OCTOBER 27, 2015 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS + SPORT + PROPERTY GUIDE
(Shawn Smits)
Halloween … warts and all
More than 100 visitors streamed past Libby Petrella’s Thomastown home on October 31 last year to gawk at her Halloween display. The dog enthusiast will again decorate her front garden and dress up her pooches this Saturday night for Halloween 2015. She’ll be in full costume as “the Wicked Witch of Halloween”, with decaying teeth and warts by make-up artist Wendy Fantasia. There will be balloons for kids and treats for dogs in costume. Libby’s house is in Bridgewater Grove, Thomastown. Alexandra Laskie
Sunbury split dropped By Esther Lauaki Sunbury will remain a part of the City of Hume – at least for now – after the state government accepted independent advice to abandon the controversial split. Local Government Minister Natalie Hutchins has accepted the advice of the independent transition auditors appointed to examine the proposal. “The auditors’ report clearly shows the proposed split would come at a significant
financial cost to residents,” she said. “We supported Sunbury out of Hume in good faith that the previous Liberal government had done the work to ensure a fair outcome for local residents. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.” But Opposition Leader Matthew Guy called the decision “a kick in the teeth for Sunbury” and pledged to establish the council if elected in 2018. “Less than 12 months ago the Labor government held hand to heart and promised
to create the city of Sunbury,” he said. “One of the first acts of my government will be to establish the City of Sunbury.” Former Supreme Court judge Frank Vincent and John Watson, chair of Brimbank’s administrators, found the split should be scrapped because of long-term and significant financial impact on Sunbury residents. Auditors found the split would increase council rates by 14 per cent, reduce services significantly and create an unviable, unsustainable council.
INFOCUS FOCUS HUMEACUP 2015 family fiesta!
They also found the process lacked adequate community consultation and failed to explain the detrimental impact on residents. Hume mayor Adem Atmaca said the announcement would allow the council to plan for the future with greater clarity. Broadmeadows Progress Association associate secretary Sonja Rutherford said the group was pleased with the news. “The issue can now be put to rest and will stop diverting attention away from other important projects that need to be addressed,” she said.
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