpass on Eastlink in 2018. (179545)

NEWS Giving bags of support

An annual campaign It’s In the Bag is collecting donations for women and girls in need.

Share the Dignity is collecting handbags filled with essential items for women and children in domestic violence refuges, homeless shelters or living in poverty.

Donated bags of period products, shampoo and conditioner, body wash, deodorant, toothbrush and toothpaste are welcome.

WHAT’S ON

Neighbourhood Watch Q&A forum and AGM

Catch up with your local police, get tips on personal safety and hear about what’s happening in your area. Guest speaker: Senior Sergeant Dave Smith, who has worked in Highway Patrol, proactive policing unit, youth offenders and missing persons. Light supper provided.

•Wednesday 27 November 7pm for 7.30pm start at Paddy O’Donoghue Centre, 18-34 Buckley Street, Noble Park. (Ample parking rear of centre off Frank Street)

Christmas Giving Drive

Donate new items (toys, books and food) to support people living in poverty. All donations go to local organisations helping the community. All items should be unwrapped. Donations can be made between 27 November and 15 December.

•9am-5pm, Monday-Friday at Springvale Community Hub, 5 Hillcrest Grove, Springvale. Details: greaterdandenong.vic.gov.au/christmasgiving-tree

The Importance of Oral Histories

Historian Dr Nicolette Snowden will explain how to record oral histories and examine their value in both a community and professional context. Oral histories now form part of Council’s Civic and Cultural Heritage Collection. This program is being run in conjunction with the We Built This City exhibition. A light afternoon tea will be held following the presentations.

•Thursday 28 November, 2pm-4pm at Benga, 66 McCrae Street, Dandenong. Free event, registrations required at trybooking.com/events/ landing/1311016

Paul Marshall exhibition launch

A beloved member of the NPCC, Paul Marshall’s self-expressionist work invites viewers to connect with his journey as an artist.

•Friday 29 November, 10.30am at Noble Park Community Centre, Memorial Drive, Noble Park. Cornerstone Christmas Fete Market stalls, unique handmade Christmas gifts, free face painting, sausage sizzle, crafts and prizes. Directly supports Cornerstone’s mission to help our community.

•Saturday 30 November, 9am-2pm at Cornerstone Contact Centre, Dandenong Baptist Church hall, 25 James Street Dandenong.

Virtual bags can be donated, as well as cash donations.

Bags can be dropped off at Bunnings Warehouse stores such as Springvale up until Sunday 1 December.

Activities organiser Bonnie at the It’s In the Bag collection point at Springvale Bunnings. (Stewart Chambers: 443730)

Respect at the Market

WHISE (Women’s Health in the South East) will be partnering with Dandenong Market, South East Community Links, Southern Migrant & Refugee Centre and Wellsprings for Women to host “Respect Is… at the Heart of Dandenong Market.”

This interactive event is designed to engage families and individuals in conversations and activities that promote respect and equality.

Key highlights are a spinning wheel with prizes, a smoothie bike to mix your own drinks, teams and advocates to answer questions about respect and safe relationships.

•Saturday 30 November, 9am-3pm at Dandenong Market, corner Clow and Cleeland streets. Christmas Market

A festive fundraising event supporting the Australian Animal Protection Society (AAPS). Live music, market stalls, kids activities and food trucks.

Sunday 1 December, 10am-3pm at Australian Animal Protection Society, 26 Aegean Court, Keysborough. Entry by gold coin donation to help us protect animals.

International Day of People With Disability

A community celebration with recreation and craft activities, entertainment, free access to NPAC, a BBQ lunch and accessible parking, playground, gardens and pathways with multiple staff to assist. This event is in partnership with the City of Greater Dandenong, Noble Park Community Centre, Burke & Beyond, South East Leisure, ADEC and RecLink.

•Tuesday 3 December, 10am-3pm at Noble Park Community Centre and Noble Park Aquatic Centre, Memorial Drive, Noble Park. Festive Craft at the Hub

Join us every Wednesday in December for selfguided festive craft sessions. Perfect for all ages, these sessions bring together creativity, fun, and holiday cheer. From ornaments to festive decorations, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Parents, stay and share in the joy as you and your kids make seasonal keepsakes together.

•Every Wednesday in December, 10am-2pm at Springvale Community Hub.

Red Cross Christmas Lunch

Hallam Friends of Red Cross will be having a Christmas lunch. We wish all members of red cross and the community, to enjoy the Christmas sprite with family and friends.

•Tuesday 3 December, 12pm at Dandenong Workers Club. Details: Robert Read, 0455 566 570.

Cranbourne Senior Citizens Club

Community Day and Morning Melodies with The Hoffmans on Friday 6 December. Also meets weekly for a range of different events, including bus trips, community days, games, coffee and chat, bingo, dancing and carpet bowls. Weekly activity times - Line Dancing Mon.10am-12pm, New Vogue and Old Time Dance Tue. 1pm-3:30pm, Carpet Bowls Wed. & Sat. 11:30am-2:30pm, Bingo Thur. 11am-2pm.

•Friday 6 December 10:30am-4pm, includes lunch and afternoon tea. Bookings: Marilyn, 0432 107 590. Details: facebook.com/ groups/487808127399953

Conversation Corner

The Conversation Corner is a safe space to share stories and build new connections. Anyone is welcome to join, no bookings required, and newcomers are welcome anytime.

•Wednesdays 1pm at Noble Park Community Centre, Memorial Drive. Free event.

All Abilities Garden

Become a part of the team that cultivates our brand new All Abilities Garden. You will plan, grow, and take care of the wonderful garden designed by members of the disability community for people of all abilities.

•Tuesdays 1pm at Noble Park Community Centre, Memorial Drive. Free event.

Come and try pickleball

Get ready to serve up some fun at our free pickleball program. Open to all ages and skill levels. Wear comfortable clothing and don’t forget to bring a drink bottle. All pickleball equipment will be provided as well as an expert coach to facilitate.

•Every Tuesday until 3 December, 5pm-7pm at Lois Twohig Tennis Courts, 80 Carlton Road, Dandenong North. Free event, registration required at forms.greaterdandenong.vic.gov.au/publicforms/come-and-try-pickleball-registration-form/

(Gary Sissons: 329802)

NEWS Casey boxer behind bars

By Violet Li

Casey-raised professional boxer Kayne Clarke has been sentenced to jail for trafficking cocaine of commercial quantity.

The 36-year-old Abu Dhabi-born boxer, with the alias of Superman, pleaded guilty at the Victorian County Court and was sentenced to prison for three years and six months with a non-parole period of two and six months on Friday 8 November.

Clarke was arrested on 8 August 2023, the same day when he supplied 498.9 grams of cocaine at 71 per cent purity (354 grams) to co-accused Bilal Mpinganjira in Oakleigh.

Mpinganjira, a subject of an ongoing police investigation, went on to sell the amount to Victoria Police Covert Operatives and was arrested on the scene.

Police then attended a fish and chip shop on Eaton Mall in Oakleigh to arrest Clarke.

The court heard that Clarke managed to secure the cocaine through a third party called ‘Cisco’ within eight hours on the day of the transaction.

“Your role necessarily informs the seriousness of the offending and while you did not initiate the sale, you were the supplier with whom Mr Mpinganjira made immediate contact when he needed to source the drug,” the court stated.

“You then discussed with a third party a range of suppliers indicating a need to maintain Mr Mpinganjira’s business as you saw him as a ‘big connect’.”

The court stated that Clarke’s moral culpability was relatively high in the circumstances.

“While you are being sentenced only for one transaction on a single day when consideration is given to your conversations with Mr Mpinganjira, together with the wider circumstances, it is plain that you were well connected at a relatively high level in order to quickly source the amount of drug that was being sought.”

Trades & Services

RUBBISH REMOVAL

The court also heard the personal circumstances of Clarke where he was expelled from schools in Casey three times during his adolescent years.

He became a professional kickboxer at age 25 and went on to secure two Australian titles and entered three professional fights.

He continued kickboxing throughout his early 30s until he seriously injured his knee one week before his world elimination fight, which ended his career.

General Notices

COUNCIL MEETINGS DATES & LOCATIONS 2025

Dandenong Tuesday* 11March2025 Dandenong

Monday 24March2025 Dandenong

Monday 14April2025 Dandenong

Monday 28April2025 Dandenong

Monday 12May2025 Dandenong

Monday 26May2025 Dandenong

Tuesday* 10June2025 Dandenong

Monday 23June2025 Dandenong

Monday 14July2025 Dandenong

Monday 28July2025 Dandenong

Monday 11August2025 Dandenong

Monday 25August2025 Dandenong

Monday 8September2025 Dandenong

Monday 22September2025 Dandenong

Monday 13October2025 Dandenong

Monday 27October2025 Dandenong

Monday 10November2025 Dandenong

Thursday^ 13November2025 Dandenong

Monday 24November2025 Dandenong

Monday 8December2025 Dandenong

*TuesdaymeetingduetoPublicHolidayon theMonday.

^MeetingtoElectMayor/DeputyMayor (commencingat6pm)

•AllmeetingsshallbeheldintheCouncilChambers (Level2,225LonsdaleStreet,Dandenong)unless otherwiseadvised.

•Meetingswillcommenceat7pmunlessotherwise advised.

•AllCouncilMeetingslistedarewebcastliveat www.greaterdandenong.com/councilmeetings

•Councilmay,byresolutionatanyCouncilMeeting altertheday,timeandlocationwhenaCouncil Meetingisproposedtobeheld.

The court found that Clarke experienced “a turbulent childhood characterised by alcoholism and violence on the part of his father”.

His parents separated during the Covid and his older brother, at the time, was struggling with a severe meth addiction, which accrued a $20,000 drug debt and led to drug-related offending to repay the debt.

The court took into account his personal circumstances but believed there was little evidence to support a reduction in moral culpability based on his early experiences.

Clarke was found with a prior criminal history of a number of injury-related charges but no drug-related offending.

PUBLIC NOTICES AND EVENT

The County Court of Victoria. (File)

SPORT Langford now a Dee

By Jonty Ralphsmith

Dandenong co-captain Harvey Langford landed at Melbourne at the AFL National Draft last Wednesday.

Langford had been linked to Adelaide’s pick four, as well as Melbourne in the lead in, ultimately getting picked up by the Dees with pick six.

The big-bodied midfielder jointly won the Larke Medal as the best performed player across the course of the 2024 under-18s national championships, highlighting a terrific season of improvement.

His endurance, overhead marking and clean hands were all consistently on show for both Vic Country and the Stingrays, where he averaged 26 disposals, five tackles and more than a goal per game.

“I was pretty relieved to hear my name get called out and go to the Dees and stay in Melbourne so it was a special moment to share with my family and friends next to me,” Langford said.

“I had an inkling it could be a couple of hours out but I still thought there was a chance I could end up in Adelaide.

“I want to come in and earn the respect of the senior players like (Christian) Petracca, (Max) Gawn, guys like that and work as hard as I can and use all the resources so I can crack in as early as I can.

“I think my game is based off competitiveness and how hard I work on and off the field so hopefully I can come in and earn the respect of those players and compete with everything I do.”

Late partnerships fail to save Dandenong Panthers

By Jonty Ralphsmith

Dandenong was pipped by Fitzroy-Doncaster in round 5 of the Vic Premier Cricket competition on Saturday.

The visitors batted first in a one-dayer at Shepley Oval, with opening bowler James Nanopoulos taking an early wicket before Fitzroy-Doncaster took control.

A 141-run second wicket partnership between Zachary Elliott and Liam Banthorpe set the innings up and fatigued the Panthers bowlers.

An absence of sustained pressure enabled both batters to pass 70, laying a platform for Mark Phelan and Matthew Bremner to add late fireworks as the visitors reached 5/238.

Early wickets, including the dismissal of run-scoring machine Brett Forsyth, and uncapitalised starts stung Dandenong.

Falling to 5/80 following the dismissal of Nanopoulos, a counter-punching unbeaten 85 to Josh Slater got the Panthers back into the contest.

He finished with an unbeaten 85 off 107, with his 60-run partnership with Sam Newell (42) particularly threatening, but the ‘keeper’s dismissal left too much to Slater.

He batted well with the tail, but was left with too much acceleration to do lat the death, with the Panthers falling 17 runs short.

The sixth-placed Panthers have a bye to reset next week before taking on seventh-placed Prahran.

Dandenong’s women, meanwhile, defeated Ringwood in the women’s T20 competition on Sunday but was unable to back it up, going

Joshua Slater was the standout for Dandenong’s men on the weekend.

(Rob Carew: 439516)

down to Box Hill later in the day.

The Panthers’ bout with Ringwood was shortened by rain to just seven overs per side, with Ringwood’s 2/48 chased down in the second last ball of Dandenong’s innings.

The Panthers chose to bat first and limped 104 thanks to a rescue effort in the lower-order led by Kamaljout Kour and Sophie Strickland after being reduced to 6/34.

It was no match for Box Hill, which timed its eight-wicket win perfectly.

The Panthers currently sit third in the nineteam T20 competition.

LangfordjoinstheDeesalongsideGippslander

Xavier Lindsay, with whom he linked up with multiple times for Vic Country, and Ricky Mentha who he played alongside in the AFL Academy.

National recruiting manager Jason Taylor provided an insight into the appeal of Langford.

He’s a big, stronger mid, who can go forward and really mark the ball well – that’s a real asset of his,” Taylor said.

“He’s ultra consistent, he’s got a high IQ, and he’s going to add some real value not only in the midfield, but forward of the ball as well.”

Harvey Langford

• Junior Club: Mount Martha

• Pick: 6

• Club: Melbourne

• Position: Midfielder/forward

Hawthorn pounce on Mraz

By Jonty Ralphsmith

Narre North Foxes junior Noah Mraz was selected at pick 35 by Hawthorn on the second night of the AFL National Draft.

The athletic key defender missed most of the year with a navicular injury sustained in preseason, but showed his ability to defend and intercept as a bottom-aged player.

Mraz averaged 11 disposals and three marks in his 12 CTL games in 2023, but the clearest sign of his potential was his ability to not get outmarked and win one-on-ones.

His ruthlessness pushed him to work harder than anyone off-field in 2024 is shown on-field when he’s given the opportunity to lockdown.

“I love playing teams who have a good forward and seeing my name next to them,” Mraz said ahead of the draft

“My favourite part about being a defender

is getting a matchup and beating them.

“I love that competitive part of it, thinking ‘you’re not going to touch the footy’.”

In 2024, he has put size on his frame and grown to 198cm, while his strong character was another component in the Stingray’s appeal.

Despite his injury, Mraz was still the fourth tall defender selected in the AFL Draft, and will join a young and exciting Hawks lineup.

Having delisted key defender Denver Grainger-Barras in the off-season, Hawthorn pounced on Mraz, who could complement fellow developing tall Will McCabe in the future.

Noah Mraz

• Junior Club: Narre North Foxes

• Pick: 35

• Club: Hawthorn

• Position: Defender

Sin City awaits as Riak Andrew’s AFL dream comes true

By Jonty Ralphsmith

Berwick interceptor Riak Andrew was selected by Sydney on the second night of the AFL Draft last week.

The Stingrays 19-year-old showed strong improvement throughout 2024, showcasing his athleticism and lockdown ability across different stages of the year.

Tied to Melbourne as a Next Generation Academy player and having been listed with the Dees’ VFL affiliate, Casey, he was overlooked by the club which had the opportunity to match Sydney’s bid.

“He’s had some injuries but really persisted,” Sydney recruiter Chris Keane said.

“He was on our radar from the midseason and from that point on we kept tracking him and with our need for a developing key back which we wanted to address if we could, that was of high importance and we were really happy to bring him in.

“Riak’s a different player to his brother and we saw that rate of development from Riak throughout the year.”

“What

it takes to be an AFL footballer,” Andrew

told the Gazette last month.

“He’s had his problems in the first couple of years as an AFL footballer and he’s learned and matured from that.

“If you’re good enough, you’ll get there, but the hard work starts day one when you arrive at an AFL club, you can’t just get drafted and think you’ve made it.

“We’re fairly similar, both being fairly tall, skinny and athletic so I’ve just tried to model my game off him – sag off, not initiate body contact, run and jump and use my athleticism.

“He’s been huge for me just giving me tips about how to be an AFL footballer.

“He’s (told me) first impressions are everything so if I land on an AFL list, then I’ll try to earn the respect of senior players and showcase why this club picked me.”

Riak Andrew

• Junior Club: Berwick

• Pick: 55

• Club: Sydney

• Position: Defender

The brother of Gold Coast emerging star Mac spoke to the Pakenham Gazette prior to the draft about what he gained from his brother that will

transfer onto an AFL list.

I’ve learned from him is the professionalism

Riak Andrew celebrates with family and friends. (Supplied)

Noah Mraz is bound for the Hawks. (Stewart Chambers: 433304)

Harvey Langford in his new colours. (Afl Photos: 445708)

Hynes relief

By Jonty Ralphsmith

Dandenong co-captain Cooper Hynes was selected by the Western Bulldogs at pick 20 in the AFL National Draft on Wednesday night.

The Dogs were long linked with Hynes in the lead up to the draft, pouncing on the explosive forward-midfielder with their first selection.

The match-winner watched his name get called out at his Bonbeach home surrounded by family and friends.

“It was a pretty surreal feeling,” Hynes said.

“You hope for this to happen but for it to actually happen was an unreal feeling.

“I got so much love, people reaching out and wishing me luck so I’m super grateful to everyone who has been with me along the way.”

The teenager highlighted the support of the Stingrays in his journey, particularly coach Nick Cox.

“I came in as a 16-year-old, super unfit and didn’t know the standard or what it took and ‘Coxy’ especially took me under his wing and really invested so much time and effort into me and saw something in me that not many people did which encouraged me to work as hard as I could and prove him right,” he said.

“The Stingrays have been a massive support for me.”

Hynes’ strong preseason laid the foundation for a consistent year where he found different ways to contribute, averaging 24 disposals, four marks and more than a goal per game.

Dogs recruiting manager Dom Milesi provided an insight into the appeal of Hynes.

“Cooper is a 190cm midfielder-forward; he’s got that real strength one v one both as a forward and also a midfielder,” Milesi said.

“He’s got a lot of growth left in his game as well.

“He was co-captain at the Stingrays this year and we think he’s got a lot of upside.

“He won a lot of the ball in the midfield, kicked quite a few goals, has gotten a lot fitter over the last 12 months, inside he’s got pretty good hands in stoppage.

“All of (the feedback) about his personality has been strong.

“He came into the club today – you could just see what a great person he and his family are.

“I think he’s going to add a lot to our midfield in terms of that extra size going forward.”

Hynes formed a strong partnership with fellow draftee Harvey Langford on-field in 2024, and they got the most out of each other off the field, with Langford at Marvel Stadium doing media on night one when his mate’s name was called out.

“He’s a bull on the field so there might be a few Dusty’s,” Langford said.

“I’m keen to see what he can do - he’s a special player and special bloke.”

Cooper Hynes

• Junior Club: Bonbeach

• Pick: 20

• Club: Western Bulldogs

• Position: Forward/midfielder

Champions decided in Mountain Dart League

MOUNTAIN DARTS LEAGUE

It was a brilliant night of darts action on Friday with grand finals being played in the Dandenong-based Mountain Dart League.

A great crowd was in attendance, providing a real buzz as the best players of the season went head-to-head across three divisions.

In Division One, bad Boys came out on top after a great battle with High 5’s, while Redbacks reigned supreme in Division Two after a grand final win over Spectrum.

And The Night Trawlers were celebrating hard after defeating Sick 6’s in the Division Three decider.

The season winds up this Friday with Divisional Doubles.

Wyatt wipes floor with Bucks as reigning champs tumble

By David Nagel

A ruthless display of power-hitting from Springvale South (3/277) superstar Jordan Wyatt (102 not out) has propelled the Bloods to a thumping seven-wicket victory over previously undefeated reigning-premier Buckley Ridges (269) on Saturday.

The tight confines of Park Oval were no match for Wyatt who smashed eight boundaries and an equal number of maximums in a 59-ball innings for the ages.

An undefeated 151-run stand between Wyatt and Blade Baxter (53 not out) guided the Bloods to victory, after the Bucks briefly fought their way back into the contest on day two.

Resuming at 0/52, with Mitchell Forsyth and Cam Scott both on 23 not out, the Bloods made a solid start before Ishan Jayarathna (1/38) made the initial breakthrough for the Bucks; trapping Scott in front of his stumps for a well-made 33.

Skipper Cam Forsyth (22) joined his brother at the crease, and had the Bloods in cruise-control at 1/120.

But battles between the Bloods and the Bucks never entirely fizzle out; and the reigning champs had two more bullets to fire.

The Bucks claimed two wickets for six runs; with Cam Forsyth falling to Hussain Ali (1/73) and Mitch (56) to Waqar Ali (1/36), with Wyatt and Baxter now both fresh at the crease.

But the Bucks’ talk soon petered out, with Wyatt showcasing his mesmerising talents with 16 hits into or over the boundary.

Baxter was no slouch himself, whacking nine fours and a six in his 64-ball vigil while enjoying the very best seat in the house.

Wyatt now leads the way in the Turf 1 competition this season, with scores of 42, 17, 79 and 33 precursors to Saturday’s unbeaten century.

Opener Mitch Forsyth has also been impressive this season, with his weekend 56 adding to previous half-centuries of 62 not out and 74.

This was an impressive response from the Bloods, who took on the reigning champs low on form after back-to-back losses to Narre South and Hallam Kalora Park.

In other games this week, a great spell of bowling from Lee Brown (6/26) led Hallam Kalora Park (9/279d) to the top of the table after an impressive win over North Dandenong (160 and 1/19).

The Maroons were going along okay with Syed Mehmood (71 not out) and Tahsinullah Sultani (48) at the crease, but their last seven batters contributed a paltry 15 runs.

Dandenong West (226) has leapfrogged Beaconsfield (201) into the top four of the DDCA Turf 1 competition after Nuwan Kulasekara (5/24) led the Maroons to a crucial 25-run win over the Ti-

gers at Perc Allison Oval. Abaseen Taniwal (40) and skipper Susantha Pradeep (53) had the Tigers well placed at 3/133, but an inability to convert those impressive starts into a match-winning contribution would soon prove costly.

And Berwick’s season - which was on the critical list after round five - is showing signs of life once again after the Bears (3/269) produced a clinical run-chase against Narre South (265) at Arch Brown Reserve.

Jake Hancock (109) was the star of the show

for the Bears, while opener Matthew Hague (82) continued his consistent form, making his third half-century for the season.

• DDCA Turf 1 Ladder: Hallam Kalora Park 30, Buckley Ridges 30, Springvale South 24, Dandenong West 24, Beaconsfield 18, Berwick 18, Narre South 12, North Dandenong 12.

• Fixture – Round 8:

Hallam Kalora Park (1) v Berwick (6), Narre South (7) v North Dandenong (8), Dandenong West (4) v Buckley Ridges (2), Springvale South (3) v Beaconsfield (5).

Jake Hancock was superb for Berwick scoring a match-winning century against Narre South. (Rob Carew: 445262)

Division1 winners Bad Boys, back from left; Steve Duke, Sam Ballinger, Troy Jackson, Aaron Simpson and Terry King. Front row: Jamie Wolff and Maggie Cooper. (Supplied: 445699)

Division 3 winners The Night Trawlers, from left; Paul Quinn, Bruce Berdends, Aaron Kirkmore, Dave Kirkmore, Andrew Sheriff, Darcy Paterson and James Di-Nardo.

Cooper Hynes at VU Whitten Oval. (Supplied)