NEWS DESK
Gender on the agenda
Sample sounds of the synth ANYONE can drop in, tune in and turn on to the sound of electronic music at the free Transmission event in Parkdale this weekend. Three electronica acts Chiara Kickdrum, Electric Ninja and Rock Hunter will fire up synthesisers, mix desks and ambient guitar to lay down a groove of both smooth and block rockin’ beats at the Shirley Burke Theatre’s G3 Artspace. Parkdale resident Peter Breuer, who also records electronic music under the name Faux Professor Pierre Breux will MC the 75-minute music gig accompanied by eye-popping visuals courtesy of projections and video manipulator Bob Jarvis. Breuer says headline act Chiara Kickdrum “is a big deal” and it is a great chance to hear such a talent’s music up close in the intimate surrounds of the G3 Artspace. “Transmission gives people in the Kingston area a chance to see performances and art forms that perhaps would more often be held at inner Melbourne galleries and club venues,” he said. “We’ll also be having a bit of fun by giving away a synthesiser, a Korg Monotron Delay Synthesiser, to a lucky audience member and helping them patch it on stage,” he said. All artists are paid for their performances and the event is sponsored by design business Graphyte Media, owned by Mr Breuer. n Transmission 3 is at G3 Artspace, Shirley Burke Theatre, 64 Parkers Rd, Parkdale on Saturday 19 March, 8pm. Entry is free, drinks can be bought at licenced bar. See kingstonarts.com.au
Neil Walker neil@baysidenews.com.au
Head music: Chiara Kickdrum will headline this year’s Transmission gig at Parkdale’s Shirley Burke Theatre. Picture: Boa Campbell, boacampbell.com
A CALL for more women to be elected as councillors has been welcomed by Kingston Council. The Labor state government marked International Women’s Day last Tuesday (8 March) by demanding “greater gender diversity in local government” and noted just 34.9 per cent of councillors across Victoria are female and only 16.5 per cent of council chief executive officers are women equating to 13 CEOs across 79 councils. There are currently three female and six male councillors at Kingston Council and the next council election to elect councillors will be held in October this year. “It’s unacceptable that in 2016 women still only make up around a third of all councillors and that they still don’t reach the senior management levels within their organisations,” Ms Hutchins said. “Improving the representation of women at the senior level in both the public and private sectors is a key priority for the Labor government and one we work tirelessly to achieve.” Ms Hutchins has written to council CEOs across the state to ask for support to encourage more female candidates to stand at this year’s council elections. Kingston mayor Cr Tamsin Bearsley said council shares the government’s desire for equality in local government. “We’re keen to see a broad range of engaged, passionate people from our community run for council – young and old, men and women, people of
different cultural backgrounds – to ensure our council reflects our diverse community,” she said. “At the recent International Women’s Day event I used the opportunity to encourage the fantastic group of women gathered together to seriously consider standing for council.” Cr Bearsley said council works with the Municipal Association of Victoria to host information sessions to encourage people to stand for council. Kingston Council will discuss its 2016 election process in coming weeks. “Topics to be covered will include the Minister’s letter, information sessions for potential candidates plus induction programs for new councillors,” Cr Bearsley said. The state government will direct $50,000 in funding to the Victorian Local Governance Association’s GoWomenLG 2016 project. The project aims to increase the number of female candidates in council elections across the state.
Not so sweet 16 POLICE are on the hunt for four males described as African in appearance after a collision with a police car at Smith St, Carrum last Thursday evening at about 8.30pm. Two girls aged 14 and 16, both from Frankston North, had been arrested after a collision involving a stolen car in Smith St before the four arrived in a second car before driving off and hitting a police car. One of the girls received a caution for theft of a motor car and the other was charged with theft of a motor car and will attend a Children’s Court.
Petrol drive-offs problem at pumps Neil Walker neil@baysidenews.com.au KINGSTON has been named as a municipality where petrol station owners must beware of drivers leaving without paying for fuel. A state parliamentary inquiry into petrol drive-offs found Kingston is the tenth highest area in the state for nonpayment of fuel. The inquiry into fuel drive-offs report, tabled in Parliament last week, revealed drivers left service stations in Kingston without paying for petrol on 1,233 occasions over ten years from 2005-2014. Neighbouring Frankston was ranked sixth in the drive-off stakes with 1,604
in the same period. Brimbank (4,035), Casey (3,190) and Hume (2,480) took out the top three places in the petrol drive-off hall of shame. Victoria Police told the inquiry numberplate thefts have contributed to a rise in petrol thefts in recent years. “There is a correlation between thefts of numberplates and petrol drive-offs and a range of other offences, including tollway offences, theft of vehicles and a whole range of activity that takes place,” Assistant Commissioner Stephen Fontana told the inquiry. RACV public policy general manager Brian Negus urged motorists to install fitted one-way screws on vehicle numberplates to discourage thieves. He said it costs just $3 and can be done
as part of a service at RACV service centres. “We have been lobbying the manufacturers to put one-way screws on new cars, but a lot of cars — they are fitted in dealers mostly. Sometimes they are changed over pretty quickly; then it is done by the individual,” Mr Negus said. “If the dealer network would do it, that would be a really good start, and that is why we have been advocating in that space.” Police noted “significant police resources are diverted to investigating fuel drive-offs in Victoria, with only a small number of these being resolved”. Fuel prepay trials in areas such as Frankston in evening times had re-
duced petrol thefts by as much as 50 per cent but the inquiry found prepayment is an inconvenience to the majority of honest customers. The parliamentary committee tasked with compiling the inquiry into fuel drive-offs report recommended police, Crime Stoppers and the fuel retail industry should work closely together to target repeat offenders. The committee also said the state government should look at ways to bolster the petrol prepayment system to lessen inconvenience to customers. Prepaying at the pump could be an option. The committee recommended police meet with retailers to discuss petrol drive-offs every six months.
Pump pain: Some motorists, unlike this law-abiding driver, drive off without paying for petrol. Picture: Gary Sissons
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BLAIRGOWRIE • DROMANA • MORNINGTON • ROSEBUD • SEAFORD • TOORAK Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News 16 March 2016
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