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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2020
In Our Schools Care at Alex. PS
■ Before and after school care has begun at Alexandra Primary School. Hayley Furlong heads up Busy Bees Family Day Care which still has spots available for this year as well as next year. The program runs out of the Multi Purpose Room and Hayley provides everything that children will need. The before and after school childcare is run through the Murrindindi Shire Council under the Family Day Care Australia banner. - Alexandra Primary School
At Middle Kinglake
■ Library and Music classes have begun for 2020 at Middle Kinglake Primary School. In library pupils read the picture story book, Chalk Boy, about a pavement artist in Melbourne. Students did their own pavement art at the back of the school before it rained. - Middle Kinglake Primary School
Chaplain sought
■ Sacred Heart Primary School is seeking a highly competent part-time, fixed term (up to two days per week) Chaplain to help provide pastoral care. The Chaplain is required to fulfil the mission of the school in developing students who are caring and compassionate. Please contact the school office on 5797 2723 or email principal@shyea. catholic.edu.au to register interest in the position. - Sacred Heart Primary School, Yea
Learning Hive
■ The ‘Learning Hive’ school readiness program was explained to parents at a session held at St Mary’s Primary School, Whittlesea, last Thursday (Feb. 6). Approaches used during the sessions were explained. - St Mary’s School, Whittlesea
Fuel purchases
■ Parents who buy fuel at United Petroleum, Kinglake, can help fund raising at Kinglake West Primary School. Parents are asked to register in the UpCommunity program. Once parents receive their card in the mail, they save 2 cents per litre on fuel and United donate 2 cents per litre to the school. - Kinglake West Primary School
Percussion time
■ Students at Christmas Hills Primary School made their own percussion instruments in their music lessons in the first week of term for 2020. Students were also taught to read in three different ways; by reading the words, using the pictures and retelling stories they have heard before. - Christmas Hills Primary School
Autism support
■ A Parent Support Group for children with autism is active at Hurtsbridge Primary School. The group is for parents and carers of children aged 12 or younger, on the autism spectrum. First session for the term is on Monday (Feb. 17), from 10am-11.15am at the Hurstbriudge Hub, Graysharpes Rd, Hurstbridge. - Hurstbridge Primary School
TRIBUTES TO JOHN CAIN ■ Citizens and politicans of all political persuasions throughout the North-East have joined in paying tribute to former Victorian Premier John Cain who died at age 88. Cindy McLeish, MLA for Eildon (Liberal), spoke in the condolence session held in State Parliament on Tuesday last week (Feb. 4): “It is clear that John Cain was a very decent and hardworking man throughout all stages of his life, Ms McLeish said. “He had many loves: his family, politics, the law, his sport—including his own fitness. He particularly loved his Dunlop Volleys, which I understand he jogged in for decades. “All of John’s loves remained lifelong passions for him. He was a well-educated, intelligent man and a creature of habit. “I imagine that some of his movements would create issues for security these days as we look very carefully at how politicians interact in the localities where they are. “Growing up in a strong political family, with old-fashioned values and an understanding of public service, John genuinely wanted to help people and to make a positive difference. “He had his little suburban law practice in Preston, which took a time to take off and then it did. “But I think it was probably fate that he became our 41st Premier of Victoria, certainly following in the footsteps of his father, John Cain, Sr. “As I said, John was a very well educated man. He had a strong work ethic and the law behind him. I think all of the roles he treated with the appropriate seriousness, especially that of member of Parliament. “He had integrity throughout his career. He focused on social justice elements and he embarked on a number of what we could call progressive projects, particularly around equality for women. “There was a mood of change at the Melbourne Cricket Club, with many women holding ladies tickets pushing for change. “I think this was a great impetus for John to make those changes, and to have women not only able to be members of the Melbourne Cricket Club but also to have the white line experience at the Victoria Racing Club at Flemington, which also saw some changes. “He was instrumental in the move of the Australian Open from Kooyong to, I think, Flinders Park at the time. “There was a time when Mulgrave was thought to be the future demographic centre of Melbourne. The VFL, in their wisdom, were looking to redevelop VFL Park out there and to create a mega stadium which would cater for 157 000 people, which is well beyond the capacity of the MCG. “But John, as Premier, actually refused to approve the plans for the upgrade. Certainly it would have threatened the Melbourne Cricket Club’s right - and the ground’s - to host the grand final in coming years. “John made changes to the FOI laws. It is fair to say, I think, that they do not function today exactly as he envisaged. “He had a couple of more colourful achievements. He brought in nude beaches and legalised brothels, increased gambling and public drinking hours, extended retail shopping hours and encouraged night-life in Melbourne. “I met John only a couple of times, each time at an event associated with cricket, one of his favourite locations. “I found myself a couple of times actually seated next to him. He was very easy to chat to. “We often talked politics, books and FOI. He was somewhat amused when I told him
Local Briefs Stable Artists
■ The Stable Artists’ inaugural exhibition will be held at Eltham Library Community Gallery from tomorrow (Thurs., Feb. 13) to March 16. An official opening on will be held on Saturday (Feb. 15). The group works out of a repurposed stable in Kangaroo Ground and has long supported and collaborated. - Nillumbik Shire Council
T’rook Pool Party
■ The Volume Pool Party in Tallarook was rescheduled for last Saturday (Feb. 8), after being originally planned for the previous week. The event had to be postponed due to inclement weather. - Mitchell Shire Council ● Former Premier John Cain Photo: Ash Long that I was a very early beneficiary of the changes to the membership rules at the MCC and the VRC. “John was clearly very well read, and I discovered that one of the reasons he had time to read was that they were allowed to read books in the chamber. “This sounded a little bit odd. I tried to work out when that actually changed. We have been able to find the original standing orders from 1858, and standing order XXXI says: “No Member shall read any newspaper, book, or letter, in his place, unless in addressing the Chair. “If that was the original standing order in 1858, things certainly changed. The practices and customs became that it was not okay to read newspapers but it was to read books. “John almost sighed as he said, ‘Oh, yes, we could read books’, and that was something he certainly took the opportunity to do. “In 1982 the standing orders changed again and prohibited newspapers and books being read in the chamber. “Robert Clark was able to point me to the 1982 standing orders with those changes. He just happened to have them on hand and could text me within 10 minutes with the relevant section. “Whilst John’s time in Parliament may not have ended how he would have liked it to, his pursuit to continue to serve the people and communities of Victoria and of course sport did not change. “His life post politics saw him become a Melbourne Cricket Ground trustee and an honorary life member of the Melbourne and Olympic Parks Trust. “His reputation in these fields was that he was sensible and easy to deal with. “One of the words that kept popping up about John Cain from those who knew him was ‘integrity’. He was very keen to separate his personal expenses from his work expenses. He was very tight with biscuits in his office, and at one point he claimed $15.13 over two financial years for biscuits for his office. “He kept stamps in his office for his personal mail so that he did not mix up work and personal matters. “But he was also quite firm in his belief about accepting gifts. He had a little bit of an issue at one time where a box of French champagne arrived at the office, courtesy of Sir Peter Abeles. Turn To Page 39
Toolangi Op Shop
■ The Toolangi Op Shop will be running soon. Organisers are looking for volunteers who are interested in helping run the shop during proposed opening hours: Mondays and Tuesdays 10am to 1pm, Saturdays 10am to 2pm, and the fourth Sunday of the month, 10am to 1pm. Email us tdchinc@bigpond.com or phone on 5962 9060. - Toolangi Castella District Community House
Vale ‘Mav’ Lloyd
■ The graveside service for Michael Robert ‘Mav’ Lloyd was held at Yea Cemetery on Friday (Feb. 7). Mr Lloyd was aged 58. He was son of Pauline and John (dec.), brother of John and Carol and Leigh, and father of Jemma. - McCormack Funeral Services
Farewell Norma
■ The funeral service of Norma Irene Hoare was scheduled to be offered in St Luke's Anglican Church Yea, at 2pm on Monday (Feb. 10). Following the service the cortege was arranged to proceed to Yea Cemetery, for burial. - Howard Squires Funerals
Valley Vicious
■ The second annual Valley Vicious Rett Awareness Cup is being held at the Healesville Sporting Complex on Febuary 29. The day includes an Allstar Netball game with stars from all over the Valley . - AFL Outer East
Community group
■ The Howqua/Macs Cove Community Group is looking to become incorporated. A meeting is being held at 10am on Saturday, March 7, at 26 Barnetts Rd, Howqua Inlet
Netball workshops
■ Defensive skills and building drills will be taught at AFL Outer East worskshops for netball coaches on Saturday, February 15 and Wednesday, March 4.