Cook-off capers IT was a test of culinary skill as much as concentration for 40 students from Frankston and Mornington Peninsula schools competing in the 2016 VCAL cook-off competition this month. Students competed in groups against one another on Thursday 1 September to create a winning main meal and dessert. The contestants were then judged by a panel of local chefs, including the Peninsula Larder’s Rodney Graham, and the chairman of the Food Industry Advisory Body (FIAB). The main course winner was Will Faska and Mat Elvy from Padua College, and runner up went to Talia Gordon and Katlyn Gale from SkillsPlus and BRACE. The dessert winner was Ben
Airey and Malinda Tredinnick from Naranga School and runner up went to Rosebud Secondary College students Ashley Hardy and Kaitlyn Mc Laughlin. Held at Frankston’s START Training Centre at Chisholm TAFE, the competition was organised by the Frankston Mornington Peninsula Local Learning and Employment Network and the Peninsula VCAL Association, with support from both Mornington Peninsula Shire and Frankston Council.
INTRODUCE YOUR FAMILY TO
Tongs time: Mornington Padua students Mat Elvey, left, and Will Faska, right, learn under the tutelage of renowned chef Guy Stanaway from Willow Creek. Picture: Yanni
ANOTHER CULTURE AND MAKE FRIENDS FOR LIFE!
‘No dummies’ in council elections DUMMY council candidates will find it tougher to run at council elections next month after an 11th-hour state legislative change banned postal ‘how to vote’ cards ahead of next month’s council elections. ‘Dummies’ have no intention of winning ward elections to represent their community but instead put their name up to funnel preferences to legitimate candidates, often in agreement with candidates seeking election. Such preferences can get council candidates over the line if they do not win enough votes in their own right. “The armies of dummy candidates lining up to run in this year’s council elections will have to think again,” state Liberal opposition planning spokesman David Davis said. “Removing how-to-vote cards from the postal
pack will mean stooge and dummy candidates running to harvest votes and preference them to a lead candidate will face bigger obstacles.” All votes for the 22 October election will be made by post. While candidates cannot include ‘how to vote’ information in official Victorian Electoral Commission ballot packs mailed to voters they can still include preferences information in advertisements and election material letterboxed or handed out to voters. Twenty-one candidates competed for nine Frankston councillor spots, representing three wards, at the 2012 council election. Crs Rebekah Spelman (North-West Ward) and Darrel Taylor (South Ward) were elected partly due to preferences last time around after not finishing in the top three for their respective
wards on first preferences. Victorian Electoral Commission figures show just under 69 per cent of 33,223 enrolled voters actually voted in 2012 and 3.35 per cent lodged informal votes that were not counted. A staggering fifty-two candidates nominated to run for nine councillor spots in neighbouring Kingston Council in 2012. Candidates for Frankston Council can register with the VEC from Thursday 15 September and nominations close at noon on Tuesday 20 September. Ballot packs will be mailed to voters on Tuesday 4 October-Thursday 6 October and voting closes 6pm on Friday 21 October. See vec.vic.gov.au or call 131 832 for further information. Neil Walker
We are looking for volunteer host families to host one of our eager French, German, Italian, Scandinavian or Japanese high school exchange students, who would relish the opportunity of being a part of an Australian family. Give it a go! Call 1800 500 501 or email cheryl.p@scce.com.au
scce.com.au
Frankston Times
12 September 2016
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