AUGUST 11, 2015 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS + SPORT + PROPERTY GUIDE
Sentinel to world at war
(Mathew Lynn)
Commemorations marking the centenary of World War I were taken to another level at Gisborne, where a life-sized bronze statue of a soldier was unveiled at the town’s cemetery on Friday. About 300 people gathered for a service to mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Lone Pine. Gisborne Cemetery Trust spokesman Doug McArthur said the intricate statue was a fantastic addition to the area. “We’re very happy with it and the feedback has been all positive,” he said. “It’s just fantastic.” The 15-month project was completed with the support of Gisborne RSL and received funding from the federal government and other groups, including Gisborne Football Club, which raised money during this year’s Anzac Day clash. The statue, which is set on a granite plinth, is near a lone pine planted in the grounds in April. Matt Crossman
Sunbury review ‘no sham’ By Matt Crossman Premier Daniel Andrews has rejected claims that a review into Sunbury’s planned separation from Hume was a sham. Visiting the town on Friday, Mr Andrews said the government was serious about the review and would wait for a report from the auditors, former Supreme Court judge Frank Vincent and Brimbank administrator John Watson, before making further decisions. Opposition leader Matthew Guy and Western Metropolitan Liberal MP Bernie Finn have described the review as a hoax, saying they hold little hope that Sunbury will stand alone.
Mr Andrews said claims the review result had been predetermined were completely false. He said the government didn’t want the lives of Sunbury or Hume residents to be adversely affected by the planned split. ‘‘We have to look at it and say, what’s the impact?,’’ Mr Andrews said. ‘‘I don’t think anyone in Sunbury wants to see services compromised and jobs gone.’’ Mr Andrews said the government would act quickly on the auditors’ report, which he expected ‘‘quite soon’’. The auditors have promised to report back to Local Government Minister Natalie Hutchins before the end of this month.
‘‘We won’t waste any time,’’ Mr Andrews said. ‘‘We will make a decision and will be happy to talk to the Sunbury community about it.’’ Asked if the government would respect the result of a compulsory vote, should it be among the auditors’ recommendations, Mr Andrews said he didn’t want to pre-empt their work. ‘‘It’s a perfectly legitimate question, but let’s see what the report shows.’’ Sunbury Labor MP Josh Bull said a recent public meeting proved people were still confused by the non-compulsory 2013 vote, which paved the way for the former Liberal government’s decision to gazette a new Sunbury council.
‘‘The only hoax in this whole process was how the Liberals actually conducted the vote,’’ Mr Bull said. ‘‘There was a total lack of information.’’ But Mr Finn claimed in State Parliament that Labor had ‘‘betrayed’’ Sunbury. He claimed an Australian Services Union representative had told him: ‘‘The Sunbury council is dead, brother. There is no way a Labor government will allow this to go ahead. ‘‘I ask the minister [Ms Hutchins] to guarantee that the government is serious about establishing the Sunbury council because, quite frankly, nobody in Sunbury believes that it is,’’ Mr Finn said.
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