NEWS DESK
Sign of ignorance
Summer shade at preschool
A NAZI swastika sign has been etched on the sign of a politician whose family escaped the horrors of the Holocaust in Germany during World War II. The vile symbol was scrawled on a billboard of federal Isaacs Labor MP Mark Dreyfus at the Mordialloc Football Club oval late last week. The father of Mr Dreyfus, award-winning composer and musician George Dreyfus, left Nazi Germany when he was 11 in 1938 amid rising fascism and state-sanctioned attacks on Jewish people under Adolf Hitler’s dictatorial regime. When contacted about the vandalised sign at Ben Kavanagh Reserve, photos of which The News has decided not to publish, Mr Dreyfus believed “this kind of graffiti could only be done by someone ignorant of history”. “It is very disappointing that in 2016 there are still people out there who graffiti Nazi symbols on signs at local sporting clubs,” Mr Dreyfus said. “I hope that whoever decided to graffiti swastikas on these signs will have a good hard look at the devastation caused by the Nazis and reassess whether it’s something they would want to associate themselves with.” Three of the MP’s great-grandparents died in the Holocaust. Victoria Police introduced a Prejudice Motivated Crime Strategy in 2011. Anyone, including victims, can report such crimes to police to investigate. There is no legally binding definition of a “race hate crime” in Victoria. Victoria Police regards a prejudice motivated crime as “a crime motivated by prejudice or hatred towards a person or a group because of a particular characteristic such as sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, race, sex, age, disability or homelessness”. Neil Walker
CHILDREN at Parkdale Preschool will still be able to enjoy the outdoors in poor weather thanks to a new weatherproofed area in its playground. A verandah will be undercover thanks to a $5000 grant from the Bendigo Bank’s Parkdale branch. Kingston Council has contributed a $2000 grant towards the installation of blinds. Preschool director Megan Miller says the covered area will allow the children, up to 66 pre-schoolers throughout the week, more educational opportunities to play and move outside during bad weather – including windy and wet days. “Movement is integral to early childhood development promoting gross motor skills and cognitive improvements and is fundamental to our play-based learning program,’’ she said. “It could also allow the teaching staff to split the class into smaller groups to create a more intimate learning space for focused adult-led activities.’’ Ms Miller thanked Bendigo Bank and Kingston Council for its contribution to the preschool. Parkdale Preschool is a non-profit kindergarten run by a parent-led committee. Fouryear-old places for 2017 are filling fast, to apply call the kindergarten on 9580 1155. Let’s work: Grace, left, Zoe and Christian ready to help install a sun shade. Pic: Gary Sissons
Holes bored along railway line Neil Walker neil@baysidenews.com.au WORK is being done along the Frankston line to prepare for the removal of eight level crossings between Cheltenham and Frankston. Geotechnical investigations will be conducted until the end of the year so work crews will remain a familiar sight even before the larger scale separation of road from rail at Balcombe Rd (Mentone), Charman Rd (Cheltenham), Edithvale Rd (Edithvale), Eel Race Rd (Carrum), Seaford Rd (Seaford), Skye/ Overton Rd (Frankston), Station St (Bonbeach), Station St (Carrum) starting next year. The Level Crossing Removal Authority (LXRA) says more than 130 boreholes, about 100 millimetres in diameter, are being drilled to a depth of 40 metres to analyse soil and rock types and ground water levels at each site. “Geotechnical investigations provide
valuable information about ground conditions in and around the dangerous and congested level crossings we are removing on the Frankston rail line,” project director Adam Maguire said. “Geotechnical information, together with feedback from local residents, businesses and traders, will inform the design of the projects in each location and how they will be built.” The LXRA, a state government body, said the investigation results will be published and be part of design options at each level crossing to be removed on the Frankston line. A ‘rail trench’ and ‘rail bridge’ are options for level crossings at Seaford, Bonbeach, Edithvale, Mentone and Cheltenham. A rail bridge may be built at a new crossing at McLeod Rd in Carrum and the Station St crossing could be shut and a new rail bridge built at Eel Race Rd. A new ‘road connection’ at Station St over the Patterson River is also being looked at as an option.
The state government says a trench cannot be dug at Carrum due to nearby Patterson River. The government says there is no option at Skye Rd in Frankston – rail over road must be built due to an overland flood plain. Anti-sky rail protesters have dubbed any form of elevated rail “rollercoaster” rail and say the skyline of bayside suburbs will be marred by any elevated section of the line and raised rail is only being considered since it is less expensive. Frankston and Kingston councillors voted to oppose any form of elevated rail along the rail line before going into caretaker mode before council elections to elect councillors on 22 October. The LXRA is still seeking feedback before 30 October on options released publicly earlier this year. The final decision on how each level crossing will be removed See your.levelcrossings.vic.gov.au or call 1800 762 667 to give feedback.
Testing, testing: Work crews testing soils and water levels between Edithvale and Aspendale along the Frankston line this month as part of the level crossings removal project. Picture: Gary Sissons
New generation TOP-UP hearing aids now FREE* Eligible pensioners and veterans are entitled to FREE hearing aids through the government’s hearing services scheme*, or they can pay extra (TOP-UP) for hearing aids with additional or more advanced features or for a smaller size. As an EXCLUSIVE SPECIAL OFFER, Hidden Hearing is providing eligible pensioners and veterans
with certain TOP-UP hearing aids incorporating the latest generation technology FREE OF CHARGE until the END OF NOVEMBER. The choice is yours, either a discreet deep canal aid or a miniature receiver in canal aid. In both cases the aids will be small and discreet, and programmed to your specific hearing levels and unique personal needs. www.hiddenhearing.com.au
CALL NOW to book your FREE hearing assessment and start hearing better again.
FREE CALL
1800 717 717 HIDDEN,, UH EARING "A hearing loss is more noticeable than a hearing aid"
*Conditions and eligibility requirements apply under the Commonwealth Hearing Services Voucher System. Offer ends November 30, 2016.
BLAIRGOWRIE • DROMANA • MORNINGTON • ROSEBUD • SEAFORD • TOORAK Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News
26 October 2016
PAGE 3