MARCH 4, 2015 \ MARIBYRNONG.STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS + SPORT + THE WEST’S BEST PROPERTY GUIDE
(Shawn Smits)
Festival of the forges
STEVE PHILLIPS
Back by popular demand, the Blacksmith Festival will return to the banks of the Maribyrnong River on March 21 and 22. Bathed in the glow of up to 20 fiery furnaces, artistic blacksmiths from across Australia and abroad will come together at the Waterside Studio to bend, shape and sculpt hot steel. The free festival, organised by the Waterside Blacksmithing & Metal Art Association, encourages enthusiasts to join in the festa’s centrepiece – forging a chain link sculpture. Entertainment will be provided by acts including five-piece Balkan gypsy band Babaganoush. The Belgian Club of Victoria will serve traditional Belgian waffles and beers. For details visit www.watersidemetalart.org.
Compo over ‘stripper bus’ A woman has been awarded more than $4000 after being sacked by an Altona company over the cancellation of stripper buses mistakenly ordered by a Braybrook school. The Fair Work Commission heard the school ordered six buses from V Bus, trading as Laughter Unlimited, for an end-of-year excursion to an adventure park for students in years 7-9. A teacher booked two normal buses and four party buses, not knowing the latter were fitted
out with pole-dancing poles and were designed for adult entertainment. The bus company describes itself as the “hens and bucks night specialists” and its website states: “We have the franchise on fun”. One of its buses is painted shocking pink and emblazoned with female silhouettes in suggestive poses and the words: “The Pole Dance Bus”. The teacher testified that the worker asked if she knew what sort of party buses she had booked. “In my head I see those red buses with the clowns and balloons,” she had replied.
When told the buses were designed for adult entertainment, the teacher “was quite horrified . . . I spoke with my principal immediately and we decided to cancel the buses”. When the directors of the bus company learned the Braybrook job was cancelled they blamed the employee for losing a “lucrative contract”. “You just cost me $6000,” one of the directors told her. “You need to get that job back.” The directors said the employee failed to arrange alternative buses, but the worker gave evidence that all the other buses were booked
for that day. The worker was dismissed soon after. Commissioner Nick Wilson found the circumstances over the worker’s dismissal were “harsh, unjust and unreasonable”. The woman sought reinstatement, saying she loved her job and liked the people she worked with. But Mr Wilson found reinstatement was not appropriate, saying it was unlikely the employee and directors could work together productively and without animosity. He ordered the company to pay her $4338 compensation.
10022121-01 1171847-HM06-15
By Goya Dmytryshchak
www.potsdirect.com.au 219 Kororoit Creek Road, Williamstown
Ph: 9391 6643
Mon – Sat 9.30am to 4.30pm (except public holidays) Supplier of Premium grade Pots and Designer style planters for Indoor & Outdoor application. Trade welcome.