The Local Paper. Eastern Suburbs Edition. Wed., July 1, 2026

WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2026

LOCAL MP CLEARED OF ASSAULT CLAIM

■ Bulleen MLA Matthew Guy has been cleared by Police, with no case to answer against an assault claim by MLA Moira Deeming.

“Following a thorough investigation, it has been determined there was no offence detected. Investigators have engaged with the woman who made the report,” a Victoria Police representative said on Thursday (June 25).

The police probe into the claimed assault at a function venue on Somerville Rd, Sunshine West , had now concluded, she said.

Footage of the incident -appeared to show Mr Guy smiling and laughing while placing his hand behind Mrs Deeming while speaking into her ear.

Mr Guy has demanded an apology from his party room after police dismissed her accusation: "There is no ambiguity. I did not do what's alleged," Mr Guy said.

"The CCTV proves this, it did from the start, and Victoria Police agree.

"Moira Deeming owes me a public apology." Mr Guy has also called for apologies from Labor MPs Jacinta Allan and Sonya Kilkenny.

JUMPING CREEK RD

UPGRADE PRIDE

■ Upgraded footpaths, safer road conditions, and strong environmental protections are some of the major improvements Manningham Council says that it has delivered for the community as part of the Jumping Creek Rd upgrade. at Warrandyte.

Manningham Mayor, Cr Jim Grivas , said the upgrade of the corridor would achieve safe, sustainable and functional infrastructure while protecting the surrounding environment.

“This project isn’t just about upgrading a road – it’s about protecting and enhancing the natural environment that surrounds Jumping Creek Rd and makes the area so special,” Cr Grivas said.

“From wildlife crossings to indigenous planting, we’re delivering improvements that support our community while protecting our local ecosystem for years to come.

“We’re also improving access for pedestrians and cyclists, with four kilometres of footpaths upgraded between the Warrandyte roundabout and Homestead Rd . More than 800 drainage systems have been installed” Cr Grivas said.

■ Croydon MLA David Hodgett has spoken in State Parliament top congratulate Tony Vallance from Building Better Brains on his recognition at the Australian Counselling Association excellence in counselling awards.

“Tony was awarded the 2026 ACA Excellence in Counselling Community Impact Award in recognition of Dads Chat , an initiative that he facilitates in collaboration with Building Better Brains and is proudly supported by Yarra Ranges Council and Maroondah City Council

“Through his work as a clinician Tony identified a gap in support for dads and male carers.

“In response he developed Dads Chat, a five-part strengths-based workshop series that brings dads and male carers together to share experiences, learn from one another and build supportive networks.

“The program provides practical parenting tools and guidance through discussions on communication, emotional wellbeing, child development, parenting styles and the power of play. In doing so it helps dads and male carers strengthen relationships with their children whilst providing them with the skills, knowledge and confidence to navigate the challenges of parenting.

“ Dads Chat has made a significant contribution to the wellbeing of local dads and male carers, providing a welcoming space where they can connect with others and feel supported within their community.

“This award is fitting recognition of Tony’s dedication to strengthening families and supporting dads and male carers across our community.

“I congratulate Tony on this outstanding achievement and thank him for the positive impact he continues to make,” Mr Hodgett said.

● ● ● ●

In praise of dragon boats

■ Glen Waverley MLA John Mullahy has spoken in State Parliament about dragon boat festivities held across the community.

Mr Mullahy recognised “the many organisations that work tirelessly to preserve and share Chinese culture here in Victoria”.

“The dragon boat festival is a celebration of history, community and tradition. It reminds us that Victoria’s multicultural success is built on people maintaining their cultural heritage while contributing to our shared future.

“I was delighted to join members of the Chinese community in celebrating this important occasion, including the dedicated volunteers and members of the Chinese Association of Monash, the Chinese Senior’s Education & Skills Development Association and the Hunan Association of Victoria

“These organisations do so much to support seniors, strengthen community and business connections and ensure that culture, language and traditions continue to flourish for future generations.

“Their contributions enrich not only the Chinese community but all Victorians ,” Mr Mullahy said.

Visit from Vermont

■ Glen Waverley MLA John Mullahy said he I was delighted welcome Year 6 students from Vermont Primary School to Parliament to learn about civics, democracy and the important role institutions play in shaping our state.

“At a time when democratic institutions are being tested around the world it is more important than ever that young people understand how our system of government works and the responsibilities that come with citizenship,” Mr Mullahy said.

“I was also pleased that this year’s Victorian budget delivered $15 million towards stage 1 of the Vermont Primary School’s master plan, delivering modern learning environments for generations of students to come.

“I did have to gently tell the Year 6 students that while they may not get to enjoy the new facilities themselves, they can take pride in knowing that the future generations of Vermont Primary School students certainly will.”

FTG Tennis Club

■ Monbulk MLA Daniela De Martino has congratulated Ferntree Gully Tennis Club , which has officially been awarded Most Outstanding Club or Centre at the 2026 Victorian Community Tennis Awards :This recognition is so well deserved and reflects the incredible efforts of players, volunteers, coaches and families who have built one of the most welcoming, inclusive and vibrant clubs going around.

“Their all-abilities tennis program is without a doubt the best,” Ms De Martino said.

SHOT FIRED AT VERMONT

■ A gun has been fired during a violent brawl outside a church at Vermont on Friday night (June 26).

There was a violent altercation between a group of men outside a church.

A 19-year-old was taken to hospital with minor injuries. Police say no-one was injured when the gun was fired.

Local Police hours reduced

● ● ● ● Kim Wells, Rowville MLA

■ Rowville MLA Kim Wells has asked police Minister Anthony Carbines why Victoria Police were not properly funded in the 2026–27 State Budget “to provide the urgently needed additional resources to allow the Rowville police station to reopen to the public seven days a week”.

“ Rowville electorate residents continue to be deeply alarmed that, in the middle of an escalating crime wave across the state, the Rowville police station remains effectively shut five days a week, with public counter hours restricted to Tuesday and Thursday from 10 am to 6 pm.

“Our community has lost a vital safe haven and a visible crime deterrent. Our local police are exhausted, fighting crime with one hand tied behind their backs by a revolving door justice system.

“Rowville and Lysterfield residents deserve a full-time, seven-day-a-week local police presence to ensure a public counter service and restore safety to our streets,” Mr Wells said.

Local Briefs

Tree removal

■ Monash Club will this week remove 11 Plane trees from 735-805 Warrigal Rd in Oakleigh before replacing them with a species more suitable for the location.

“The trees identified for removal have poor form after a long history of pruning for overhead powerlines and we can no longer manage these trees safely,” said a Council representative.

“We’ll be replacing them with Lagerstroemia indica x fauriei 'Sioux'a mildew-resistant deciduous tree that features masses of musk-pink summer flowers, striking mottled bark and brilliant red-orange autumn foliage.

Wide readership

New trap at Mount Waverley

■ Monash Council is about to We’re about to start work on installing a new gross pollutant trap in Mount Waverley’s Valley Conservation Reserve

“The new trap will reduce the amount of litter and sediment that moves downstream, including sediment that reaches the Regent St weir,” said a Council representative.

“It will also improve the quality of water flowing into the wetlands by capturing hydrocarbons, suspended solids, oil and grease.”

Installation of the new trap will begin on Monday (July 6) and works are expected to be completed by early-August. Work hours will be 7am - 6pm on weekdays.

There will be installation of temporary fencing and path diversions, and there will be construction of an access track using crushed rock, to enable an excavator to reach the location of the new litter trap.

“The works will not have an impact on access to residential properties. Traffic management will be in place to slow and guide vehicles past the work site and to allow the safe movement of heavy machinery and trucks.”

■ The Eastern Freeway will be closed in both directions between Bulleen and Springvale Rds from 10pm Friday (July 3) to 5am Monday (Jul;y 6).

During closure delays of up to 90 minutes are expected during peak times. Thompsons Rd will be closed in both directions between Bulleen Rd and the Thompsons Rd Ringwood-bound entry ramp, with detours in place.

● ● ● ● John Mullahy MLA

The technology shift changing local government

By Ben Malpass, Executive Vice President,

Local Government, TechnologyOne Local Governments are under intensifying pressure across Victoria. Years of rate capping have limited councils’ ability to grow revenue, even as the cost of delivering essential services continues to rise. With community expectations increasing, councils are forced into difficult trade-offs, resulting in challenging budget decisions that directly impact local services.

For councils like Manningham City Council — supporting a community of 125,800 residents, the challenge is clear: deliver better services, manage risk and drive financial sustainability - without adding complexity or cost.

Across Victoria, councils are responding by investing in digital transformation programs, and AI-embedded technology built specifically for Local Government, that improves how they operate. Councils are realising that integrated internal systems lead directly to better community outcomes.

This is not transformation for transformation’s sake. This is a practical shift toward simpler, more effective ways of working. The focus is on solving everyday problems, reducing delays, eliminating manual processes and making services easier for residents to use. Whether it’s repairing community assets faster, responding to resident’s service requests sooner, or enabling council field crews with real-time information, the focus is clear: better outcomes for residents.

For a municipality with over 300 parks and reserves, maintaining

assets efficiently and responding quickly to community needs is critical to preserving liveability and service standards. This shift is changing how councils operate. Rather than waiting for problems to emerge, councils are increasingly using information and connected systems to identify issues earlier, respond faster and prevent small problems from becoming larger ones.

Modern, purpose-built platforms are accelerating this shift. TechnologyOne’s integrated OneCouncil suite is designed specifically for local government, built on 38 years of deep Council expertise. This approach means councils can modernise faster, reduce complexity, and deliver better outcomes with confidence.

For residents, the benefits are clear and immediate. Shorter wait times when contacting council and more reliable everyday services. For councillors, it means better visibility of operations, stronger decision-making and greater accountability.

At the same time, many digital services remain difficult to use.

Complex language, confusing processes and poor design continue to frustrate residents and push them back to phone or inperson support.

Digital transformation must be centred on people. When councils get this right, they improve access, reduce pressure on frontline staff and deliver a better experience for everyone. Ultimately, how councils operate internally defines how well they serve their communities.

For Manningham, known for its green spaces and strong lifestyle, this means ensuring digital

57 years. Since 1969.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2026

Emergency Services

Fire at Ascot Vale

■ Fire Rescue Victoria responded at 9.54am on Sunday (June 28) to an incident in Savige Street, Ascot Vale after callers to Triple Zero (000) reported a building fire.

Firefighters arrived on scene within six minutes to find an approximately 50 x 10 metre, brick apartment fully involved in fire.

The apartment was on the ground floor of a three-storey complex.

The response was escalated with FRV crews wearing breathing apparatus establising hose lines and attacking the blaze. Firefighters prevented any fire spread to adjoining apartments.

The blaze was contained to the apartment of origin with the second floor of the building heavily smoke logged.

Firefighters conducted a search of the property, but no one was inside while two people had evacuated the building prior to arrival of FRV. No injuries were reported.

This incident was deemed Under Control at 10.17am.

A total of eight appliances and 27 firefighters were committed to the firefight. Power and Gas companies also attended to assist FRV in operations. The incident was deemed suspicious and was left with Victoria Police

POLICE PROBE ASSAULT AT DOVETON SOCCER GAME

■ Police are appealing for public assistance as they investigate an assault at a soccer game in Doveton.

An 18-year-old man, who was on the field at a reserve on Power Rd, was assaulted by three male offenders earlier ths year, about 8pm on Thursday, April 23.

It is understood there was an earlier physical altercation between two teenagers, before the victim intervened and split the parties up.

Officers were told one of the offenders called two other males, who arrived a short time later armed with a metal pole and a baseball bat.

The trio then assaulted the 18-year-old Clyde North man.

He sustained serious injuries including facial fractures which required hospital treatment.

The offenders, who are not believed to be known to the victim, fled the scene before police arrived.

A 17-year-old boy from the Narre Warren area was arrested on May29 as part of the investigation.

He was released pending further enquiries.

Police believe two male offenders remain outstanding at this stage.

The first male is perceived to be Middle Eastern , described as being in his late teens/early 20s and of medium build with short black hair and a goatee.

The second male is also perceived to be Middle Eastern, described as being in his late teens/early 20s and of medium build. He had long black curly hair, a black moustache and a goatee.

Police believe people at the game witnessed this incident, and some may have mobile phone or dashcam footage.

Crime Watch

Police dogs bite

■ Detectives have charged a teenage boy and recovered two allegedly stolen vehicles in Melbourne's east.

Officers spotted an allegedly outstanding stolen grey BMW travelling on Williamson Rd in Doncaster about 4pm on Friday (June 26).

Police followed the vehicle along Doncaster Rd, before it continued to Tram Rd

It is alleged the teen occupants dumped the BMW in North Balwyn before taking off in a stolen Kia

The Kia was followed through North Balwyn, before driving through Canterbury, Kew and Hawthorn

The Kia allegedly came to a stop inside an underground car park on Victoria St, Richmond, about 4.50pm.

With assistance from the Dog Squad a 17-year-old boy, alleged to be one of the occupants, was arrested at the scene.

During the arrest he was bitten by one of the dogs. He was taken to hospital under guard with non-life-threatening injuries.

A 15-year-old boy, also alleged to be one of the occupants of the Kia, was arrested nearby. The 15-year-old from the Yarra Ranges area was interviewed by detectives and released pending summons.

The 17-year-old from the Mornington Peninsula area remained in hospital and was remanded under police guard.

ARIES (March 21 – April 20)

Lucky Colour: Green

Lucky Day: Friday Racing Numbers: 5-5-6-8

Lotto Numbers: 11-14-22-24-35-45

There could be travel plans that don't go as planned. Your working environment may feel slightly confusing at present, but make sure you do not promise things that are difficult to complete. Careful planning will prevent unnecessary stress.

TAURUS (April 21 – May 20)

Lucky Colour: Yellow

Lucky Day: Monday Racing Numbers: 4-5-7-8

Lotto Numbers: 7-13-21-28-39-40

You could be doing things your own way, and it may not sit well with family members. Communication problems with loved ones could spoil what would otherwise be a good period. Patience and understanding will go a long way.

GEMINI (May 21 – June 21)

Lucky Colour: Brown

Lucky Day: Wednesday Racing Numbers: 4-6-5-7

Lotto Numbers: 14-26-34-35-37-44

Some mix-ups or delays in travel plans are possible, so take extra care during this time. It may be wise to focus on unfinished chores or responsibilities left for later. Clearing these will bring peace of mind.

CANCER (June 22 – July 22)

Lucky Colour: Pink

Lucky Day: Tuesday Racing Numbers: 8-7-9-5

Lotto Numbers: 4-5-11-23-24-40

Why not begin your plans now, even if you're not perfectly prepared? Waiting too long for the ideal moment can lead to missed opportunities. Some encouraging news should reach you soon.

LEO (July 23 – August 22)

Lucky Colour: Orange

Lucky Day: Thursday Racing Numbers: 4-3-7-8

Lotto Numbers: 19-21-22-25-27-31

Business and career matters appear to be improving significantly. Someone special may approach you with an interesting proposal. Financial matters are gradually moving into a more favourable phase.

VIRGO (August 23 – September 23)

Lucky Colour: Purple

Lucky Day: Saturday Racing Numbers: 8-9-1-2

Lotto Numbers: 8-18-24-35-37-39

There could be minor issues with people around you if you allow them to unsettle you. Maintain your composure. If you're considering a gamble or a joint venture, partnering with a trusted friend may increase your chances.

LIBRA (September 24 – October 23)

Lucky Colour: Brown

Lucky Day: Monday Racing Numbers: 7-3-5-9

Lotto Numbers: 5-15-25-30-31-37

Your appearance and presentation now may have long-term effects. Something special is developing, and your natural charm will help you secure it. Improvement across several areas of life is likely very soon.

SCORPIO (October 24 – November 22)

Lucky Colour: Orange

Lucky Day: Tuesday Racing Numbers: 5-4-7-2

Lotto Numbers: 7-11-23-27-40-45

The romantic scene should improve considerably, and some heartfelt wishes may come true. Stay calm and steady, as unexpected developments may arise. Your preparation will make all the difference.

SAGITTARIUS (November 23 – December 20)

Lucky Colour: Brown

Lucky Day: Sunday Racing Numbers: 8-9-1-5

Lotto Numbers: 18-27-38-39-41-43

Your judgement may not be at its sharpest, so it is best to postpone major decisions for now. Your love life should receive a welcome boost, lifting your spirits and restoring confidence.

CAPRICORN (December 21 – January 19)

Lucky Colour: Blue

Lucky Day: Friday Racing Numbers: 2-9-5-2

Lotto Numbers: 20-21-24-25-27-39

This is a very favourable period, and many of your efforts should succeed. If you feel your love life needs more excitement, it is up to you to take the initiative and create it.

AQUARIUS (January 20 – February 19)

Lucky Colour: Red

Lucky Day: Wednesday Racing Numbers: 3-6-8-7

Lotto Numbers: 1-2-19-24-26-36

You may find yourself dealing with an irritating individual. Remain calm and treat it as a lesson in patience. Work may become particularly busy, and overtime could be required.

PISCES (February 20 – March 20)

Lucky Colour: Brown

Lucky Day: Tuesday Racing Numbers: 10-4-8-7

Lotto Numbers: 6-9-10-27-38-41

Many may spend time worrying about an issue that ultimately proves minor. It is best to wait a little longer before making important decisions. Clarity will come with patience.

CRACKDOWN ON DODGY TAXI DRIVERS

■ The State Government says that it is introducing stronger reforms to crack down on taxi and rideshare drivers who refuse short trips, turn away assistance animals, rip people off and make passengers feel unsafe.

From today (Wed., July 1) the ‘two strikes you’re out’ rule will expand to include misusing the meter, refusing a receipt and turning away passengers with assistance animals.

Audio recording will become mandatory in taxis – video recording is already mandatory.

The name and shame register will expand to include more information about disciplinary action taken against drivers and providers.

From August 1, there will be a new offence for drivers who refuse a fare, including short trips – this offence will also be added to the ‘two strikes you’re out’ rule.

Booking service providers will be required to notify the regulator of incidents of overcharging, service refusal, and assault – including sexual assault – to ensure proper action is taken.

“These reforms will protect Victorians and make sure drivers and booking service providers who do the wrong thing are held to account,” said a Government representative.

“Expanding the name and shame register will deter misconduct and ensure drivers cannot move to another booking service provider after they have been disqualified from one.

“The register will show when a driver's accreditation has been cancelled because of a criminal offence or court order, or when it has been suspended following serious allegations of sexual assault.

The changes build on major industry reforms introduced earlier this year.

“Our ‘two strikes and you’re out’ rule will mean drivers who are prosecuted for a range of offences twice within 10 years can lose their accreditation.

“We also introduced mandatory QR codes to make reporting complaints easier.

“Tougher penal-

ties were also placed on drivers who fail to use the meter properly.

Gabrielle Williams, Public and Active Transport Minister, said: “Turning away some of our most vulnerable passengers because it's a short trip or because they're travelling with an assistance animal has no place in this industry."

"Our name and shame register will stop repeat wrongdoers from quietly moving to another provider and getting back behind the wheel."

“Most drivers do the right thing every day. We're making sure the small minority who don't are held to account."

Corrupt tunnel payments

■

“ Jacinta Allan and Labor knew the CFMEU's corrupt conduct on the Metro Tunnel was driving massive labour cost blowouts but directed contractors to pay up and carry on, including $200 million to cope with out-ofcontrol industrial relations,” according to Evan Mulholland, Shadow Minister for Transport Infrastructure.

“Instead of stepping in to protect taxpayers, the Allan Labor Government ordered contractors to bow to the CFMEU's demands, buy their way out of trouble, and hide the true cost from the Victorian public.

" Jacinta Allan

tram or switching between the two.

The expansion follows the rollout of tap and go payments across every myki-enabled train station in Victoria

More than 700,000 taps have been recorded on readers since the start of June, with four in five of those made using a phone or smartwatch.

With trains and trams now switched on, buses are next, with tap and go rolling out to Myki -enabled bus routes from later in July.

gers, seniors and those under 18 should continue using their concession or Youth Myki

turned a blind eye to CFMEU corruption, they actively endorsed it.

"For years, Jacinta Allan has stood up in Parliament and claimed she had 'zero tolerance' for union excesses.

“Now we have the smoking gun. While Victorian families struggle under the weight of a cost-ofliving crisis and higher taxes, Labor was secretly using taxpayer funds to subsidise union thuggery.

"The Metro Tunnel cost skyrocketed past $15 billion, because the Premier chose to capitulate to the CFMEU rather than stand up for the Victorian taxpayer. This is a systemic betrayal of public trust.

" Victoria isn't working under Labor and the only way to stop the rot is to change the government.

"Only our Liberal and Nationals team will hold a Royal Commission , empower IBAC to follow the money immediately and put a new Construction Enforcement Victoria watchdog on the beat,” Mr Mulholland said.

Tap, go expands

■ Tap and go has expanded to trams.

Passengers are now be able to pay for their journey on every tram using a bank card, smartphone or smartwatch.

Passengers will also be able to use the same card or device whether they're catching a train, jumping on a

Years Ago

Passengers travelling where Myki is not yet available should continue using a paper ticket or eTicket.

Passengers who prefer to use their Myki can continue to do so.

Gabrielle Williams, Minister for Public and Active Transport, said: "You can step off a train and straight onto a tram using the same phone, watch or bank card."

"Four in five tap and go trips are already being made with a phone or smartwatch – showing more Victorians are leaving the wallet at home."

White elephant

■ Service Victoria , has been exposed by the AuditorGeneral as an expensive white elephant that has failed to deliver on its promises, according to Liberal politicians Brad Rowswell and Richard Welch.

“Service Victoria was established to become the single front door for Victorian Government services, with the original business case anticipating that almost all government transactions would migrate to the platform by 2020,” the pair said.

“More than a decade later, that vision remains nowhere near reality.

“A scathing new Victorian AuditorGeneral’s Office report has found that despite accepting all recommendations from a critical 2021 audit, virtually no meaningful progress has been made. In some cases, VAGO found agencies had inaccurately reported their progress.”

● The Argus. June 30 1951.

■ The Anglo-Iranian Oil Co . said today that it is closing down the entire operation in Persia , and there was no possibility of a settlement so long as Mossodeq was Premier. British employees in Persia are being summoned into Abadan from fields and operations will be ended within 10 days. Mr. Basil Jackson, vicechairman of the company and chief of the British negotiators, told a luncheon of American newspaper correspondents in London that he foresaw no other outcome than a complete shutdown of output of the great Persian fields, which produced 31,750,000 tons last year.

New banking hours

■ The new Saturday banking hours, which were announced last month, operate from today. Banks will close at 11 a.m. instead of 11.30 a.m., as in the past. The opening time - 9.30 a.m.- remains unchanged.

President’s orders

■ President Truman has sent instructions to Lieut-General Ridgway to negotiate in the field for a "cease fire" in Korea

This was disclosed today by Mr. Robert Lovett , deputy Defence Secretary, at a news conference in the Pentagon

Mr. Lovett refused to give any details of the instructions, but said any settlement reached by General Ridgway and the commanders of the North Korean and Chinese Communist forces would be subject to approval here.

More beer

■ Carlton and United Breweries Ltd will increase its bottled beer deliveries to Victorian hotels and other licensed premises by 10% next week.

Prices Branch officials last night refused to comment on the chances that beer prices would rise next week.

Pies

cost 7d

■ A meat pie will cost you Id. more on Monday morning. The "over-thecounter" price will rise from 6d. to 7d. A pie and tomato auce (now 6d.) will cost 7d.

This follows a wholesale price rise from 4/ to 4/6

Local Theatre

Hans Zimmer v John Williams

■ Following sold-out performances across the UK, Ireland and Europe, The Music of Hans Zimmer vs John Williams makes its Australian premiere this September, with two exclusive performances at Hamer Hal l on Sunday, September 6.

Presented by John Foreman’s Australian Pops Orchestra and Sony Music Australia in their first-ever collaboration, this landmark event brings together the music of two of cinema’s most iconic composers - Hans Zimmer and John Williams - in a live concert experience.

Hosted and conducted by the acclaimed John Foreman, the full 75-piece Australian Pops Orchestra brings to life the legendary scores that have defined the cinematic landscape for decades.

Audiences will relive unforgettable moments from Star Wars, Gladiator, Harry Potter, E.T., Interstellar, Jurassic Park, Pirates of the Caribbean and more in a spectacular, family-friendly event designed for all ages.

“I’m absolutely thrilled that the Australian Pops Orchestra is bringing this extraordinary concert to Australian audiences, and especially excited to partner with Sony Music Australia for the first time.”

“This is more than a concert - it’s a chance for audiences to relive the soundtracks of their lives,” said John Foreman.

“The music of Hans Zimmer and John Williams has shaped some of the most unforgettable moments in film, and to hear these scores performed live, at this scale and accompanied by spectacular lighting, is something truly powerful.

“Audiences will be completely immersed in the emotion, the nostalgia and the sheer energy of it all.”

Adding to the atmosphere, The Music of Hans Zimmer vs John Williams invites audiences to be part of the action. A sense of playful rivalry runs throughout the performance, with lighthearted on-stage banter encouraging audiences to declare their allegiance to either Zimmer or Williams, creating an engaging, interactive experience that truly elevates the audience experience.

At its core, this production reflects the Australian Pops Orchestra’s commitment to making world-class live music accessible to all - removing the formality often associated with orchestral concerts and offering an experience that is welcoming and inclusive.

Whether you’re a symphony enthusiast, lifelong film music fan or discovering these scores for the first time, this is a concert designed to be enjoyed by everyone.

Performance Date: Sunday, September 6 at 2.30pm and 6.30pm

Venue: Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne

Bookings: Ticketek Cheryl Threadgold

Award shortlist

■ Four first-time nominees are among the six talented writers shortlisted for the 2026 Miles Franklin Literary Award. They are joined by two previously longlisted authors.

Announced by Perpetual as Trustee, alongside Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund , the 2026 shortlist is:

■ Discipline by Randa Abdel-Fattah (University of Queensland Press)

■ First Name Second Name by Steve MinOn ( University of Queensland Press )

■ My Heart At Evening by Konrad Muller ( Evercreech Editions)

■ Fierceland by Omar Musa ( Penguin Random House Australia)

■ Little World by Josephine Rowe (Black Inc)

■ You Must Remember This by Sean Wilson (Affirm Press)

According to the judges, “This year’s Miles Franklin shortlist showcases the capacity of the Australian novel to grapple with the most vexing and profound questions of our time.

“Grand and intimate, these novels sing the Australian experience into new shapes,” a Miles Franklin Literary Award representative said.

THE BALLAD OF DAN O’MALLEY

● ● Gregory Caine (Simon), Justin Bell (Dan) and Julian Weeks (Chad) in The Ballad of Dan O’Malley . Photo: Dan Rabin

■ Monstrous Theatre and Paul Mitchell Productions have announced the cast for Paul Mitchell’s controversial new play The Ballad of Dan O’Malley: A Football Tragedy, being presented from August 12-22 at The Explosives Factory, Theatre Works St Kilda.

Justin Bell leads the cast as Dan O’Malley ; the coach caught between his love of the game and big-league corruption.

Joining him onstage will be Miles Paras, Julian Weeks, Adam Balales, Nick Mitchell, Lyndall Grant and Gregory Caine.

The Ballad of Dan O’Malley: A Football Tragedy – a new play by Paul Mitchell is directed by Therèsa Borg , with costume and set design by Dylan Lumsden and lighting design by Jason Bovaird

The story tells of bright-eyed Dan O’Malley in 2008 taking the reins as coach of the Central Leopards , a fictional club in ‘The League’.

The Leopards are bottoming out on the field and at the bank, so administrators demand desperate, shady measures to win future draft picks.

Dan wants to do right by the club and the young men he leads, but the club’s demands tear at his soul.

When the truth comes out and the future of the game is threatened, there’s only one scapegoat in The League’s sights.

Dates: August 12–22

Venue: Explosives Factory, Theatreworks. Rear 67 Inkerman St (via Lyell and Market Sts) St. Kilda

Tickets: $32.64 - $51.63 from www.theatre works.org.au

Cheryl Threadgold

Six The Musical

■ The international smash-hit Six the Musical makes its return to Melbourne’s Comedy Theatre from July 24.

From Tudor Queens to Pop Icons, the six wives of Henry VIII - Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Catherine Parr - will turn up the mics, remixing 500 years of history into an 80minute pop-concert musical.

Taking on the role of the first wife, the sassy Catherine of Aragon, will be Sarah Murr , originally from Townsville and a graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium. Portraying the bold and rebellious Anne Boleyn will be Mia Paris Scalise making her professional stage debut, a Melbourne -based graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts

What’s On Anthony Callea tour

■ Anthony Callea returns to the stage for a live music experience, The Tour Connection.

Showcasing songs from his multiplatinum and chart-topping albums, together with timeless favourites, the touris a celebration of music, reflection, and the unique bond Anthony shares with his audience.

Performances include”

■ Geelong. The Play House. Geelong Arts Centre. Saturday, October 3.

■ Nunawading. The Round. Friday, November 6.

■ Frankston Arts Centre. Sunday, November 8.

Daily Mail complaint

■ The Press Council considered whether its Standards of Practice were breached by an article published by Daily Mail Australia online on October 31 last year, headed ‘Fiery moment Gus Lamont's trans grandmother waves a pump-action shotgun and ERUPTS in explosive tirade at Daily Mail reporter - as police prepare to drain the dam at property where boy vanished’.

Cara Bessey, originally from Canberra and a graduate of NIDA , takes on the role of the devoted third wife Jane Seymour.

The bold and unapologetic Anna of Cleves will be played b y Kadesa Honeyhill and the role of the playful fifth wife, Katherine Howard will be played by Angela Brischetto , originally from Far North Queensland.

Lorinda May Merrypor, a graduate of the Queensland Conservatorium , joins the cast in the role of the final and empowering wife Catherine Parr

Joining the Six Australian Queens are the swings made up of Lauren Goetz, Geena Hutton , and returning cast members Thalia Smith Dance Captain/Swing and Associate Choreographer/ Assistant to the Director/ Alternate Swing Cristina D’Agostino

Also supported by the Six on stage band including Music Director /Keys Claire Healy , Assistant Music Director / Keys Heidi Maguire, Kathryn Stammers on drums, Danielle Colligan on guitar and Matilda Yang on bass.

Produced in Australia by Louise Withers, Michael Coppel and Linda Bewick . On behalf of the producers, Louise Withers said: “We are thrilled to introduce this extraordinary new cast of Queens - each bringing their own unique talent, energy and individuality to these iconic roles."

Melbourne Season: From July 24

Venue: Comedy Theatre, Melbourne Bookings: Ticketek

Cheryl Threadgold

Pre-loved toys

■ The Walt Disney Company Australia has teamed with Save the Children and Reading Cinemas to support a Toy Rehoming initiative where Australians can donate their quality, pre-loved toys to help children in need.

Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5 themed donation booths will be in place in the foyer of Reading Cinemas around Australia ready to accept gently used toys, books, puzzles and games in good working condition.

“Donated toys will set out on a new adventure to help Save the Children create a world where every child has a safe and happy childhood,” said a project representativde.

“Save the Children op shops save countless toys from landfill each year, helping to create a more sustainable future while raising funds to support their life-changing programs.”

Part of the determination said: “The Council recognises that reporting on developments in the search for a missing child, and on an interaction involving a firearm, are matters of legitimate public interest. However, the Council considers that the prominence given to the woman’s transgender status in the headline could lead some readers to conclude that this characteristic was a contributing factor in, the disappearance of the child or the interaction with the journalist, and could contribute to substantial prejudice against trans-gender people. In the absence of a clear link between the woman’s transgender status and the reported events, the Council considers that the publication failed to take reasonable steps to avoid contributing materially to substantial prejudice and that there was insufficient public interest justification for including the reference. Accordingly, the Council finds a breach of General Principle 6.”

Winterfest

■ St Paul’s Cathedral will host the second edition of Winterfes t from July 512, following a highly successful debut in 2025 that welcomed up to 5000 visitors per day.

This year’s Winterfest has partnered with Monash Children’s Hospital, with all fundraising efforts supporting the purchase of a specialised 3D printer used to create components for children’s surgical procedures.

The initiative aims to help improve outcomes for young patients while raising awareness of the challenges faced by children and families experiencing long hospital stays.

Throughout the Cathedral , visitors will be able to explore immersive winter installations inspired by the simple joys of childhood, including displays featuring flowers, butterflies and open skies.

Prayer and candle-lighting stations will also provide opportunities for reflection, while donation points throughout the Cathedral will allow visitors to contribute directly to the fundraising campaign.

A key feature of Winterfest is the Winterfest Market , showcasing a curated selection of local makers and artisans.

Ten per cent of all market sales will be donated to the fundraising effort.

Awards finalist

■ Australian author Rosanna Andrea Feeken has been named a Finalist in the 2026 International Book Awards in the Young Adult Fiction category for her acclaimed novel, Racing the Wild: A Journey of Freedom and Friendship. Published by Tellwell in 2024, Racing the Wild continues to receive international recognition for its heartfelt storytelling and authentic portrayal of resilience, friendship, and healing.

The book is available through Amazon and other major online booksellers. Contributed

Observations

Stuff The british Stole

Marc Fennell

■ Quiz lovers will know Marc Fennell from his genial persona as host of the SBS show Mastermind.

But this amiable chap is also a Walkley Award -winning journalist, with wit, humour, curiosity, and an eye for the absurd. These qualities have spawned his new book, Stuff The British Stole, a spin-off from the TV series and podcast of the same name.

Fennell takes the reader on a journey through museums, battlefield, and archives to discover some messy, uncomfortable stories behind some of history’s most contested objects.

Whether it’s the pyramids of Egypt or the British Museum , each artefact Fennell focuses on introduces the bigger question of who gets to own history – and who gets to tell it.

Fennell traces how some of the world’s most famous treasures ended up in museums, thanks to war, colonialism, and unequal power.

So Stuff The British Stole is not just about the past, but also about how we understand the present. He raises the issue of history not being just a set of answers, but also a collection of awkward questions that refuse to go away.

Away from the Mastermind set, Fennell has won many awards for a wide range of documentaries he has made, and has a successful podcast series.

He is a familiar voice on ABC Radio and as a journalist has covered stories all over the world. When he isn’t working, he lives in Sydney with his wife and two children.

Stuff The British Stole is published by Penguin Random House and available now online and in bookshops.

Julie Houghton

ACC documentary

■ As part of its European concert tour in 2024, the Australian Chamber Choir visited Venice to present the modern premiere performance of a 300-year-old Cantata by Agatha della Pietà , who lived at the Venice orphanage where Vivaldi taught.

“Our documentary, entitled Agatha’s Story, showcasing the ACC on tour in Germany and culminating in Venice , will air on SBS television on August 11 and will then become a part of the international film festival circuit.

“The documentary, made possible by the generosity of our donors, introduces audiences all over the world to the only surviving work composed by an orphan of the Ospedale della Pietà – an important new piece of music history, with the ACC front and centre.”

Wiggles album

■ The Wiggles have announced the release of their new album, Sparkle!: A Circus of Lights. The release coincides with a major new tour.

JERSEY FOREVER

Glaston Toft, Bobby Fox, Scott Johnson and Stephen Mahy reunite for Jersey Forever on August 7. Photo: Daniel Enright about creating space for others to feel held inside them too,” said Rosie Kalina “This is a world built from our histories and everyday lives. It’s messy, layered and embedded with humour, just like home always is,” said Katen Balla

■ Seventeen years since the ground-breaking Australian premiere of Jersey Boys, original stars Bobby Fox, Glaston Toft, Scott Johnson and Stephen Mahy , will reunite in a spectacular live concert Jersey Forever, to perform the iconic music of Jersey Boys and Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons for one night only at Melbourne’s Palais Theatre on August 7

The record-breaking, smash hit Australian production of Jersey Boys became one of Australia’s most successful musicals with the original four playing to more than one million people in its original Australian run.

In Jersey Forever audiences will relive the music, magic and that unforgettable sound by the performers who made it a phenomenon.

Backed by a 10-piece big band Jersey Forever will include hits such as Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry, Walk Like A Man, My Eyes Adored You, Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, Let’s Hang On, Working My Way Back To You and many more.

Performance Date: August 7

Venue: Palais Theatre, St Kilda

Bookings: jerseyforever.com.au/ Cheryl Threadgold

Blakyard

■ Led by matriarch and curator Dr Paola Balla , and co-created with her children Rosie Kalina and Katen Balla , a bit thing invites audiences into an intergenerational Blak family home where cultural stories, creativity and daily life exist side by side. Until July 18.

Visitors move through a house built within the North Melbourne Town Hall, exploring bedrooms, shared living areas and the Blakyard beyond.

Throughout the installation, artworks embed a richly layered domestic setting shaped by memory, humour and care.

Rosie’s room is a hyper-sensory world of colour and youthful imagination. Katen’s room becomes a photographic and sonic archive.

Family photos, books, textiles, protest materials and pop-cultural references sit alongside contemporary artworks, while a central kitchen and living room invite visitors to pause, make a cuppa and stay awhile.

Alongside the exhibition, a public program unfolds across the season, activating the house and Blakyard as places of gathering, exchange and shared practice.

Curated by Paola, Rosie and Katen , the program includes workshops, screenings, shared meals, yarning circles and Koorioke during NAIDOC Week

These activations extend the exhibition’s focus on joy, cultural knowledge and intergenerational connection, situating the home as a living and social environment.

“We wanted to make a space that feels like visiting family. The home is where we learn, where we get respite and where we imagine together,” said Dr Paola Balla

“We’ve grown up inside these stories. This work is about sharing them, but also

Free exhibition until July 18

Arts House, North Melbourne Town Hall, 521 Queensberry St. North Melbourne Mon. – Fri., 10am – 4pm; Sat., 11am – 3pm

Public program

Workshop: Painting with Paola: 12pm, Sat. Jul. 4

NAIDOC Week: Blakyard Feed, Yarns and Koorioke: 6pm, Fri Jul 10

Audio Described Tactile Tour: 11am, Sat Jul 11

Yarns and Damper with Aunty Margie Tang: 12:30pm, Sat Jul 11

Booking required for public program events artshouse.com.au 9322 3720

Cheryl Threadgold

More Auditions

■ Footlight Productions, Geelong: Annie. Bookings open July 24. Auditions: August 16, Callbacks August 23. For an audition information pack, contact www.footlight productionsvic.com

■ Beaumaris Theatre: Georgy Girl – The Seekers Musical (Music and Lyrics by Judith Durham, Athol Guy, Keith Potger, Bruce Woodley, David Reilly, Malvina Reynolds, Paul Simon, Tom Springfield and others) July 25 and 26 at Beaumaris Theatre, 82 Wells Rd., Beaumaris. Director: Debbie Keyt: Musical Director: Rhonda Vaughan; Choreographer: Camilla Klesman. Bookings: beaumaristheatre. com.au

Cheryl Threadgold

South African Film Festival

■ The South African Film Festival 2026 is now underway, bringing a landmark program of contemporary South African cinema to audiences across Australia and New Zealand

Running in cinemas and online until July 26, this year's Festival features 33 films spanning major festival selections, documentaries, features and shorts, with an online program audiences can stream from home.

“Now in its eighth year, SAFF leads into Mandela Month with a program that celebrates the beauty, vibrancy and complexity of South Africa through stories of identity, family, resistance, memory, music, community and change,” said a Festival representative.

At Magnet Galleries

■ From July 10- August 2 , Magnet Galleries and 42 Studios presents Fly Me to the Moon by Tracey Roberts . This series of 12 unique one-of-one artworks explores the intersections of music, isolation, and interstellar legacy.

Shows

■ Warrandyte Theatre Company: The Father (by Florian Zellar translated by Christopher Hampton) Until July 4 at the Warrandyte Mechanics’ Institute, 180 Yarra St., Warrandyte. Director: Grant Purdy. Bookings: trybooking.com/ DHJOP

■ Geelong Repertory Theatre Company: The Tragedy of Hamlet Prince of Denmark (William Shakespeare) Until July 11 at The Woodbin Theatre, Coronation St., Geelong West. Director: Greg Shawcross. Bookings: Geelong Arts Centre 1300 251 200 geelongarts centre.org.au

■ Eltham Little Theatre: Honk! (Book and Lyrics by Anthony Drew and Music by George Stiles) Until July 12 at the Eltham Performing Arts Centre, 1603 Main Rd., Research. Director: Ash Farrough. Bookings: elthamlittle theatre.org.au/

■ The 1812 Theatre: Rumpelstiltskin Pantomime (by Chris Hodson) Until July 5 at The 1812 Theatre, 3 Rose St., Upper Ferntree Gully. Director: Jenni Evans. Bookings: 1812theatre.com.au

■ Williamstown Little Theatre: Looped (by Matthew Lombardo) July 1 – 12 at 2 Albert St., Williamstown. Director: Loretta Bishop. Audition bookings: wlt.org.au

■ Fab Nobs Theatre: Matilda Jr. July 3 – 12 at 33 Industry Place, Bayswater. CoDirectors: Maeghan McKenzie and Dean Robinson; Musical Director: Sally McKenzie; Choreographer: Alivia Dennis. Bookings: fabnobstheatre.com.au

■ Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre Company: Sleuth (by Anthony Shaffer) July 2 – 18 at the Lilydale Mechanics’ Institute, Castella Drive, Lilydale. Director: Ian Frost. Bookings: lilydaeatc.com

■ Heidelberg Theatre Company: Birdsong (by Sebastian Faulks, adapted by Rachel Wagstaff) July 3 – 18 at 36 Turnham Ave., Rosanna. Director: Michelle Swann. Bookings: htc.org.au

■ People’s Playhouse: The Lightning Thief - The Percy Jackson Musical, July 3 – 11 at Cranbourne Community Theatre, Brunt St., Cranbourne. Bookings: Trybooking.

■ Hills Act Theatre Company: Monkey Kings Defiance (written and directed by Josh Young) July 3 – 4 at the Memo. Hall, Healesville. Bookings: culturetrack.info. 1300 368 333

■ Friends of Black Rock House: The Jewel by the Sea (by Cheryl Threadgold) July 9 - 25 at Black Rock House, 30-36 Ebden Ave., Black Rock. Director: Debbie Keyt. BYO refreshments. Bookings: Trybooking.

■ Theatrical: Bring It On. July 11 - 26 at the National Theatre, St Kilda. Director: Tahra Canon; Musical Director: Claire Gurrin: Choreographer: Louise Panagiotidis. Bookings: theatrical. com.au

■ Ballarat National Theatre: God of Carnage (by Yasmina Reza) July 23 – 26 at the Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute, 117-119 Sturt St., Ballarat. Director: Ruby Abbott. Bookings: events. humanitix.com/god-of-carnage-bnt

■ Mordialloc Theatre Company: The Truth (by Florian Zeller) July 30 – August 8 at the Shirley Burke Theatre, 64 Parkers Rd., Parkdale. Director: George Werther. Bookings: mordialloctheatre. com.au

Auditions

■ Heidelberg Theatre Company: Clue On Stage (by Jonathan Lynn, Hunter Foster, Sandy Rustin and Eric Price) July 12 at 6pm, July 13 at 7pm at Heidelberg Theatre, 36 Turnham Ave., Rosanna. Director: Chris McLean. Auditions by appointment. Please contact: auditions@htc.org.au

■ Fab Nobs Theatre: Jesus Christ Superstar July 15, 16, 17 from 7.30pm to 10.30pm, Dance call July 19, Callbacks July 22 at 33 Industry Place, Bayswater.Enquiries: fabnobstheatre. com.au

■ Williamstown Little Theatre: Ladies in Black July 19 from 11am and July 20 from 7pm at venue tba. Director: Barbara Hughes; Musical Director: Janet Provan; Choreographer: Jenny VincentGreen. Audition Form can be downloaded from wlt.org.au/auditions Cheryl Threadgold

Fears for Mitcham, Nunawading

■ Whitehorse Council says that the State Government’s plans for Mitcham go too far, and the City also has concerns for Nunawading.

The State Government last Friday (June 26) made an announcement outlining final planning controls for the Blackburn, Nunawading and Mitcham Train and Tram Zones Activity Centres and the final precinct structure plan of the six new Suburban Rail Loop stations.

“In Blackburn Activity Centre , we welcome the reduction in proposed building heights and the continued exclusion of land covered by permanent Significant Landscape Overlays , reflecting Council's advocacy and community feedback,” said a Whitehorse Council representative.

“Areas with recognised landscape and environmental values remain protected from intensified development.

“However, Council remains concerned about the retained catchment area for Mitcham and the final planning outcomes for Nunawading .

“Council believes the catchment in Mitcham extends too far, encompassing areas with valued heritage, established neighbourhood character and significant tree canopy that should be better protected.

“ Council also concerned about the final plans for the Nunawading Activity Centre , which do not provide any direction on building height or planning controls for some of the

Editor: Ash Long

Features Editor: Peter Mac

Columnists: Len Baker, Rod Basto, Matt Bissett-Johnson, Rob Foenander, Peter Kemp, Aaron Rourke, Cheryl Threadgold, Julie Houghton, Kevin Trask

Honorary Reviewers: Juliet Charles, Sherryn Danaher, Linda Hartley, Lyn Hurst, Kathryn Keeble, Beth Klein, Graeme McCoubrie, David McLean, Maggie Morrison, Peter Murphy, Lucy Nicolson, Jill Page, Elizabeth Semmel

Logistics: Tim Granvillani, Erica Koldinsky, Tyler Sandiford

large, strategicallylocated sites within the activity centre core that present significant redevelopment opportunities.

“: Council also remains concerned about the removal of third-party appeal rights and the proposed deemedto-comply approach for all activity centres.

“Council will continue to advocate for well-planned housing growth that protects our valued neighbourhoods, heritage, tree canopy and environmental assets while reflecting our community's views.

“In regard to the SRL East Precinct, Council is calling on the Victorian Government to release the Standing Advisory Committee reports and final structure plans for the SRL East precincts, along with detailed plans outlining how the proposed 70,000 new homes will be delivered.

“ Council is also calling on the Victorian Government to provide more open space in this area to service the growing population projected.

“ Council has been advocating to protect open space in the SRL Precinct areas. With significant development planned over the coming 10 years, access to public open space will be a core community and equity issue into the future. This is expected to be most significant in the Box Hill precinct, where public open space could reduce from 19 m² to 7 m² per person by 2056 if no additional open space is provided.”

● Willis Bus Service. Vermont. 1966. Photo: Keith S. Kings.

Celebrating 57 years in local media

● ● ● ● Sonya Kilkenny, Planning Minister

● ● ● ● Sue Stark’s tribute to Ric Ditchburn

PHOTOS BY GORDON BENNETT

● ● Tony Tardio with Denis O’Kane

● ● ● ● Fr Brian Glasheen and Len Baker

● ● Mike Menner

● Jeff Joseph

● ● Rod Hardy

● ● Annette Allison

● ● Garry Spry

● ● ● ● Fiona Byrne with Derryn Hinch.

● ● Mal Walden and Chris Ryan

● ● David Mann with Kevin Trask

The Conversation

Free to become culture warrior hero

■ Karl Stefanovic’s exit from Nine will accelerate his transition from morning television star to right-wing podcast provocateur.

The catalyst was an interview with far-right anti-Islam campaigner and convicted criminal Tommy Robinson (real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon).

It was removed from the internet within hours of being published, only to re-emerge on One Nation leader Pauline Hanson’s YouTube channel.

But Stefanovic’s courting of Robinson was more than simply a misstep. It reflects a well-worn strategy that’s resulted in farright podcasting gaining a foothold in the United States and the United Kingdom

So will it be successful in the Australian context?

Announcing the new podcast on his Instagram account in January 2026, the two-decade co-host of the Today program declared that the show would feature “the people I know you want to hear from […] across politics, sport, business and culture. Unfiltered. Unscripted. Uncensored.”

Stefanovic has jokingly referred to himself as ‘Joe Bogan’, referencing the host of the juggernaut American podcast The Joe Rogan Experience That show regularly tops podcast charts and has been credited with helping to sway voters in favour of Donald Trump in the 2024 US election.

Before Robinson, Stefanovic’s podcast featured interviews with a cast of right-wing figures.

These included Pauline Hanson and Barnaby Joyce (who have both appeared multiple times), John Howard, Matt Canavan, Pete Evans , and former UK special forces soldierturned online commentator and Reform supporter Ant Middleton. He’s also had South Australian Labor Premier Peter Malinauskas on the show.

The tone is jocular and upbeat, in the mould of the American podcast “bros”. Freed from the editorial guardrails of broadcast television, Stefanovic readily swears and rarely challenges his guests, who monologue about culture war issues such as immigration and “wokeism”.

He regularly flatters them, telling Middleton he’d make a “great prime minister” and says to Robinson that he admires his “tenacity and the courage you’re showing”.

These are not interviews in the traditional sense, but extended conversations that generally affirm – and even promote – the guest’s perspective.

A 2023 report found these podcasts much more readily spread mis- and disinformation than their liberal counterparts, with Bannon’s War Room the worst offender.

My research with colleague Dominic Knight explained how the podcast’s host, one-time Trump administration official Steve Bannon, appeals to listeners by appearing as authentic and willing to take a hit for a larger cause, as per his stint in prison for contempt of Congress

This victim narrative is a key feature of right-wing podcasting. It regularly appears in Stefanovic’s interviews.

He exclaims to Robinson “I can’t believe you’re alive,” and later warns that “they’re gonna […] keep coming at you”. He also makes no attempt to fact-check. For instance, he allows Robinson to talk at length about his prison sentence

without acknowledging what landed him there: his repetition of false claims about a Syrian schoolboy, for which he was found in contempt of court.

It’s not yet clear why the Robinson episode has been taken down, but its removal, together with Stefanovic’s exit from Nine, will only help to boost his profile as a right-wing culture warrior.

Stefanovic is not alone in developing a media brand off the back of a retreat from legacy media.

Ette Media, Lamestream, and Uncomfortable Conversations with Josh Szeps are other examples of independent Australian media ventures started by journalists who previously worked for mainstream outlets. In a country with high media concentration, diversity is a good thing.

But the difference between the above examples and Stefanovic’s podcast is his closeness to a political campaign machine that leverages the outrage economy of social media to advance a right-wing populist agenda.

The platform X has gone into overdrive following the Robinson interview, with One Nation capitalising on the saga. Robinson himself has railed against Stefanovic’s exit from Nine. And the platform’s owner Elon Musk, shared a post by activist and recently announced “chief chaos correspondent” for Stefanovic’s podcast, Drew Pavlou, attracting millions of views.

The real danger lies in the podcast’s normalisation of extreme, racist ideals that threaten Australia’s social fabric. In the US, reports show followers of the white nationalist Nick Fuentes succeeded in pushing media figures such as the late podcaster Charlie Kirk further rightward, helping to mainstream ethno-nationalism.

As long as figures like Tommy Robinson are given a platform to share their ideas without scrutiny, couched in friendly conversation, there is a risk of fuelling xenophobia.

While the attention on Stefanovic will benefit his brand, particularly as he presents himself as a victim and champion of free speech, his gamble in courting controversial political figures could backfire.

Streamer Adin Ross, who interviewed Trump in the lead-up to the 2024 election, has declared that he wishes he never got into politics. Other American podcasters who supported Trump have voiced similar regrets.

Having gone independent, Stefanovic’s income will likely mostly come from direct advertising and views on YouTube Experts warn it will be hard for the show to generate the kind of money he was earning at Nine – A$2 million a year. But there is evidence the controversy is working for him.

The re-published version of the Robinson interview on Pauline Hanson’s YouTube Channel has more than 443,000 views at the time of writing, far outpacing the videos on his own channel.

The next closest recent video to that figure is the one he published after his exit from Nine was announced, with nearly 390,000 views just two days after posting. In that clip, he also expresses a hope for more sponsors to join the show.

For 20 years, Stefanovic crafted a persona as a larrikin morning television personality who didn’t take himself too seriously. His reinvention might suit the times for now, but if the populist surge fuelling One Nation’s rise subsides, he could well find himself out in the cold with advertisers and the public alike.

Davitt Awards

■ Sisters in Crime Australia has announced the 2026 Davitt Awards Longlist

For a quarter of a century, Sisters in Crime Australia has been shining a spotlight on the incredible achievements of women crime writers of fiction and non-fiction.

From the first year of the Davitt Awards with its seven entries, to the present day where more than 100 books are entered each year, it’s been an astonishing journey, filled with inspiring talent and unforgettable stories.

The judges of the 2026 Davitt Awards have selected a longlist of books that reflect the excellent quality and maturity of stories written by Australian women crime writers.

These stories are notable for their originality, depth and the high level of the authors’ skills, with narratives covering a diverse landscape of themes and ideas.

Ruth Wykes, Davitt Awards Judges’ Chair, observed that the 2026 entries that stood out “were the ones that entertained, challenged, taught us, and stayed with us long after we had read the final chapters. Stories that were bold and brave, or beautifully nuanced”.

“The stronger contenders this year were those who created depth in their protagonists, who avoided cliches in developing stories and those who raised the bar for crime writers in Australia

“I’m inspired by the incredible talent of our Australian women crime writers, and I include the number of authors whose books narrowly missed out on reaching the longlist. They are all gifted and world-class writers,” said Ms Wykes

This year, 126 books were entered into the 26th Davitt Awards across four categories.

There are 28 books remaining in contention for the coveted Davitt Awards : 16 adult fiction, three non-fiction, three young adult and six children’s books, including debut authors and self-published books. Sisters in Crime and the Davitt Awards’ judges are proud to unveil the 2026 Davitt Awards Longlist. For the Davitt Awards longlist details visit sistersincrime.org.au/davitt-awards2026/

Cheryl Threadgold

Pride and Prejudice

■ The highly anticipated Australian tour of the acclaimed musical comedy Pride and Prejudice*(*sortof) runs at th Athenaeum Theatre until July 12.

Taking on the iconic roles of Elizabeth Bennet, Mr Darcy, Jane Bennet, Charles Bingley, Mr and Mrs Bennet and all other characters, are Amy Lehpamer (&Juliet), Zoe Ioannou (Guys&Dolls), Kaori MaedaJudge ( Little Women), newcomer Ruby Shannon and Teo Vergara (Jagged Little Pill).

Direct from its triumph in the West End where it won the Olivier Award for Best Comedy, Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) is a unique and audacious retelling of Jane Austen’s most iconic love story.

“Men, money and microphones are fought over in this irreverent but affectionate adaptation where the stakes couldn’t be higher when it comes to romance,” says a show publicist.

“This ‘smart, laugh out loud funny’ show features a string of pop classics including Young Hearts Run Free, Will You Love Me Tomorrow and You’re So Vain.

Five fearless women bring Austen’s world of love, class and chaos to life with heart, humour and unstoppable energy in this modern take on one of the world’s most adapted pieces of literature.

Breach by SBS

■ The Australian Communications and Media Authority has found SBS breached gambling advertising rules during a live broadcast of the Tour de France in July.

The ACMA investigation found SBS broadcast an advertisement for Crown’s gambling activities at a prohibited time.

Under the Commercial Television Industry Code of Practice, gambling commercials are only permitted before play, after play and during scheduled or unscheduled breaks if shown during live sporting events between 8.30pm and 5am. SBS is required to comply with these advertising rules under its own Code of Practice.

Rourke’s Reviews

Silent Friend

■ (M). 147 minutes. Opens in selected cinemas July 2.

For people who saw the absorbingly surreal On Body And Soul in 2017, they will have become an instant fan of writer/director Ildiko Enyedi, even if her body of work covers three decades, including the highly acclaimed My Twentieth Century (1989).

Enyedi’s latest film is a magical viewing experience, using its title character to show how people can grow, evolve and bloom.

Broken up into three separate stories over three different time periods, the first begins in 2020.

Well-respected Hong Kong neuroscientist Tony Wong (Tony Leung Chiu-wai) has been invited to the revered Marburg University in Germany , to lecture about the brain and how adults and infants receive information about the world around them.

Unfortunately, COVID hits, and all of a sudden Wong is isolated in the expansive campus, his only companion being caretaker Anton (Sylvester Goth), who takes a disliking to him, especially when the professor takes an interest in the large Gingko tree Anton maintains.

The second story is set in 1908, and involves young Grete (Luna Wedler), who has just become the first female student to attend Marburg , after a humiliating interview with the University board, made up of old, ignorant men. Grete meets resistance at every turn due to her gender, and in striving to enter the scientific field, she too comes across the tree.

The third tale takes place in 1972, and centres on university students Hannes (Enzo Brumm) and dorm mate Gundula (Marlene Burow) , with the later convincing the former to help her carry out an experiment on the geranium Gundula keeps in her room.

The experiment deals with communication, something that develops between the two students, who also seem drawn to the large Gingko .

The stories overlap and intertwine, as roots take hold between people, their environment and the emotions and ideas that make them develop and transform, reacting positively or negatively to the elements available at the time.

Characters, deprived of the nutrients required to bloom, fight and adapt to survive, and the quiet, imposing tree is the perfect metaphor to examine the people who circle it, particularly when it is discovered what type of tree it is.

Enyedi , like she did with On BodyAndSoul, takes her time to create a mood and atmosphere, wanting to make every character’s inner fruition as organic and natural as possible.

Working beautifully with cinematographer Gergely Palos, Enyedi adds a further, fascinating ingredient by shooting the 1908 segment in gorgeous black-and-white, the 1972 chapter in 16mm, and the 2020 section digitally.

The themes, ideas and feelings are then carefully and thoughtfully weaved together by editor Karoly Szalai Also impressive is the sound design and score.

Performances are superb. Leung Chiu-wai is exceptional, again using his expressive face and eyes to wonderful effect, while Wedler, Brumm and Burow are all excellent.

There is also a nice turn from Lea Seydoux. Like Enyedi’s previous films, Silent Friend requires patience, but for those who tap into its quietly moving details and intelligence, this is a garden very much worth visiting.

RATING - ****½

Toy Story 5

■ (G). 102 minutes. Now showing in cinemas. It’s hard to believe that the original Toy Story is now over 30 years old.

A bold experiment at the time with its complete use of computer animation, that style has developed over time in leaps and bounds. Computers are at the fore again in the latest instalment, but this time it’s within the story itself. Unfortunately, like Part 4, it eventually turns pointless, as everything seemed movingly finished at the end of Part 3 Tech influences on young children is a relevant subject, but one that maybe should have been tackled several years ago.

There are amusing moments, and some touching scenes involving Jessie (Joan Cusack), but in the end this just feels redundant, except for Disney, who will make a lot of money from this lucrative franchise.

RATING - **

Supergirl

■ (M). 110 minutes. Now showing in cinemas.

A shambolic collection of badly structured action setpieces, clumsy exposition and lead-footed humour, Supergirl feels like a film that has been put through a blender, with the remaining footage being barely connected or coherent.

Milly Alcock tries, as does Eve Ridley as Ruthye , a young girl who wants to avenge her murdered family, killed by Krem , an astoundingly buffoonish villain played by Matthias Schoenaerts , who appears to be channelling all the silliest, most over-the-top performances of Peter Stormare.

A dark subplot that strangely seems to mirror the Epstein scandal is totally blundered (the script is abysmal), turning instead into a borderline rip-off of Mad Max: Fury Road.

Supergirl wants to be something like Guardians Of The Galaxy, but ends up being almost as awful as The Marvels (2023).

RATING - * Aaron Rourke

Aaron Rourke

Places To Go

Travel Briefs

Bigger terminal

■ Hong Kong International

Airport has embarked on a new era with the successful launch of the expanded Terminal 2 (T2 ), further boosting the city's position as global aviation hub.

HKIA last year handled 61 million passenger trips, representing a year-on-year growth of 15 per cent.

It has recently garnered several prestigious recognitions for its outstanding performance in areas including security processing, aviation infrastructure, passenger services, and continuous enhancement of passenger facilities.

HKIA was crowned ‘Best Airport in the World’ at the Global Travel Awards 2026, and was voted "Best Airport in China" in the 2026 TTG China Travel Awards.

■ Victoria is in the middle of an experience boom, with a 56 per cent surge in experience bookings according to Big Red Group

Australians are doubling down on leisure that feels meaningful and worth leaving the house for.

Victorians are choosing Wine and Dine (+83%), Adventure (+77%) and Getaways (+72%), signalling a shift away from passive downtime toward experiences that blend indulgence and reset in equal measure.

Victoria is shaping up as the ultimate winter playground, offering everything from acclaimed dining and wine regions to scenic escapes and adrenaline fuelled adventures.

There is a rise in social experiences as Aussies seek genuine connection amidst loneliness with strong growth for hands-on activities like mosaic lamp making (+133%) on RedBalloon ● ● ● ●

Tourism impact

■ Caravan and Residential Parks Victoria , the peak industry body representing nearly 400 tourist and residential (caravan) parks across the state, is calling on the State Government to introduce mandatory Tourism Benefit Assessments for all local government planning decisions affecting tourist parks, ensuring the economic and tourism impacts of these critical decisions are properly understood.

“These assessments would help avoid poor decisions that are limiting tourist park accommodation improvement and growth,” said a CRPV representative.

CEO Scott Parker said local government planning decisions often treated tourist parks as purely land-use matters.

Logan’s Beach, Warrnambool, for whale watching

Places To Go

WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2026

Bush Telegraph Whiparound

Sentiment declines

■ Rising input costs – particularly for fuel and fertiliser – remain the key concern for Victorian farmers, with the latest Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey showing farmer sentiment has continued to decline in quarter two. Sentiment was also weighed down by increased worry about energy security.

Tax concessions

■ The Victorian Farmers Federation has welcomed the Federal Government's decision to increase the turnover threshold for access to small business capital gains tax concessions from $2 million to $10 million, saying the change is a step in the right direction and will help deliver a fairer outcome for family farmers across Australia

Beef successes

■ Australia’s beef sector is expected to remain a standout performer amongst global competitors in 2026, with a new industry report finding the country is well placed to benefit from tightening global supply, firm international demand and only limited near-term disruption from recent trade policy changes.

RaboResearch division says global beef production is expected to fall by 2.2 per cent this year.

‘FARMERS FIGHTBACK’ SAYS THAT IT IS WAR

■ The Victorian Government has formally declared war on the farming communities of western Victoria , according to the Farm

“ Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio signed the declaration of the Western Renewable Energy Zone , formalising the government’s plan to industrialise hundreds of thousands of hectares of prime agricultural land across the Wimmera and western districts — one of Victoria’s most productive food bowls,” a Farmers Fightback representative said.

“This declaration was made in full knowledge that the overwhelming majority of affected landowners — approaching 90 per cent in the eastern section of the zone — have explicitly and repeatedly rejected it.

“They are going to force renewable energy infrastructure onto farmers’ land, and devastate the food bowl of Victoria “ North Grampians Shire Council formally oppose this renewable energy zone and the VNI West transmission line. The Victorian Farmers Federation has criticised the legislation for stripping away property rights and handing unchecked power.

“The No REZ Map documents approximately 600,000+ hectares of land where owners have registered their refusal to host renewable energy infrastructure.” ● ● ● ● Lily D’Ambrosio, Ag. Minister

Rights for hunters

■ Victorian Nationals and Liberals will move a targeted package of practical amendments to the Outdoor Recreation Victoria Bill 2026 to restore clarity, fairness, and accountability to the management of Victoria's public land and water resources.

While the Opposition does not oppose the amalgamation of the outdoor bodies, Shadow Minister for Outdoor Recreation, Melina Bath , said Labor’s framework fails to properly protect the long-term rights of Victoria's hunting, fishing, and regional recreation communities.

Fresh leadership

■ The Victorian Farmers Federation has formally announced the appointment of Jason Mellings as VFF Grains President, Dusty Pascoe as VFF Grains Vice-President and Avril Hogan as the VFF's Special Skills Director on the VFF Board.

“The appointments bring together a wealth of industry knowledge, leadership experience and a commitment to ensuring Victorian agriculture remains productive, profitable and sustainable,” said a VFF representative. Mr Mellings will lead the commodity group at a critical time for Victoria's grain industry,

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24, 2026

Hospital re-think

■ Bushfires can happen at any time across Australia , and as northern parts of the country enter their peak fire danger season, new research involving Adelaide University experts suggests hospitals may need to rethink how their ventilation systems work to protect the health of patients and conserve energy.

A Race for 2030 project at Echuca Regional Health provided real-world evidence from the January bushfires in Victoria , showing that modified hospital ventilation systems can maintain high indoor air quality during prolonged smoke events, while also reducing dependence on outdoor air and lowering energy demand.

The study found the new air filtration system tested at the site was able to reduce the amount of bushfire smoke entering the hospital by 1000-fold, while also lowering energy consumption by 34 per cent.

“What this study demonstrates is that indoor air quality can be stabilised during these events without increasing exposure to external pollutants contained in bushfire smoke, which can irritate the lungs,” said Professor Dino Pisaniello, Adjunct Professor in Occupational and Environmental Hygiene at Adelaide University’s School of Public Health. "This is increasingly important as climate extremes become part of normal operating conditions.”

BUSHFIRE RISK UNDER-ESTIMATED

■ A new report has raised fresh concerns about the State Government’s management of Victoria’s bushfire risk.

Shadow Minister for Public Land Management, Melina Bath, said an independent report by the Victorian Auditor-General had exposed ongoing failures in bushfire risk assessment and fuel management.

“The VAGO report, Follow-up:Reducing Bushfire Risk, shows bushfire risk is being under-estimated and fuel reduction decisions are not providing communities with the protection they deserve,” Ms Bath said.

“Communities need confidence that the system designed to keep them safe is based on accurate and reliable data. Right now, that confidence simply isn’t there.”

The report found longstanding issues with bushfire fuel hazard assessments remain unresolved, despite first being identified six years ago.

“Labor is not conducting enough fuel hazard assessments and the methods being used remain inconsistent and unreliable.

“The findings show bushfire risk assessment problems have not been fixed, targets have not been updated, and D epartment of Energy, Environment and Climate Action staff continue to rely too heavily on visual judgement, undermining the accuracy of the data,” Ms Bath said.

LODGE THIS COUPON FOR YOUR FREE 40-WORD ADVT.

Your business can have a free 40-word listing in each 2026 edition of this free newspaper, and also at our website - www.phoenixnews.com.au. The free service is worth $40 per issue, and is available totally without charge to businesses in the Mansfield, Murrindindi, Nillumbik, Mitchell, Strathbogie, Whittlesea, Yarra Ranges regions. It is important to promote local businesses as this region rebuilds. (All ad listings are at the sole discretion of the Editor of The Phoenix).

Post this coupon to: The Phoenix, PO Box 1278, Research, Vic 3095 If not enough space on this form, attach wording on a plain sheet of paper.

Webinar held

■ Trust For Nature hosted an online panel discussion bringing together landholders who have experienced different fire events, including this year’s fires in January, the 2025 fires near Little Desert and the 2019-20 Black Summer fires in East Gippsland Hosted by Phoenix Wolfe, South West Area Manager, the webinar featured covenantors Janet Hagen, Stuart Thorpe and John Hermans, who each shared their lived experiences, practical insights and ecological recovery approaches – showcasing how habitat can regenerate after fire across different time frames and landscapes.

New video issued

■ Murrindindi Shire Council has released a new video that visually captures the scale of devastation from the January bushfires and the ongoing recovery challenges in the region.

over 35 years. Earth Logic Landscapes, 3974 Whittlesea-Yea Rd, Flowerdale. Phone: 0433 700 007. Contact: Jake Deans-Draper. https:// www.earthlogic.com.au/ Email: earthlogiclandscapes@ hotmail.com

UP TO $1760 FREE ADVERTISING FOR EACH LOCAL BUSINESS

Every local business throughout the bushfire affected region qualifies for up to $1760 worth of free advertising in The Phoenix newspaper. The offer is available throughout 2026, to all business owners in the municipalities of Mansfield, Murrindindi, Mitchell, Nillumbik, Strathbogie, Whittlesea and Yarra Ranges. The packages are totally free of cost. There is no obligation.

The free advertising packages provide a free 40-word line listing, worth $40 each fortnight until December 9, 2026. That’s a free $40 ad in 23 print issues (plus more free ads in 22 further online issues on alternate weeks). Each advertisement is listed in The Phoenix Newspaper and also online at www.phoenixnews.com.au

To apply for a free advertising package, complete the form online, or mail the coupon (below) to The Phoenix, PO Box 1278, Research, Vic 3095. All advertising packages are subject to the approval of the Editor of The Phoenix.

The free advertising packages are being privately funded by the owners of The Phoenix and its major supporters throughout metropolitan Melbourne, country Victoria, and interstate. Not a cent of tax - or public-money - is being used to fund this unprecedented promotion of local business.

The Phoenix is operated by Local Media Pty Ltd of Eltham, publishers of The Local Paper and the Melbourne Observer.

● ● Melina Bath, Shadow Minister

Places To Go

Education and the Arts

The Arts The Arts

Macy Gary Encore Tour

■ Following her sold-out 2024 tour, multi-award-winning singer Macy Gray returns to Arts Centre Melbourne’s Hamer Hall on September 11 for one night only, as part of her largest-ever tour of Australia and New Zealand

Starting in Melbourne in Hamer Hall, The Encore Tour will return to every city Macy Gray sold out on her previous tour in 2024 as well as regional destinations across the country. Macy will also cross the Tasman for six unforgettable shows in New Zealand , before closing out the tour in the Margaret River wine region.

"Australia! The band and I have always had a ball ‘down under’ and we can’t wait to see you all again. This time, I’m heading to places I’ve never been before and will get to see so much more of your beautiful country.

"We’re going to be performing all the songs you want to hear, plus a few from my new album – The Trouble with the Truth. Australia will be the first audiences to hear tracks from the new album live so get your dancing shoes ready and come along and party with us at a show near you," said Macy Gray.

With more than 25 million records sold worldwide, a Grammy Award, two BRIT Awards , and 10 studio albums spanning more than two decades, Macy Gray is said to be one of the greatest R&B and soul artists of her generation.

Performance Date: September 11

Venue: Hamer Hall, Arts Centre Melbourne

Bookings: artscentremelbourne. com.au

Cheryl Threadgold

Sainting Joan

■ The well-known story of Joan of Arc was given an inventive reimagining as a musical in Sainting Joan at Theatre Works in St Kilda.

Something of a mixed bag, the show’s youthful exuberance and energy made for an enjoyable and entertaining evening although its verve, at times, failed to compensate for some cliched writing and stereotypical performances. Set at a fictional canonisation of Joan, some 500 years after her burning at the stake, various real-life characters such as King Charles and General Dunois (the so-called ‘ Bastard of Orleans’), debated the pros and cons of her becoming a saint to both dramatic and comedic effect.

Written by Abigail Banister-Jones , with musical direction and arrangement by Lachlan Obst , the script consisted of a central narrator (King Charles) telling Joan’s story. That story was enacted through small scenes between the various characters or through song and dance numbers.

Successful to a point, the script’s language could be fun and ‘ye olde world’ camp but also fell into cliche and didacticism at times. Likewise, for the musical numbers.

The production involved eight performers and a band of four musicians. This ensemble of 12 performed with great gusto and clearly relished being on stage. However, words or lyrics were occasionally lost due to ineffective microphone technique or poor enunciation. In addition, the actors' timing, so critical to good comedy, was off and jokes fell flat.

Sometimes such matters are due to insufficient rehearsal time or inadequate direction. Here the director, Banister-Jones , was also the playwright. She did a wonderful job of keeping the show moving at a fair clip with changes between scenes and musical numbers done smoothly. Nevertheless, having someone else directing might have detected and addressed shortcomings in both the script and performances.

Sainting Joan, then, was another example of how the experimental edgy productions done at Theatre Works’ Explosives Factory venue can be hitand-miss affairs. One salutes the bravery while lamenting the missed opportunity.

Venue: Explosives Factory, St Kilda

Review by Peter Murphy

RMIT INVESTS $30M IN HEALTH RESEARCH

● ● ● ● RMIT has invested $30 million in health capability and research to close critical skills gaps and meet community needs

■ RMIT University is investing $30 million this year to bolster its health and care capability, supporting Melbourne’s northern growth corridor and meeting critical skills needs in Victoria and across the nation.

The majority of the investment centres on building and expanding RMIT’s health capabilities at its Bundoora campus, which will become a precinct for both vocational and higher education programs, research and industry partnerships.

The $30 million will be used to upgrade existing infrastructure, deliver new equipment, and build on the precinct’s state-of-theart technology; improving students’ access to simulated real-world medical environments so they have the skills they need to be job ready.

It will also support areas for applied research in MedTech , digital health, food innovation and public health with initiatives across the City and Bundoora campuses, with additional investment

planned in 2027 and 2028. Part of the investment will create a node of the RMIT Microscopy and Microanalysis Facility, one of the largest facilities of its kind in the nation, that serves as a hub for advanced research and collaboration across science, engineering, and health.

The establishment of the node will provide researchers and partners, including Northern Health , with access to electron microscopy, cryo-analysis and advanced optical imaging instrumentation enabling biomedical and medical technology research and translation.

As Australia’s largest dual-sector university, RMIT is uniquely placed to help address workforce challenges by providing students with greater access to skills and employment pathways through innovative learning models and industry partnerships.

About 7000 students undertook health-related programs across vocational and higher education at RMIT in 2025, helping to meet the statewide requirement for 3\550 health and

care workers in 2026. This investment is the latest in a series of commitments by RMIT to support one of Melbourne’s fastest growing regions.

In 2025, the University invested $20 million to establish a Trades Innovation Centr e at the Bundoora East campus, helping to create a pipeline of job-ready construction workers.

RMIT Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Alec Cameron said: “This investment underlines RMIT’s commitment in health to provide high quality education for our students, so they can make a positive impact in the communities they will go on to work within.

“This means we need to continue to increase funding to advance our learning and teaching facilities, strengthen our community and industry partnerships, invest in capital improvements and prioritise education programs which will help meet Australia’s workforce demands,” Professor Cameron said.

MSO Great Passions

■ There is a deceptive, music-box sensibility to Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 that transitions to a more poignant romanticism highlighting Mozart’s foreshadowing of more contemporary forms and structures.

This was highlighted in the recent MSO Great Passions performance where the woodwind section physically changed places with the first violins accentuating the role that section took in the musical discourse being forged.

A dramatic tension is created between the piano and the orchestra rather than a sharing of the melody.

This was also revolutionary for its day and soloist, Paavali Jumppanen , brought this to the fore where the syncopated rhythms build a tension that heightens suspense.

Masterfully kept in place, the audience are left wondering if all will unravel only to find that the final shift from a minor key to a triumphant D major brings about a release.

The fact that Jumppanen stepped in at a week’s notice to replace the scheduled

soloist for another work altogether speaks to both his mastery and the professionalism of the orchestra.

The second half of the evening was Shostakovich’sSymphonyNo.4 which represents the apotheosis of the changes begun by Mozart 150 years earlier.

It is radical and uncompromising in its scale. The orchestra’s attack was precise, the importance of which can only be appreciated when one looks at the dissonance and counterpoints where rhythm and melody clash.

The symphony is epic in scale generating atmosphere but also toying with the audience by using simple melodies only for them to be subverted or subsumed by the weight of the orchestra.

So radical was Shostakovich that he earned the ire of Stalin as the work did not conform to the Soviet ideal.

Conductor Jaime Martin held some one hundred instrumentalists together in a work that could be both heard and felt leading to standing ovations for both works.

Review by David McLean

The Captive

■ Academy Award -winning ChileanSpanish director Alejandro Amenábar’s The Captive reimagines The One Thousand and One Nights through his portrayal of Miguel de Cervantes, the author of Don Quixote Set in 1575 and loosely based on historical records, the film follows Cervantes (Julio Pena Hernandez) , who, after fighting for Spain at the Battle of Lepanto, is captured by Ottoman corsairs.

In a brutal scene in Algiers , prisoners are herded into a slave market and separated into those rich enough to be ransomed.

Cervantes, with an injured arm, is destined to be executed as worthless.

He convinces the Ottoman regent, the ‘Bey’, Hassan Baja (Alessandro Borghi) , that he is a ‘gentleman-atarms, very important’, and therefore worthy of a ransom.

Just as Scheherazade postponed her imminent execution by telling stories, so, at the regent’s request, Cervantes invents fables to save himself from death.

A close bond develops between captor and captive.

A sexually combustible battle of wills that ends in seduction; a homoerotic twist that replaces the usual harem-girl trope.

The Bey, a former Venetian slave modelled after the regent of Algiers, Hassan Veneziano , attempts to persuade Cervantes to renounce his Christian faith to save himself.

Hernandez is excellent as the wideeyed, fledgling writer honing his craft amid exceptional circumstances.

In contrast, Borghi is truly menacing, doling out life or death at whim.

The film is replete with references to Don Quixote, from the redeemers, the tall, skinny Fray Juan (Cesar Sarachu) and the rotund Fray Anton (Jorge Asin) , who serve as stand-ins for Quixote and Sancho Panza as they negotiate the ransoms, to reminiscences of scenes from Cervantes’ former life in La Mancha, where windmill sails loom large.

Despite being more fantasy than fact, The Captive is a feel-good, tall-tale romp that sparks the imagination.

Released in Palace Cinemas on June 10.

Review by Kathryn Keeble

Sisters In Crime

■ Sisters in Crime presents Law and Disorder on Friday July 24 at 8 pm at the Rising Sun Hotel, South Melbourne

Drawing on the rich tradition of lawyers dominating crime and legal fiction are three Australian authors - Rebecca Lim, Joanna Jenkins and Eve Thomson

Their investigations are said to traverse top male-dominated law firms, an Art Deco apartment complex and an elite school's girls' football team.

They will be admitting all to host Lyn Yeowart . Fee includes dinner from 6.30pm

Details: Friday July 24 at 8pm. Dinner from 6.30pm.

Address: Rising Sun Hotel, 2 Raglan St., South Melbourne Bookings: https://sistersincrime.org. au/\event/law-disorder/ Cheryl Threadgold

Chisholm excellence

■ Chisholm Institute last Wednesday (June 17) brought together educators, students and industry partners to celebrate the 12th annual Chisholm Education Award s, held at Hotel Chadstone

The event recognised 40 outstanding students and staff for their dedication, achievements and contributions to the Chisholm community. The awards highlight the meaningful impact these individuals have made across their studies, workplaces and local communities. Guests heard inspiring stories of perseverance, passion and personal growth. Award recipients shared experiences that reflected their commitment to learning and the difference they are making in their chosen fields..

Education

WEDNEDAY, JULY 1, 2026

In The Pink

Cardiac rehab works

■ More than 80 per cent of eligible cardiac patients in Victoria every year fail to access life-saving cardiac rehabilitation programs after a major heart event. Heart attack patients who do not attend cardiac rehabilitation are four times more likely to die from a subsequent attack compared to those who complete the full program, says Monash University.

July 1 changes

■ The Royal Australian College of GPs has thanked Federal Health Minister Mark Butler for acting to address significant concerns raised by GPs regarding the impact of new Medicare assignment of benefit requirements, particularly for residential aged care facilities.

RACGP President Dr Michael Wright said the College’s membership has been expressing strong concerns about the growing administrative burden associated with the reforms and the potential impact on vulnerable patients for some time.

Hearty meals

■ The Heart Foundation has launched a new ‘how to’ series to encourage people in Australia to choose quick, healthy homecooked meals instead of fast food and convenience options.

Heart disease remains one of Australia’s leading causes of death.

800 MEET TO TALK ON INFECTIOUS DISEASES

■ More than 800 experts met last week to share the latest science and research into all types of infectious diseases and vaccination responses.

This included respiratory health, regional threats like bat-borne viruses, environmental racism, and public health challenges five years since the pandemic.

The Communicable Diseases and Immunisation Conference ran from June 15-17 at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne/and online, and was organised by the peak body, Public Health Association of Australia.

The program included an entire session devoted to the new Australian Centre for Disease Control, featuring its DirectorGen Prof Zoe Wainer.

The closing plenary session was a debate on "Influencers are more impactful than experts in changing public health".

Debate speakers included former Australian Chief Medical Officer Prof. Paul Kelly , independent Kooyong MHR Dr Monique Ryan , and infectious diseases physician A/Prof. Sanjay Senanayake from the Australian National University

Keynote speakers for a session on respiratory health included Dr Conall Watson and Dr Ushma Wadia, with a panerl discussion including Prof. Allen Cheng and Prof. Anne-Marie Eades.

The Pulse

Lower back pain

■ Low back pain affects around 619 million people worldwide, but a new review suggests many are receiving unnecessary scans and ineffectual treatments.

Professor James McAuley and Dr Aidan Cashin from the Centre for Pain IMPACT at Neuroscience Research Australia and UNSW Sydney worked with researchers in the United States on the project that looked at non-specific low back pain.

Health workforce

■ A report reinforces the need for urgent action on workforce planning, which must include the establishment of an independent health workforce planning agency.

Australian Medical Association

President Dr Danielle McMullen said the Whole of medical workforce compendium report, demonstrated just how desperately improved workforce planning was needed.

How women cope

■ Some 86.7 per cent of women experienced back pain in the past 12 months, of those 47.6 per cent reported a moderate-to-extreme mental health impact from back pain - higher than the 44.2 per cent reported by men. 77.5 per cent of women experienced mental fatigue from back pain.

Dr Monique Ryan MHR

Daz calls time

■ Australian rock icon and renowned Sherbet front man Daryl Braithwaite has called time on performing live.

The 77-year-old three-time King of Pop says he made the decision after much consideration as he had been experiencing greater difficulty singing comfortably.

As as a result it has taken the joy out of performing, which has always been so important to him.

Father and son

■ Bill Chambers and son Tyler will perform at Coolart Wetlands and Homestead – Observatory on Sunday, July 26.

These days the duo tour and feature Tyler on acoustic and electric guitars. He’s also creating his own presence performing lead and harmony vocals.

Their unique style of folk/rock/blues/ country music appeals to audiences of all ages.

The boys are currently working on Bill’s seventh album.

Maybe there might be a guest appearance from daughter Kasey?

Ally Paterson

■ Ally’s haunting new single Dig is an earthy, cinematic release inspired by the grit and independence of Australia’s gold-rush miners and the restless courage required to build a life from the ground up.

The Victorian singer-songwriter’s trip to Sovereign Hill was the catalyst to writing this epic tale, both haunting and hopeful, her media release says.

Jersey Boys by PLOS Productions

At Frankston Arts Centre

■ PLOS Musical Productions presents Jersey Boys, The Story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons from July 24 to August 1 at the Frankston Arts Centre

The musical tells the true story of the 1960s American pop band Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons and features all their hits including Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry, Walk Like A Man, Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, Beggin', December, 1963 (Oh What a Night) and more.

Directed by Paul Watson, musical direction is by Nathan Firmin and choreography by Venessa Paech

Performance Season: July 24 - August 1

Venue: Frankston Arts Centre, Davey St., Frankston Bookings: plos.asn.au or phone 9784 1060

Cheryl Threadgold

Patrick Francis

■ Acclaimed Australian artist Patrick Francis continues to captivate audiences with a powerful body of work that celebrates the energy, emotion and enduring beauty of his subject.

Patrick Francis is being featured at Jump Left Gallery, 673 Bourke St, Melbourne

The exhibition runs until July 4. Francis creates paintings distinguished by their gestural confidence, expressive brushwork and striking use of colour.

● ● Jack Davey. The Ampol Show.

Ryan Etlis (Nick Massi), Dean Di Cristo (Frankie Valli), Jesse Thomas (Tommy DeVito) and Jordi Poyser (Bob Gaudio) in Jersey Boys. Photo: Dylan Norrington

Police Beat

Pair charged

■ With the assistance of Victoria Police’s State Command Control Centre, Southern Metro Crime Squad have charged two alleged offenders following two armed robberies in Melbourne’s southern suburbs.

It is alleged two males approached a victim seated at a bus stop on Young St in Frankston about 9.50am on Sunday (June 28).

The two males allegedly pulled up to the bus stop in a stolen Toyota , showed the victim a knife and made demands for the teenage boys’ puffer jacket.

The boy handed over his puffer and the alleged offenders took off in the car.

The victim was not physically injured.

It is alleged the same males, still travelling in the Toyota , pulled up to a bus stop on High St in Cranbourne , a short time later.

The two males allegedly got out of the car, wearing ski masks and one holding a knife, before approaching two teens.

Police allege the males made demands for the victims shoes and clothing.

Both the victims complied with the alleged demands and handed over their belongings.

It is alleged a third occupant seated in the back seat of the Toyota told the two males to also demand one of the victim’s jumpers.

The victim complied and handed over their jumper.

The Toyota allegedly took off from the scene with all three occupants.

The victims were not physically injured.

Officers spotted the Toyota travelling through Cranbourne about 11am.

With coordination from the SCCC the Toyota was followed to Dandenong

Protective Services Officers sighted the vehicle driving past Dandenong Railway Station

The Toyota pulled into a nearby shopping centre carpark.

Detectives, highway patrol officers and uniform police members descended on the area, arrested three male teens nearby, alleged to be the Toyota’s occupants.

The Toyota was recovered by police.

A 13-year-old boy was interviewed by detectives and release pending further investigation.

A 16-year-old boy has been charged with three counts of armed robbery and theft of a motor vehicle.

A 17-year-old boy has been charged with three counts of armed robbery, theft of a motor vehicle and dangerous driving.

They are both remanded to appear before a children’s court at a later date.

Investigators allege the Toyota was stolen from a Noble Park address over the weekend.

Fatal fire

■ Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding a fatal fire in Tallygaroopna on Monday morning (June 29).

Emergency services responded after a passing motorist spotted the fire on a property on Goulburn Valley Highway about 10.25am.

A bus, which is believed to have been used as a permanent home, was fully engulfed in flames.

The body of a man was located after the fire was extinguished.

At this stage, the man has not been formally identified.

The cause of the fire is yet to be determined, and a crime scene was put in place.

Detectives from the Arson and Explosives Squad were to attend the scene.

Death at Chelsea

■ Police are investigating after a pedestrian was fatally struck by a car in Chelsea on Monday morning (June 29).

Emergency services were called to the collision in a car park near the intersection of Avondale Ave and Nepean Hwy about 11.15am.

The female pedestrian was treated by emergency services but died at the scene.

The driver of the car stopped at the scene and was assisting police with their enquiries.

Major Collision Investigation

Unit detectives will investigate the exact circumstances surrounding the collision.

Fatal crash

■ A man has died following a crash in Wantirna South on Sunday afternoon (June 28).

Investigators have been told the rider struck a traffic island before coming off his motorcycle onto Coleman Rd about 5pm.

The 53-year-old Wantirna South man was taken to hospital where he died.

A report will be prepared for the coroner.

Employee charged

■ The Australian Federal Police has charged an airline employee for allegedly importing more than 1kg of heroin into Melbourne last week.

The Thai national, 26, was performing work duties on board an international flight when she arrived at Melbourne Airport on June 25, and had her baggage screened by Australian Border Force officers.

ABF officers identified anomalies during an X-ray examination of the woman’s 12 tote bags.

Further examinations revealed a white powder concealed within the lining of the bags, with presumptive testing allegedly returning a positive reading for heroin.

The heroin had an estimated street value of $500,000.

ABF officers reported the matter to AFP who seized the tote bags and arrested the woman. She was later charged with:

■ One count of importing a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug; and

■ One count of possessing a marketable quantity of a border controlled drug.

The woman was remanded in custody on June 26, and is expected to reappear before Melbourne Magistrates’ Cour t on September 14.

AFP Acting Commander Simone Butcher said the AFP would continue to take a zerotolerance approach to anyone who exploited their position of trust to facilitate criminal activity.

“The AFP remains unwavering in its efforts to target individuals who use their employment or community standing to support drug trafficking,” a/ Commander Butcher said.

“We work closely with our partner agencies to protect the community from the scourge of illicit drugs.”

Highly satisfied

■ Satisfaction with the overall performance of Knox City Council is at a record high with a score of 7.2, the municipality says.

“All services/facilities ranked as important (7.5 or more score) and all services/ facilities ranked as ‘Good’, ‘Very Good’, or ‘Excellent’ satisfaction, said a Counc il representativr.

“Thirty services and facilities achieved higher satisfaction scores than last year, six services maintained the result and no services had decreased satisfaction.”

These included:

■ Services for seniors - 10 per cent higher

■ Maintenance and repairs of sealed local roads - 7 per cent higher

■ Maintenance and repairs of major arterial roads/highways - 7 per cent higher

■ Street sweeping - 6 per cent higher

■ Council’s newsletter Knox News - 6 per cent higher

■ Recreation Centres and / or Aquatic Centres - 5 per cent higher

■ Public toilets - 4 per cent higher

“The main issue highlighted by residents was road maintenance and repairs. When asked what was driving this response, the majority of respondents indicated complaints about the maintenance of state-owned roads.

“The survey is one of the many ways we gather feedback on how our customers are feeling about our services.

“Feedback will inform Council’s plans and strategies and provide insight into ways we can continue to improve the services we deliver,” the City of Knox representative said.

At MARC Car Park

■ Monash Council is about to start work on replacing the public lighting in the car park at the Monash Aquatic and Recreation Centre in Glen Waverley

A structural condition audit of the existing light poles in the car park last October recommended that they should be replaced. At the time, the Council put some temporary concrete supports in place to allow adequate time for the procurement and replacement of the poles.

The Council will be carrying out the recommended replacement works until December.

Monash Council will be4 installing a dedicated data conduit that will support potential CCTV security coverage of the car park.

Works include:

■ Removing the existing light poles and temporary concrete pole support blocks.

■ Installing temporary lighting.

■ Laying foundations for new light poles.

■ Installing, connecting and aiming the new light poles.

■ Providing a data conduit for future CCTV infrastructure.

The number of car parking bays will be temporarily reduced.

Traffic management will be in place to allow the safe movement of pedestrians and vehicles around the works area.

All MARC programs will continue as usual, however, participants arriving for time-dependent services - like group fitness classes, swimming lessons, personal training - are encouraged to allow additional time when planning their visit.

Manningham Girls Can

■ Manningham Council is inviting local sporting clubs and community groups to host fun, welcoming events that inspire women and girls to get out and active during Manningham Girls Can month this November.

Events and activities should be casual, social, and all about having a go.

Whether it’s a one-off session or a series of free or low-cost activities, the Council love local clubs or grousp to be involved.

The Council says that hosting an event is a great way to:

■ promote clubs or groups

■ reach new members, volunteers or participants

■ connect with the community. Expressions of interest are now open, the Manningham Council representative said.

■ Jimmy Durante was one of the great American comedy performers of the 20th century.

He was an amazing character who worked in films, television, radio and live performances.

Jimmy was a very funny man, he was a singer, pianist, actor and comedian – he would stop halfway though a song and tell a joke.

His trademarks were a raspy voice and his huge nose which was commonly referred to as his “schnozzola.”

James Francis Durante was born in 1893 on the Lower East Side of New York City His parents had immigrated from Italy and Jimmy was the youngest of four children.

When he dropped out of school, he became a professional pianist and played in ragtime and jazz bands.

He worked with Eddie Cantor in his early days playing piano at a bar in Coney Island whilst Eddie was one of the “singing waiters”.

Eddie Cantor told the story of the cigar box on top of the piano that contained the pooled tips from all the waiters.

The box and the one hundred and $125 in it mysteriously disappeared and Jimmy was so infuriated he said to Eddie , “How could they do a thing like that!”

Whatever Happened to ... the Jimmy Durante

By Kevin Trask of 3AW and 96.5 Inner FM

Man Who Came to Dinner, Ziegfeld Follies and many others. He became a popular radio star and teamed with Garry Moore in the Durante - Moore Show

He began in television in 1950 and had a series of successful shows over a period of eight years.

His catchphrase at the end of each show was - Goodnight, Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are.

In 1960 Jimmy married Margie Little and the couple adopted a daughter.

I loved his cameo performance in the film It’s A Mad Mad Mad Mad World in 1963.

It is brilliant comedy in the scene where he has a car accident and lays stretched out beside the wreckage - then with his last dying breath his foot kicks a bucket.

Jimmy married his first wife Jean Olson in 1921. He teamed with his friends Lou Clayton and Eddie Jackson and they performed in vaudeville and Broadway shows. In 1934 he recorded the song Inka Dinka Doo which was very popular in the hit parade and it became his theme song.

His film career began when he partnered silent screen star Buster Keaton in a series of short features.

Jimmy made his feature film debut in The Wet Parade in 1932. He soon became a popular screen star and his films included Broadway to Hollywood, Palooka, The

Jimmy led an investigation to find out who had stolen the cigar box. They never found the culprit but at a reunion many years later Jimmy confessed to his colleagues that he had taken the money and gave them back their share. He said he had “borrowed” the $125 to give to his father to pay for three of his relatives to immigrate to the US . He added, “Two of the guys croaked – what a break!”

He would always ‘murder’ the English language in his sketches.

His popular songs included I’m Jimmy That Well-Dressed Man, I Know Darn Well I Can Do Without Broadway , I Ups to Him and He Ups to Me, Umbriago and his great duet with Bob Hope : We’re the Boys with the Proboscis

His wife Jean died suddenly in 1943 while Jimmy was on tour.

What about some of the great quotes credited to Jimmy DuranteI hate music, especially when it’s played.

Politics is developing more comedians than radio ever did.

Be awful nice to em going up, because you’re gonna meet em all coming down.

In 1947 Jimmy teamed with Frank Sinatra in the film It Happened In Brooklyn

During his career Jimmy Durante raised money for various charities and his work with handicapped children was exceptional.

Jimmy Durante passed away from pneumonia in 1980 at the age of 87 and was interred at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City

In 1993, 13 years after his death, Jimmy’s vocal version of the song As Time Goes By was used in the film Sleepless in Seattle and went into the hit parade. Kevin can be heard on 3AWThe Time Tunnel - Remember WhenSundays at 10.10pm with Simon Owens and Andrew McLaren. And on 96.5 FM

That's Entertainment - Sundays at 12 Noon.

www.innerfm.org.au

Works inspire disabled to focus on strengths

Entertainment Extra

Port Fairy Folk Festival

■ The Port Fairy Folk Festival will celebrate its 50th anniversary in March 2027, marking five decades of music, community and shared memories on the coast of South West Victoria.

From its humble beginnings in 1977, Port Fairy Folk Festival has grown into one of the world’s most respected celebrations of folk music, drawing artists and audiences from across the globe while remaining firmly anchored in the values that have defined it from the beginning: community, connection and love of music.

For the not-for-profit festival, led by a volunteer committee from the community and a small army of passionate volunteers, the excitement and pride to bring the Festival to such a historic milestone is palpable.

Many of the children who once danced barefoot in their faded denims to music performed on the back of a truck are returning with children and grandchildren of their own. The Festival has become a multi-generation annual event with families, friends and music lovers heading to the seaside village of Port Fairy year after year, decade after decade.

The appetite for the Folkie’s 50th anniversary event has already proven extraordinary with a record-breaking number of tickets sold within the first week of release, highlighting the deep affection communities hold for the Festival and the significance of this milestone celebration.

Port Fairy Folk Festival Program Director Justin Rudge said the 50th anniversary represented an opportunity to celebrate the people who have shaped the Festival across five remarkable decades.

Starting the line up roll out for Port Fairy Folk Festival’s golden year are:

■ Alosa (ESP/CAT)

■ The Burning Hell (CAN)

■ Daoirí Farrell (IRE)

■ Dlù (SCO)

■ Eleanor McEvoy (IRE)

■ Grace Petrie (ENG)

■ John Butler and band

■ Joshua Burnside (IRE)

■ Kate Rusby (ENG)

■ Kutcha Edwards

■ Mia Dyson

■ Mick Thomas' Roving Commission

■ The Milk Carton Kids (USA)

■ The Settlement

■ Skerryvore (SCO)

■ Tim Easton (USA)

■ We Mavericks Contributed

Overcoming Adversity – Geoff Dosetor is a community exhibition exploring artistic expression when confronted by a life-altering injury.

After an accident in 2000 left him a quadriplegic, Dossetor began painting using brushes held in his mouth.

Painting has since been an important part of Dossetor’s rehabilitation, as he seeks inspiration in the places, creatures and themes he values as he battles adversity.

Dossetor is particularly drawn to celebrating his connection to Melbourne and places he has travelled to through landscapes, in turn, Dossetor hopes his works inspire those with disabilities to focus on their strengths.

Exhibition closes July 25.

★

Nourish – Joanne ‘budgie’ Jemmeson

Vibrant in colour and rich in textural detail, Nourish highlights the beauty of everyday objects.

Featuring compositions centred on fruit and vegetables, arranged with household objects and patterned materials, Jemmeson carefully considers light, form and colour in the recreation of each still life setting.

Passionate about colour theory, Jemmeson demonstrates meticulous brush techniques, empathising the tonal qualities and vibrancy, bringing each painting to life.

Exhibition opens July 1 and closes August 15.

The Town Hall Gallery 160 Burwood Rd, Hawthorn

Mornington

The Story So Far – Helen Britton

Living Treasures is a series of solo exhibitions honouring eminent Australian craft people, celebrating their mastery of skill, their achievements, and the unique place they occupy in the national design culture.

The Stry So Far traces the rich and complex world of country women and the creativity that shaped Helen’s early experience in Australia. The exhibition features new works including painting, installation, jewellery, drawings and objects alongside the first showing of the photographic work My Mother s House Exhibition closes August 23. ★

Sifted Light – Natalia Milosz-Piekarska

Contemporary jeweller and artist Natalia MKilosz-Piekarska translates the rare beauty of the Mornington Peninsula into a poetic collection of sculptural and wearable works.

Guided by her deep connection to the land and the sea, and shaped by years of craftmanship and internal experimentation, Natalia’s abstracted works seek to capture fleeting, luminous moments where light, texture and wonder meet.

These intimate forma act as vessels for memory and sensation, inviting stillness, reflection, and a sensitivity to place. Exhibition closes August 23. MPRG

The Arts

With Peter Kemp

Brighton

In Search of Perfection –

Max Dupain & Ansel Adams

Max Sepain (Australia 1911 – 1992) and Ansel Adams ( USA 1902 – 1984) shaped the visual identity of their respective nations through the lens of modernist photography.

Though working on opposite sides of the Pacific, they shared a profound commitment to formal clarity, tonal precision, and the expressive potential of light.

This exhibition brings Dupain’s iconic modernistic studies of Australia’s built environments together with Adams’ majestic portrayals of the American wilderness in a compelling and illuminating painting.

These images are shown alongside works by their peers, including portraits and still lifes. Exhibition closes August 30.

Bayside Gallery

Brighton Town Hall

Cnr Carpenter and Wildon Sts, Brighton Peter Kemp

Brassaï: Secret Paris at Heide Museum of Modern Art

■ Brassaï: Secret Paris marks the most comprehensive presentation of the eminent Hungarian -born French photographer ever seen in Australia, and his first solo exhibition in the country in over five decades.

Presented from July 25 – November 15, the exhibition brings together more than 150 of Brassaï's original vintage prints depicting the City of Light between the World Wars.

It features his iconic atmospheric blackand-white images of Paris and its people by night, his relationships with leading figures of the Parisian avant-garde, including Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí and Henry Miller , among others, his experiments into Surrealism, and hallmark photographs of graffiti captured at the dawn of contemporary street art.

● ● Port Fairy Folk Festival Photo Flashback

● ● ● ● Jimmy Durante

Country Leagues

Bendigo

■ Seniors. Sandurst 37.25 (247) d Broadford 3.0 (18). Eaglehawk 22.14 (146) d Golden Square 7.2 (44). Castlemaine 16.15 (111) d Kangaroo Flat 6.9 945). Gisborne 17.11 (113) d South Bendigo 8.11 (59). Bye: Strathfieldsaye.

■ Reserves. Broadford v Sandhurst. Eaglehawk 7.6 (48) d Golden Square 7.4 (46). Kangaroo Flat 9.8 (62) d Castlemaine 4.3 (270. South Bendigo 9.8 (62) d Gisborne 7.3 (45). Bye: Strathfieldsaye.

■ Under 18. Sandhurst 20.19 (139) d Broadford 3.0 (18). Golden Square 11.8 (74 d Eaglehawk 3.3 (21). Castlemaine 20.11 (131) d Kangaroo Flat 5.1 (31). South Bendigo 18.10 (118) d Glen Eira 2.2 (14). Bye; Strathfieldsaye.

Goulburn Valley

■ Seniors. Mooroopna 11.14 (80) d tatura 7.5 (47). Kyabram 14.14 (98) d Shepparton Swans 9.10 (64). Rochester 14.19 (103) d Mansfield 9.15 (69). Shepparton 17.13 (115) d Seymour 10.10 (70). Shepparton United 13.10 (88) d Euroa 9.10 (64) d Echuca 11.9 (75).

■ Reserves. Tatura 7.9 (51) d Mooroopna 4.6 (30). Kyabram 13.13 (91) d Shepparton Swans 7.2 (44). Rochester 11.7 (73) d Mansfield 2.2 (14). Shepparton 8.13 (61) d Seymour 3.7 (25). Shepparton United 14.7 (91) d Euroa 6.10 (46). Echuca 11.17 (83) d Benalla 1.1 (7).

■ Under 18. Mooroopnas 5.14 (44) d Tatura 2.6 (180. Kyabram 16.17 (103) d Shepparton Swans 2.8 (20). Rochester 8.7 (55) d Mansfield 6.8 (44). Shepparton 10.10 (70) d Seymour 2.6 (18). Shepparton United 13.12 (90) d Euroa 2.4 (16).

Kyabram District

■ Seniors. Murchison-Toolamba 18.14 (122) d Girgarre 9.5 (59). Avenel 26.16 (172) d Merrigum 5.3 (33). Shepparton East 15.13 (103) d Undera 8.4 (52). Nagambie 29.20 (194) d Tallygaroopna 1.2 (8). Lancaster 20.20 (140) d Stanhope 9.3 (57). Rushowrth 12.9 (81) d Violet Town 11.13 (79). Bye: Longwood.

■ Reserves. Murchison-Toolamaba 19.18 (132) d Girgarre 4.7 (31). Avenel 18.14 (122) d Merrigum 2.1 (13). Shepparton East 22.111 (143).d Undera 1.1 (7). Tallyagroopna 76. (48) d Nagambie 5.7 (37). Lancaster 10./12 (72) d Stanhope 6.2 (38). Rushworth 11.8 (74) d Violet Town 6.4 (40). Bye: Longwood.

■ Under 18. Nagambie 15.14 (104) d Tallygaroopna 4.2 (26). Vilolet Town 9.16 (70) d Rushworth 2.3 (15). Shepparton East 12.3 (75) d Undera 6.10 (46). Bye: Avenel, Lancaster, Longwood, Murchison-Toolamba.

Ovens & King

■ Seniors. Goorambat 13.19 (97) d Benalla All Blacks 12.5 (77). Bright 13.13 (91) d greta 12.3 (75). Moyhu 13.19 (97) d King Valley 6.3 (39). North Wangaratta 15.9 (99) d Bonnie Doon 11.4 (70). Whorouly 17.11 (113) d Tarrawingee 6.8 (44).

■ Reserves. Goormbat 32.12 (204) d Benalla All Blacks 0.2 (2). Bright 16.14 (110) d Greta 4.7 (31). Moyhu 19.7 (121) d King Valley 3.8 (26). North Wangaratta 12.5 (77) d Bonnie Doon 4.2 (26). Whorouly 11.17 (83) d Yarrawingee 4.3 (27). Bye: Milawa.

AFL

Round 18

Thursday, July 9 – Sunday, July 12

■ Adelaide Crows vs. Gold Coast SUNS (AO)

■ Brisbane Lions vs. Essendon (G)

■ Carlton vs. Hawthorn (MCG)

■ Collingwood vs. North Melbourne (MRVL)

■ Fremantle vs. Sydney Swans (OS)

■ GWS GIANTS vs. Geelong Cats (ES)

■ Melbourne vs. Richmond (MCG)

■ St Kilda vs. Port Adelaide (MRVL)

Local Sport

■ Western Bulldogs vs. West Coast Eagles (MRVL) Siren scores

Scores from Saturday’s matches

Amateurs

■ Premier Men’s. Round 10. Saturday, June 27. Caulfield Grammarians 10.13 (73) d Old Brighton 9.13 (67). University Blues 11.12 (78) d University Blacks 10.4 (64). Old Scotch 15.10 (100) d St Bernard’s 14.12 (96). Old Xavierans 8.15 (63) d Old Haileybury 7.6 (48). St Kevin’s 25.22 (172) d Old Trinity 9.3 (57).

■ Premier Men’s Reserves. St Bernard’s 7.12 (54) d Old Scotch 5.5 (35). Old Brighton 12.11 (83) d Caulfield Grammarians 5.4 (34). University Blues 8.10 (58) d University Blacks 5.0 (30). St Kevin’s 12.17 (89) d Old Trinity 3.4 (22). Old Xaverians v Old Haileybury.

■ Premier B Men’s. Old Camberwell 8.11 (59) d Old Ivanhoe 6.8 (44). Collegians 16.12 (108) d De La Salle 10.10 (70). Old Geelong 19.15 (129) d Williamstown CYMS 11.6 (72). Beaumaris 14.14 (98) d Old Melburnians 6.13 (49). AJAX 10.14 (74) d Old Carey 7.11 (53).

■ Premier B Men’s Reserves. Old Camberwell 6.11 (47) d Old Ivanhoe 2.6 (18). De La Salle 7.15 (57) d Collegians 3.4 (22). Williamstown CYMS 11.6 (72) d Old Geelong 7.7 (49). Old Melburnians 5.6 (36) d Beaumaris 4.9 (33). Old Carey 10.16 (76) d AJAX 6.7 (43).

■ Premier C Men’s. Old Peninsula 17.16 (118) d PEGS 13.13 (91). Hampton Rovers 16.11 (107) d St Bedes/Mentone Tigers 12.4 (76). Fitzroy 14.16 (100) d Marcellin 3.8 (26). Mazenod 11.12 (78) d Glen Eira/Old McKinnon 9.3 (57). Parkdale Vultures 21.20 (146) d Ormond 7.4 (46).

■ Premier C Men’s Reserves. Old Peninsula 8.4 (52) d PEGS 6.6 (42). St Bedes/ Mentone Tigers 10.9 (69) d Hampton Rovers 6.3 (33). Fitzroy 11.10 (76) d Marcellin 3.7 925). Mazenod 19.218 (132) d Glen Eira/ Old McKinnon 0.1 (1).

■ Division 1 Men’s. Parkside 14.13 (97) d Old Yarra Cobras 4.1 (25). Kew 21.14 (140) d Oakleigh 11.7 (73). Preston Bullants 10.11 (71) d Prahran 8.10 (58). St Mary’s Salesian 18.10 (120) d UHS-VU 9.5 (59). Brunswick 217.7 (109) d Monash Blues 8.4 (52).

■ Division 1 Men’s Reserves. Parkside v Old Yarra Cobras. Kew 15.12 (102) d Oakleigh 1.1 (7). Preston Bullants v Prahran. St Mary’s Salesian 13.12 (90) d UHS-VU 6.6 (42). Monash Blues 8.8 956) d Brunswick 4.6 (30).

■ Division 2 Men’s. Therry Penola 13.8 (86) d Power House 11.17 (83). West Brunswick 13.11 (89) d South Melbourne 8.8 (56). MHSOB 216.20 (106) d Whitefriars 5.10 (40). Elsternwick 21.24 (150) d Aquinas 1.10 (16). North Brunswick 14.12 (96) d Canterbury 9.7 (61)

■ Division 2 Men’s Reserves. Power House 7.8 (50) d Therry Penola 6.4 (40). West Brunswick 17.14 (116) d South Melbourne 2.2 (14). MHSOB 17.12 (114) d Whitefriars 3.10 (28). Elsternwick v Aquinas. Canterbury 5.4 (34) d North Brunswick 3.0 (18).

■ Division 3 Men’s. Richmond Central v Albert Park. La trobe University 12.18 (80) d Hawthorn 11.12 (78). Bye: Wattle Park.

■ Division 3 Men’s Reserves. Richmond central v Albert Park. Hawthorn 11.8 974) d La Trobe University 8.9 (57). Bye: Wattle Park.

Eastern

■ Premier Division Seniors. Doncaster East 5.12 (42) d Berwick 4.16 (40). Vermont 19.10 (124) d Blackburn 14.11 (95). East Ringwood 14.19 (103) d Balwyn 5.9 (39). Rowville 13.16 (94) d South Croydon 8.9 (57). Noble Park 7.16 (58) d South Belgrave 8.8 (56).

■ Premier Division Reserves. Berwick 9.9 (63) d Doncaster East 5.6 (36). Vermont 12.11 (83) d Blackburn 4.3 (27). East Ringwood 8.9 957) d Balwyn 7.6 (48).

Rowville 14.6 (90) d South Croydon 4.2 (26). Noble Park 10.9 (69) d South Belgrave 5.3 (33).

■ Premier Division Under 19.5. Berwick 19.12 (126) d Doncaster East 5.4 (34). Blackburn 10.13 (73) d Vermont 7.2 (44). East Ringwood 7.7 (49) d Balwyn 6.11 (47). Rowville 17.9 (111) d South Croydon 1.4 (10). Noble Park 9.10 (64) d South belgrave 4.8 (32).

■ Division 1 Seniors. Beaconsfield 14.15 (99_ d Boronia 11.7 (73). Mitcham 25.22 (172) d Bayswater 5.2 (32). Montrose 13.16 994) d Moroolbark 3.4 (22). Wantirna South 6.17 (53) d Noirwood 6.8 (44). North Ringwood 210.8 (68) d Park Orchards 8.8 (56).

■ Division 1 Reserves. Mitcham 23.8 9146) d Bayswater 4.1 (25). Beaconsfield v Boronia. Montrose 20.11 (131) d Mooroolbark 3.2 (20). Park Orchards 13.6 (84z) d North Ringwood 4.6 (30). Wantirna South 14.11 (95) d Norwood 4.3 (27).

■ Division 1 Under 19.5. North Ringwood 9.10 (64) d Monrose 8.3 (51). Wantirna South 10.17 (77) d Norwood 2.3 (15). Beacsonfield v Boronia. Mitcham 10.11 (71) d Bayswater/Heathmont 1.5 (11).

■ Division 2 Seniors. Croydon 7.12 (54) d Heathmont 7.6 (48). Waverley Blues 14.11 (95) d East Burwood 11.12 (78). Lilydale 4.9 (33) d Ringwood 4.8 (32). Surrey Park 16.14 (110) d Scoresby 7.11 (53). Templestowe 10.7 (67) d Mulgrave 9.4 (58).

■ Division 2 Reserves. Croydon 10.16 (76) d Heathmont 2.3 (215). East Burwood 11.6 (72) d Waverley Blues 2.4 (16). Ringwood 5.12 (42) d Lilydale 5.4 (34). Scoresby 11.3 (69) d Surrey Park 3.7 (25). Mulgrave 9.10 (64) d Templestowe 3.6 (24).

■ Division 2 Under 19.5. Ringwood 214.14 (98) d Lilydale 5.1 (31). Mulgrave 6.9 (45) d Templestowe 1.3 99). Surrey Park 9.17 (71) d Sxcoresby 5.4 (34),. Waverley Blues 11.13 (79) d East Burwood 4.4 (28).

■ Division 3 Seniors. Coldstream 20.11 (131) d Oakleigh District 3.6 (24). The Basin 21.21 (147) d Ferntree Gully 9.7 (61).

Upper Ferntree Gully 11.10 (76) d Silvan 6.5 (41). Donvale 14.11 (95) d Whitehorse Pioneers 4.3 (27). Bye: Knox.

■ Division 3 Reserves. Coldstream 18,.20 (128) d Oakleigh District 0.1 (1). The Basin 17.6 (108) d Ferntree Gully 5.2 (32).

Upper Ferntree Gully 13.14 (92) d Silvan 3.4 (22). Whitehorse Pioneers 8.6 (54) d Donvale 6.7 (43). Bye: Knox.

■ Division 3 Under 19.5. Rowville 10.9 (69) d Whitehrose Pioneers 5.6 (36). Knox 9.19 (73) d Donvale 2.4 (16). Upper Ferntree Gully 10.7 967) d The Basin 2.6 (18).

■ Division 4 Seniors. Chirnside Park 21.24 (150) d Forest Hill 7.7 (49). Croydon North MLOC 14.18 (102) d Nunawading 4.10 934). Fairpark 210.13 (73) d Doncaster 5.6 (36). Kilsyth 7.9 (51) drew with Warrandyte 7.9 (51). Bye: Bulleen-Templestowe.

■ Division 4 Reserves. Crodyon North MLOC 9.3 (57) d Berwick Nunawding 4.3 (27). Fairpark 9.7 (61) d Doncaster 7.7 (49). Warrandyte 211.6 (72) d Kilsyth 6.8 944). Chirnside Park 12.11 (83) d Surrey Park Zebras 3.7 (25). Bye: Bulleen-Templestowe.

■ Division 4 Under 19.5. Berwick White 8.7 (55) d Croydon North MLOC 5.3 (33). Blackburn Red 217.20 (122) d Fairpark 2.4 (16). Warrandyte 18.17 (125) d Kilsyth 2.2 (14). Montrose 16.16 (112) d Chirnside Park 1.4 (10). Bye: Bulleen-Templestowe.

Essendon District

■ Premier Division Seniors. Aberfeldie 19.12 (126) d Pascoe Vale 12.16 (88). Hillside 17.13 (115) d Airport West 16.10 (106). Keilor 25.16 (166) d Essendon Doutta Stars 9.7 (61). Strathmore 18.23 (131) d Greenvale 11.2 (68). Maribyrnong Park 14.12 (96) d Deer Park 9.13 (67).

■ Division 1 Seniors. Oak Park 15.10 (100) d Avondale Heights 8.7 (55). West Coburg 11.15 (81) d Tullamarine 5.8 938). Moonee Valley 16.15 (111) d Taylors Lakes 10.4 (64z0. St Albans 218.17 (125)d East Keilofr 7.12 (54). Craigieburn 11.13 (79) d Rupertswood 12.4 (76).

■ Division 2 Seniors. Roxburgh Park 13.11 (89) d Burnside Heights 11.10 (76). Coburg Districts 21.12 (138) d Hadfield 15.14 (104). Sunbury Kangaroos 16.19 (115) d Northern Saints 10.8 (68). Westmeadows 15.8 (98) d Keilor Park 9.7 (61).Glenroy 14.11 (95) d East Subury 3.8 (26).

■ Premier Division Reserves. Maribyrnong Park v Deer Park. Aberfeldie 14.16 (100) d Pascoe Vale 5.6 (36). Strathmore 16.13 (109) d Greenvale 13.4 (82). Hillside 10.13 (73) d Airport West 8.6 (54). Keilor 7.20 (52) d Essendon Doutta Stars 6.7 (43).

■ Division 1 Reserves. Craigieburn 25.15 (165) d Ruperstwood 1.0 (6). Oak Park 11.9 (75) d Avondale heights 10.8 (68). Moonee Valley 17.13 (115)d Taylors Lakes 4.2 (26). West Coburg 216.15 (111) d Tullamarine 7.5 z(47). St Albans 9.13 (67) d East Keilor 6.8 (44).

■ Division 2 Reserves. Roxburgh Park 22.9 9141) d Burnside Heights 2.4 (16). Coburg Districts 16.11 (107) d Hadfield 8.10 (58). Northern Saints 19.13 (127) d Sunbury Kangaroos 5.12 (42). Westmeadows 27.10 (172) d Keilor Park 2.1 (13). Glenroy 16.10 (106) d East Sunbury 1.5 (11).

■ Thirds. North Division. Greenvale v Aiport West. Hume Bombers 14.10 (94) d Merrified Teal 4.5 (29). Westmeadows 11.12 (78) d Northern Saints 2.4 (16). Merrifield Black 22.16 (148) d Roxburgh Park 0.2 (2).

■ Thirds. South Division. Coiburg Districts 11.10 (76) d Maribyrnong Park 5.9 (39). Essendon Doutta stars 7.8 (50) d Pascoe Vale 5.4 (34). Moonee Valley 14.18 (102) d Oak Park 1.2 (8). West Coburg v Glenroy. ■ Thirds. West Division. Aberfeldie 9.9 (63) d East Sunbury 5.8 (38). Keilor 19.14 (128) d Taylors Lakes 1.1 (7). Avondale Heights 10.10 (70) d Sunbury Kangaroos 3.1 (19). Hillside 7.3 (45) d St Albans 1.0 (6).

Mornington

■ Division 1 Seniors . Devon Meadows 17.11 (113) d Edithvale-Aspendale 16.10 (106). Rosebud 8.6 (54) d Dromana 7.9 (51). Frabnkston YCW 15.10 (100) d Pines 6.10 (46). Langwarrin 24.15 (159) d Sorrento 9.8 (62). Mt Eliza 18.10 (118) d Mornington 7.8 (50).

■ Division 1 Reserves . EditbvaleAspendale 12.14 (986) d Devon Meadows 8.9 (57). Rosebud 15.11 (101) d Dromana 3.1 (19). Frankston YCW 13.7 (85) d Pines 3.8 (26). Langwarrin 16.11 (107) d Sorrento 3.7 (25). Mt Eliza 6.16 (52) d Mornington 3.7 (25).

■ Division 1 Under 19 . EditbvaleAspendale 16.10 (106) d Devon Meadows 4.5 (29). Rosebud drew with Dromana. Frankston 14.16 (100) d Pines 1.0 (6). Langwarrin 18.18 (126) d Sorrento 2.3 (15). Mt Eliza 6.9 (45) d Mornington 1.10 (16).

■ Division 2 Seniors . Red Hill 8.16 (64) d Bonbeach 9.4 Z(58). Chelsea 19.13 (127) d Karingal 10.7 (67). Frankston Bombers 17.15 (117) d Crib Point 8.9 (57). Somerville 10.12 (72) d Hastings 8.8 (56). Pearcedale 24.18 (162) d Tyabb 7.10 (52). Seaford 20.29 (149) d Rye 4.5 (29).

■ Division 2 Reserves. Red Hill 21.12 (138) d Bonbeach 1.2 (8). Karingal 8.8 (56) d Chelsea 6.5 (41). Frankston Bombers 11.5 (71) d Crib Point 3.9 (27). Somerville 22.13 (145) d Hastings 0.0 (0). Pearcedale 17.11 (113) d Tyabb 1.4 (10). Seaford 13.8 (86) d Rye 6.7 (43).

■ Division 2 Under 19. Bonbeach 5.5 (35) d Red Hill 3.8 (26). Chelsea 12.13 (985) d Karingal 2.3 (15). Frankston Bombers 13.8 (86) d Crib Point 9.5 (59). Somerville 12.7 (79) d Pearcedale 6.7 (43). Seaford 16.9 (105) d Rye 2.5 (17). Bye: Hastings, Tyabb.

Northern

■ Division 1 Seniors. Bundoora 20.14 (134) d North Heidelberg 4.9 (33). West Preston Lakeside 8.8 (56) d Eltham 5.12 (42). Diamond Creek 10.9 (69) d Hurstbridge 8.5 (53). Greensborough 13.16 (94) d Banyule 7.5 (47). Bye: Heidelberg, Montmorency. ■ Division 1 Reserves. Diamond Creek 10.7 (67) d Hurstbridge 4.6 (30). North Heidelberg 9.14 (68) d Bundoora 4.6 (03A). Eltham 22.16 (148) d West Preston Lakeside 1.1 (7). Greensborough 35.18 (228) d Banyule 3.3 (21). Bye: heidelberg, Montmorency.

■ Division 1 Under 19.5. Hurstbridge 6.17 (53) d Dianomd Creek 6.3 (39). Banyule 13.10 (88) d Montmorency 11.6 (72). St Mary’s 9.11 (65) d North Heidelberg 7.7 (49). Heidelberg 9.8 (62) d Whittlesea 4.14 (38). Eltham 17.15 (117) d Greensborough 7.2 (44).

■ Division 2 Seniors. Fitzroy Stars 12.17 (89) d Lower Plenty 12.7 (79). Macleod 15.11 (101) d Whittlesea 10.10 (70). Thomastown 10.15 (75) d Old Paradians 8.7 (55). Northcote Park 18.13 (121) d APanton Hill 8.8 (56). St Mary’s 10.11 (71) d South Morang 10.10 (70).

■ Division 2 Reserves. Fitzroy Stars 12.15 (87) d Lower Plenty 7./16 (58). Whittlesea 14.7 (91) d Macleod 4.10 (34). Thomastown 14. 4). South Morang 12.9 981) d St Mary’s 4.8 (32).

■ Division 2 Under 19.5. Old Paradians 8.5 (53) d Bundoora 7.5 Z(47). Lower zPlenty 17.17 (119) d Epping 9.2 (56). South Morang 10.18 (78) d Heidelberg 2.7 (19). Panton Hill 11.5 (71) d Laurimar 8.13 (61). Macleod 12.6 (78) d Watsonia 10.12 (72). Eltham 14.7 (91) d Kinglake 4.5 (29).

■ Division 3 Seniors. Ivanhoe 12.11 (83) d Heidelberg West 4.5 (29). Reservoir 14.13 (97) d Kilm ore 10.4 (64Z). Laurimar 28.17 (185) d Lalor 10.3 (63). Old Eltham Collegians 8.13 (61) d Kinglake 8.5 (53).

Local Football Outer East

Footy results from across Victoria

Seniors

BELGRAVE . 6.7, 12.13, 20.21, 30.22 (202)

YARRA JUNC. ........ 0.0, 1.0, 2.0, 5.1 (31)

●

●

●

● Continued from previous page Watsonia 10.6 (66) d Epping 10.4 (64). Bye: Mernda.

■ Division 3 Reserves. Ivanhoe 22.12 (144) d Heidelberg West 4.3 (27). Reservoir 13.9 987) d Kilmore 3.9 (27). Laurimar 17.18 (120) d Lalor 2.2 (14). Kinglake 7.5 (47) d Old Eltham Collegians 4.10 (34). Watsonia 12.13 (85) d Epping 8.6 (54). Bye: Mernda.

■ Division 3 Under 19.5. Lower Plenty 14.16 (100) d Watsonia 5.8 (38). Epping 8.10 (58) d Eltham 7.12 (54). Heidelberg 8.9 (57) d Panton Hill 6.10 (46). Bye: Kinglake.

Outer East

■ Premier Division Seniors. Wandin 18.12 (120) d Olinda Ferny Creek 8.11 (59). Warburton Millgrove 8.11 (59) d Gembrook Cockatoo 4.6 (30). Monbulk 11.12 (78) d Upwey Tecoma 7.8 (50). Officer 12.9 (81) d Healesville 8.12 (60). Mt Evelyn 4.14 (38) d Woori Yallock 4.6 (30).

■ Premier Division Reserves. Olinda Ferny Creek 11.4 (70) d Wandin 8.14 (62). Gembrook Cockatoo 11.3 (69) d Warburton Millgrove 5.5 (35). Upwey Tecoma 7.6 (48) d Monbulk 4.8 (32). Officer 12.15 (87) d Healesville 4.2 (26). Mt Evelyn 11.10 (76) d Woori Yallock 3.6 (24)

■ Division 1 Seniors. Alexandra 9.12 (66) d Emerald 9.8 (62). Belgrave 30.22 (202) d Yarra Junction 5.1 (31). Seville 10.13 (73) d Yarrza Glen 8.11 (59). Yea 21.24 (150) d Powelltown 1.2 (8). Bye: Pakenham.

Latest News

GEELONG

Baby on board

■ Waurn Ponds uniform officers couldn’t believe their eyes when they stopped at an intersection in Waurn Ponds on Saturday (June 27).

Officers observed a black Mazda CX5 at the intersection of Colac Rd and South Valley / Pioneer Rd about 10.10am, when something unusual caught their eye.

The vehicle was intercepted and when officers approached, they found the driver in the front seat with a young child strapped to his chest in a baby carrier.

The 37-year-old man from Greater Geelong was issued a penalty notice for failing to ensure passenger under 16 years old is appropriately secured.

He received a $407 fine and three demerit points.

The young child was placed into the appropriate seat before they carried on their journey.

It is a legal requirement for children to be seated in a child restraint, a booster seat or an adult seatbelt that is properly adjusted and fastened.

The type of restraint to be used depends on the person's age and size.

■ Children under 6 months of age must travel in a rear facing child restraint.

■ Children aged six months to under four years must travel in either a rear facing or forward-facing child restraint.

■ Children aged four years to underseven years must travel in either a forwardfacing child restraint with an inbuilt harness, or a booster seat.

■ Children aged seven years to under 16 years must travel in either a booster seat or use an adult seatbelt.

People 16 years and over must be restrained by an adult seat belt.

■ Division 2 Reserves. Emerald 11.18 (84) d Alexandra 3.4 (22). Belgrave 20.21 (141) d Yarra Junction 1.0 (6). Seville 14.15 (99) d Yarra Glen 2.2 (14Z). Yea 16.18 (114) d Powelltown 3.2 (20). Bye; Pakenham.

■ Under 18 Boys. Upwey Tecoma v Pakenham: Abandoned. Gembrook Cockatoo v Warburton Millgrove: Abandoned. Officer 4.6 (30) d Helaesville 2.6 (18). Mt Evelyn 5.8 (38) d Woori Yallock 5.3 (33). Wandin 15.5 (95) d Olinda Ferny Creek 10.5 (65). Monbulk v Alexandra: Abandoned. Seville 14.11 (95) d Yarra Glen 6.7 (43).

■ Division 1 Women’s. Olinda Ferny Creek 6.9 (45) d Belgrave 0.4 (4). WarburtonMillgrove 14.11 (95) d Pakenham 1.3 (9). Upwey Tecoma 5.2 (32) d Mt Evelyn 4.4 (28). Bye: Healesville.

■ Division 2 Women’s. Wandin 12.14 (86) d Thornton-Eildon 0.1 (1). Yea 3.7 (25) d Seville 1.3 (9). Officer 9.10 (64) d Woori Yallock 3.1 (19). Emerald 12.13 (985) d Gembrook Cockatoo 0.0 (0).

Riddell District

■ Seniors. Diggers Rest 25.16 (166) d Woodened Hesket 5.5 (35). Gisborne Giants 17.16 (118) d Lancefield 3.6 (24). Wallan 15.12 (102) d Riddell 5.10 (40). Melton Soyuth 17.17 (119) d Romsey 4.13 (37). Macedon 19.23 (137) d Melton Centrals 9.5 (59). Bye: Kyneton.

■ Reserves. Wallan 17.11 (113) d Riddell 3.4 (22). Gisborne Giants 10.9 (69) d Lancefield 4.5 (29). Melton South 11.19 (85)

MOE

Retail theft blitz

■ An operation targeting thieves in Moe has nabbed 13 people in just two days. Uniform police from Moe teamed with Loss Prevention Officers in supermarkets, clothing shops and liquor stores to catch wouldbe thieves in the act last week.

Police also conducted patrols throughout the CBD and surrounding areas including the retail precinct, railway station, skate park and other key community locations.

Some 13people were arrested in just two days, including:

■ A 30-year-old woman from Moe who was allegedly spotted by LPOs stealing more than $800 worth of items from a department store on Albert St , including jeans, a hair straightener, toilet brush and stickon nails. She was charged with theft, and contravening a family violence intervention order. She was bailed to appear in Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court in October. The woman was ordered not to attend the store. All items were recovered and returned to the store.

■ A 30-year-old man from Newborough who was wanted on an outstanding warrant for three alleged thefts was spotted by uniform members. He was charged with theft and was bailed to appear in Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court in November. The man also received a caution for possessing cannabis. It will be alleged he racked up a $10,000 bill of stolen items from supermarkets over the last two years.

■ A 40-year-old man from Moe who was wanted on outstanding warrants was spotted allegedly stealing beauty products from a su-

R

d Romsey 2.1 (13). Diggers rest 14.11 (95) d Woodend-Hesket 4.4 (28). Macedon 9,.6 (60) d Melton Centrals 7.0 (42). Bye: Kyneton.

■ Under 19.5. Wallan 8.10 (58) d Riddell 4.5 (29). Macedon 6.8 (44) d Melton Centrals 2.3 (15). Gisborne Giants 16.14 (110) d Lancefield 2.1 (13). Romsey 8.7 (55) d Melton South 4.11 (35). ByeZ: Kyneton, Woodend-Hesket.

Southern

■ Division 1 Seniors. Dongley 217.13 (115) d Cheltenham 10.11 (71). Bnetleigh 21.16 (142) d Hampton Park 12.13 (85). Narre Warren 23.23 (161) d Port Melbourne Colts 4.5 (29). Murrumbeena 13.13 (91) d Springvale Districts 8.8 (56). St Paul’s McKinnon 13.16 (94) d Cranbourne Eagles 13.7 (85).

■ Division 2 Seniors. East Malvern 15.13 (103) d Doveton Doves 4,.5 (29). Frankston Dolphins 23.13 (151) d East Brighton 6.12 (48). Highett 19.18 9132) d Hampton 8.4 (52). Mordialloc 9.13 (67) d Chelsea Heights 6.5 (41). Caulfield Bears 216.10 (106) d Keysborough 5.11 (41).

■ Division 3 Seniors. Heatherton 14.16 (100) d Black Rock 14.8 (92). Endeavour Hills 9.11 (65) d Hallam 4.8 (32). Lyndhurst 19.9 (123) d South Mornington 8.12 (60). Berwick Springs 11.7 (73) d St Kilda City 19.9 (63). Carrum Patterson Lakes 7.14 (56) d Skye 7.7 (49).

■ Division 4 Seniors. Ashwood 20.19 (139) d Moorabbin Kangaroos 4.3 (27). Clayton 14.11 (95) d Lyndale 8.9 (57). Narre South Saints 12.19 (91) d Doveton Eagles 12.19 (91) d Doveton Eagles 8.12 (60). St John’s OC 8.1 (49) d Dandenong West 4.2 (26).

Best. Belgrave: Lachlan King, Anthony Johnston, Nathan Power, Dabiel Ryan, William Stow, Ben Brennan. Yarra Junction: Heath Chamberlain, Allan Chandler, Matthew Moreton, Charlie Susited,Cam Gardnerm, Timothy Peters.

SEVILLE ............... 3.1, 5.2, 6.8, 10.13 (73)

YARRA GLEN ......... 2.1, 5.5, 6.7, 8.11 (59) Best. Seville: Blake Morison, Bayley Sciortino, Joel Koger, Matt Di Pietrantonio, Nathan O’Keefe, Jye Sciortino.

YEA ............ 4.9, 11.11, 18.17, 21.24 (150) POWELLTOWN ........ 0.0, 0.1, 0.1, 1.2 (8) Best. Yea: Patrick Evans, Joshua Buxton, Rohan King, Nick De Preu, Darcy Pell, Zain Neicho. Powelltown: Max Rees, Ryan Gribbrock, Ashton Daniel, Jacob Neale, Josh Sykes, Fletcher Daniel.

ALEXANDRA ....... 3.3, 5.9, 9.12, 9.12 (66)

EMERALD .............. 0.4, 4.6, 8.8, 9.8 (62) Best. Alexandra: Jonathan Grimwade, Bradley Johnson, Tom Boots, Charlie Boots, Harry Aikman, Josh Edwards. Emerald: Aiden Gajanovic, Kye Davies,, Steven Kapahnke, Ewan Wadsworth, Bailey Grose, Bradley Pepi.

Reserves

EMERALD ........ 3.3, 6.8, 9.11, 11.18 (84) ALEX. ...................... 0.1, 0.2, 2.4, 3.4 (22)

permarket on Albert St. He was cautioned for the theft of the $130 worth of beauty products, which were returned to the supermarket. He will face Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court in October over the outstanding warrants, and was banned from attending the supermarket for 12 months.

HAMILTON

Motorist dies

■ A woman has died in hospital following a two-car collision in Hamilton Emergency services were called to the Coleraine Rd scene, at the intersection of the Coleraine Rd slip lane, on Friday, June 19, about 5.15pm.

The 83-year-old driver and sole occupant of one of the vehicles was taken to hospital in a life-threatening condition where she succumbed to her injuries.

The 25-year-old male driver of the other vehicle, who wasn’t injured, stopped at the scene to render assistance. Hamilton Highway Patrol will prepare a report for the Coroner.

ROBINVALE

Hit-run

■ Police are investigating after a man was found injured on the Murray Valley Hwy in Lake Powel l on June 13.

A passer-by located the 32-year-old lying on the road unconscious, about 5am.

He had sustained significant head and lower body injuries and was transported to hospital in a critical condition. Officers are yet to determine how the man sustained his injuries but at this stage believe he may have been struck by a vehicle. Investigations into the circumstances are continuing.

■ Division 1 Reserves. Dingley 12.13 (85) d Cheltenham 5.6 (36). Bentleigh 14.5 (89) d Hampton Park 3.7 (25). Port Melbourne Colts forfeited to Narre Warren. Murrumbeena 7.2 (44) d Springvale Districts 6.6 (42). Cranbourne Eagles 5.4 (34) d St Paul’s McKinnon 4.6 (30).

■ Division 2 Reserves. East Malvern 16.14 (110) d Doveton Doves 4.4 (28). Frankston Dolphins won by forfeit against East Brighton. Highett 23.16 (154) d Hampton 1.3 (9). Mordialloc 7.15 (57) d Chelsea Heights 1.6 (12). Keysborough 17.11 (113) d Caulfield Bears 1.2 (8).

■ Division 3 Reserves. Black Rock 17.11 (113) d Heatherton 7.4 (46Z). Hallam v Endeavour Hills. Lyndhurst 15.8 (98) d South Mornington 6.7 (43). Berwick Springs 10.6 (66) d St Kilda City 2.9 (21).

■ Division 4 Reserves. Black Rock 17.11 (113) d Heatherton 7.4 (46). Hallam v Endeavour Hills. Lyndhurst 15.8 (98) d South Mornington 6.7 (43). Berwick Springs 10.6 (66) d St Kilda City 2.9 (21). Skye 12.12 (84) d Carrum Patterson Lakes 2.2 (14).

Western

■ Division 1 Seniors. Hoppers Crossing 8.15 (63) d Altona 4.17 (41). Parkside 14.16 (100) d Werribee Districts 6.11 (47). Albion 217.11 (113) d Caroline Springs 15.8 (98). Point Cook 10.8 (68) d Newport 11.14 (80). Spotswood 12.13 (85)d Point Cook Centrals 6.6 (42). Yarraville Seddon Eagles 11.17 (83) d Sunshine 8.11 (59).

■ Division 1 Reserves. Altona 24.19 (163) d Hoppers Crossing 0.4 (4). Werribee Districts 23.11 (149) d Parkside 3.4 (22). Caroline Springs 13.10 (88) d Albion 6.6 (42). Newport 8.13 (61) d Point Cook 7.7 (49). Spotswood 18.15 (123) d Point Cook Centrals 2.5 (17). Yarraville Seddon Eagles 11.13 (79) d Sunshine 5.6 (36).

■ Division 1 Under 18. Newport 20.17 (137) d Yarraville Seddon Eagles 1.3 (9). Spotswood 18.16 (124) d Altona 1.2 (8). Sunshine 8.12 (60) d Point Cook 9.4 (58). Werribee Districts 13.12 (90) d Hoppers Crossing 3.9 (27).

■ Division 2 Seniors. West Footscray 15.12 (102) d Sunshine heights 10.9 (69). North Footscray 20.10 (130) d Braybrook 5.5 (35). Tarneit 14.15 (99) d Laverton Magpies 4.2 (26). Suns 13.22 (100) d Western Rams 10.5 (65). Wyndhamvale 14.11 (95) d Albanvale 6.4 (40).

■ Division 2 Reserves. West ZFootscray 5.11 (41) d Sunshine Heights 6.1 (37). North Footscray 29.20 (194) d bryabrook 2.2 (14). Tarneit 11.11 (77) d Laverton Magpies 0.2 (2). Wyndhamvale 16.21 (117) d Albanvale 4.6 (30).

■ Division 2 Under 18. Wydnhamvale 9.6 (60) d Point Cook 7.12 (54A). Albion 24.22 (166) d Sunshine 0.1 (1). Caroline Springs 25.13 (163) d Point Cook 2.4 (16). Werribee Districts 11.11 (77) d Spotswood 7.10 (52). Tarneit v Hoppers Crossing.

Best. Emerald: Jye Ralstrick, Jason Vallas, Luka Pukitis, Nic Jansen, Wil Gazzard, Hendrix Boyle. Alexandra: Jaydee Valentine, Lachlan Collard, Brayden Norris, Dylan Jack, Luke Wall, Joshua Crane.

BELGRAVE . 5.6, 10.10, 14.15, 20.21 (141)

YARRA JUNC. .......... 0.0, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0 (6) Best. Belgrave: Jacob Orr, Daniel Noy, Joshua Brooke, Nathan Dawson, Joshua de Rooy, Josh Molden. Yarra Junction: Alec Peterson, Todd Cochrane, Nathan Crosthwaite, Jhye Tobias, Aleck Beck, Axel Kilby.

SEVILLE .......... 3.4, 6.8, 11.11, 14.15 (99)

YARRA GLEN ........ 1.1, 1.1, 2.1, 2.2 (14) Best. Seville: Braeden Anthony, Joshua Wiltshire, Jarrod Hardy, Dylan Broadway, Riley Lowe, Hayden Pleming. Yarra Glen: Dayne Fuss, Sean Kenyon, Michael Evans, Jonathan Fraser, Zac Young, Callum Tucker.

YEA ............... 3.5, 5.11, 11.15, 18.18 (114) POWELLTOWN .... 1.2, 2.2, 3.2, 3.2 (20) Best. Yea: Zayde Macleod, Cooper Lynch, Julian Mahon, Angus Antrobus, Mitch Skelly, Andrew Bree. Powelltown: Cody Roberts, Angus Macdonald, Remi Evangelista, Garry Shotter, Jack Bourke, Jackson Ford.

Ladders

■ Seniors. 1. Pakenham, 265.25, 44. 2. Seville, 273.32, 40. 3. Alexandra, 179.53, 32. 4. Yarra Glen, 163.07, 26. 5. Belgrave, 157.o08, 24. 6. Emerald, 130.81, 22. 7. Yea,, 32.89, 16. 8. Powelltown, 15.67, 12. 9. Yarra Junction, 15.17, 4. ■ Reserves. 1. Pakenham,, 693.37, 44. 2. Seville, 176.36, 78. 3. Belgrave, 304.79, 32. 4, Emerald, 215.09, 32. 5. Alexandra, 159.73, 24. 56. Yea, 110.40, 20. 7. Yarra Glen, 24.90, 16. 8. Powelltown, 178.85, 8. 9. Yarra Junction, 16.84, 8.

Netball

■ A-Grade. Emerald 72 d Alexandra 24. Yarra junction 57 d Belgrave 44. Seville 58 d Yarra Glen 37. Yea 57

FOCUS ON FLEMINGTON FINALS DAY

■ Finals Day finally arrives at Flemington this Saturday (July 4).

This is the culmination of a series incorporating qualifying races run during May and June, leading up to nine feature events to be contested on the same day.

However, not all horses that finished first or second in the qualifiers go on to compete in a Winter Race Series Final . Also, some higher rated runners can gain a start without having earned an exemption from the ballot.

Here is a look at some talented types eligible to take part in the target races.

Next Generation

Aethera

Won the only Flemington qualifier super impressively over 1100 metres. Sprinted quickly once extricated from what appeared to be a zip fastener pocket. Expect her to eat up the extra 100 metres here.

Taj Rossi

Fontein Jewel

Finished strongly at Swan Hill over 1300 metres when just failed to reel in Mountjoy. Followed that with a gutsy win at Flemington over 1400 metres when caught wide throughout. This is 1600 metres, which should suit.

Santa Ana Lane

De Bergerac

Had already qualified in May before returning to Flemington and bursting through to win the final qualifier over 1100 metres. Loves the straight track and an extra 100 metres is ideal.

Recommendation

An eye-catching second to De Bergerac last time puts him right in the thick of things here. He is clearly back to the form which has earned him nine career wins, with most of those at 1200 metres.

Silver Bowl

Obvious

Well named, because he is one of the logical top picks based on his last start win to qualify at Flemington over 1600 metres. Just has to repeat that effort.

Dirnaseer

Produced a big finish to dead-heat with Kaleo at Flemington over 1600 metres to earn his start here over the same trip. Only fourth to Obvious last time, but it may pay to forgive that run.

Banjo Paterson

Vegas Jack

This fella is simply unstoppable. He has worked his way through the grades by stringing together four consecutive wins. In the most recent, he qualified for the 2600 metres final by winning at Flemington just short of this distance.

The Western Front

Sandown Cup winner in May. Brave second to Vegas Jack last time, after being caught wide early and forced to race a little further forward than usual. No one would doubt his power to stay.

Creswick Sprint

Barari

Racing in a purple patch of form. Won her past three starts at Pakenham, Ballarat and Flemington , all over 1200 metres.

Does appear to have a real will to win, chasing down a tearaway leader at Ballarat , before squeezing through late to defeat Wise Inlaw last time.

Wise Inlaw

Consistent type with a good turn of foot.

Loves the Flemington 1200 metres where he won a qualifier and was second to Barari at his most recent run.

Mahogany Challenge

Decalogue

Has won his past three starts and shown he possesses a touch of class. The most recent win at Flemington over 2000 metres earned him his spot in the final.

Kings Reflection

Was unable to gain automatic entry into this when he finished third to Decalogue at Flemington last time. Only in his first preparation, but this distance appears to be what he is looking for now.

Winter Championship

Jimmy The Bear

Observer Racing

Qualified by beating Cartoon Graveyard at Caulfield over 1600 metres. Unplaced at his most recent outing behind Seafall at Flemington over the same trip. Won that race last year before going on to win the 2025 Winter Championship Final

Seafall

Former Sydneysider racing in career best form in Victoria . Won his way into this last time out at Flemington . A repeat of that run would see him go close.

Leilani

Stylish

This will be her third start since returning from a spell. Both runs so far have been in qualifying races at Flemington over 1400 metres, the same distance as the final. She finished second to Duchess Zou before claiming the honours last time. Can’t fault that form and was a close third in this race last year.

Duchess Zou

On-pace runner who won her way through when defeating Stylish at Flemington, before boxing on well when she led last time and finished third to the same mare. Also ran well on this day last year when a good third in the Creswick Sprint

Horses To Follow

■ Queen Peta

■ Concord Connie

■ Hard Kick

■ El Pibe De Oro

Racing Calendar

■ Wednesday, July 1: Sandown Lakeside

■ Thursday, July 2: Ballarat Synthetic

■ Friday, July 3: Moe, Warracknabeal

■ Saturday, July 4: Flemington, Wangaratta

■ Sunday, July 5: Bendigo, Casterton

■ Monday, July 6: Pakenham Synthetic

■ Tuesday, July 7: Ballarat Synthetic Rod Basto

● ● ● ● Jimmy The Bear. Racing Photos.

TOOK ALL THE SPOILS AT HORSHAM

■ Racing at Horsham in the Wimmera commenced the week on Monday June 22 with an even eight race program.

The 1700 metre Claire Weston Photography Pace saw Woolsthorpe owner/trainer Peter Matthews successful with 6Y0 Restrepo-La La Perla Lombo mare Livermere who is never far away in most races she contests.

Driven by Kerryn Manning, Livermere (gate six) began fast to lead and given every opportunity, registered a 5.7 metre margin (her fifth in 77 outings) to defeat Torque In Heaven (gate four) which raced outside her. Chalkncheddar (extremedraw three pegs) was third 2.6 metres away. The mile rate 1-58.4.

■ Ecklin South breeder/owner/trainer/ driver Mattie Craven took all the spoils in the Western General Insurance Agencies Maiden Trotters Mobile over 2200 metres with Southwind Frank-Jilliby Princess filly Roseofthewinds.

First up since November last year, Roseofthewinds (gate two) enjoyed a cosy passage three pegs from gate two as Kickabarrel (gate five) and I Am Skye Chiola (solo second line) after angling away from the markers as the start was effected went forward in-between runners to park outside him.

With Luke Sutherland keeping the leader honest for the majority of the race and kicking clear approaching the final bend, Roseofthewinds at her third race appearance after angling into the clear approaching the home turn quickly joined a game Kickabarrel to gain the day by a neck, with I Am Sky Chiola battling on strongly for third albeit 18.4 metres back for third. The mile rate 2-02.2.

■ The 1700 metre Conways Horsham Vicbred Voucher Maiden Pace was taken out by Bullengarook trainer Bruce Donaldson’s Rock Poster, a 4Y0 daughter of Poster Boy and Rock Disco in a 1-57.3 mile rate.

Driven by Ballan reinsman Jason Hackett, Rock Poster (gate six) was restrained to the rear as the start was effected settling at the rear with local trainer Justin Lane’s Royal Rockstar (gate three) leading.

Going forward quickly three wide in the last lap and four wide on the home turn, Rock Poster sustained the effort to prevail by a half head from Mattie Craven’s El Lazzar (outside front line) – three wide last lap which flashed late. Royal Rockstar held third 3.3 metres back.

■ Justin Lane was to make amends for Royal Rockstar’s defeat when 5Y0 Art Major-On Her Game 5Y0 mare The Naked Art driven by James Herbertson scored a nose victory in the 1700 Vale Bill Phelan Pace.

Eased from gate four to settled four back in the moving line as Hamilton hope Ranger Rick flew away from outside the front line to lead, The Naked Art was sent forward three wide in the last lap to be outside Ranger Rick looking the winner on the final bend before going head and head to the wire, with The Naked Art maing a last stride lunge to get the verdict.

Polemarker Our Ultimate Gracy was third 2.2 metres away after following the pacemaker and using the sprint lane.

■ It was an exciting Worlds Best Hoof Oil Trotters Handicap over 2200 metres when Wedderburn trainer Nick Youngson’s inform 6Y0 Pegasus Spur-Maoris Got Muscle mare Fremarks Peggy scored.

Setting four pegs after the Mildura hope Connies President (10m) crossed polemarker Supreme Belle shortly after the start to lead in a strung out field.

When Night Whisperer (10m – three pegs) came away from the markers in the back straight on the final occasion, Fremarks Peggy immediately followed him forward to be poised one/one and when Night Whisperer dashed clear, Fremarks Peggs pounced and raced away to register an easy 10 metre margin over 30 metre backmarkerr Sonarmi Joh which had used inside runs before being held up approaching the wire, with Rastamon (gate two –three pegs) utilising the sprint lane for third a nose away. The mile rate 2-03.6.

Shepparton

■ Mitchellstown trainer Kylie Sugars and local reinsman Leigh Sutton took the honours at Shepparton’s usual Tuesday

fixture with a stable double – Poster BoyOur Chateau Lafite filly Postit Lafite taking The Carrington Pace over 1690 metres and three year old Sweet Lou-Major Missile gelding Major Eastwood the Munro and Associates Conveyancing Maiden Pace over the same journey.

Postit Lafite began fast from gate four to lead throughout and register a 2.8 metre victory in advance of Caties Son (four pegs) from the extreme draw which ran home nicely when clear running into the final bend. Polemarker Whats Glenda Got was third 2.8 metres away after trailing the winner. The mile rate 1-55.5.

Major Eastwood led out from the pole before taking a trail on Bungy (gate four) to enjoy the run of the race. Angling into the clear on turning, Major Eastwood ran home nicely to prevail by 1.3 metres from The Trawler (gate five – one/two) after being three wide early. Bungy held third 5.5 metres back. The mile rate 1-56.6.

■ Nagambie based Corey Bell raced, trained and reined 6Y0 HuntsvilleHighview Aria gelding Highview Hammer to victory in the 1690 metre Book Now For Xmas On 28th July Pace.

Beginning swiftly from outside the front line as speedy mare Alcatraz Girl led for Glenn Bull, Highview Hammer was able to drop to the leaders back and enjoy a sweet passage.

Dashing through along the sprint lane, Highview Hammer scored by 3.2 metres over a game Our Mystery Bet which had raced exposed from gate five, with Miss Hermes (gate six – four pegs) third a half neck away. The mile rate 1-57.8.

■ On a great night for the Goulburn Valley, Ardmona trainer/driver Donna Castles landed the 2190 metre Willowood Farm Pace with 5Y0 For A Reason-Cee Goddess gelding With In Reason.

Restrained momentarily at the start from gate six as Dressed In Gold led from gate five, With In Reason went forward to test the leader before taking over approaching the bell and defied all challengers to record a 6.7 metre victory in a rate of 1-57.6 over Dressed In Gold and Sharp Interest (one/two – one/one) from outside the front line third a metre back.

■ Tongala trainer Susan Hunter snared the Wager Wednesday SHRC Facebook Pace over 2190 metres with Ride High-Just Look At Me filly Pearl Of Philtra bred and raced by the Wade family.

Driven by James Herbertson, Pearl Of Philtra was taken back from gate four to possie four pegs, then one/two and one/one as Fifty Seven Chevy (outside front line) applied plenty of pressure to the poleline leader Aussie Jay Mac to eventually cross racing for the bell.

Shifting away from the markers in the last lap allowing Aussie Jay Mac to obtain an inside run to lead on turning, Pearl of Philtra produced a great turn of speed running into the final bend to win by 2.4 metres from The King Of The Road (gate/three –one/one) which had dropped to the sprint lane. Aussie Jay Mac held third 6 metres away. The mile rate 1-58.7.

Bendigo

■ Bendigo raced on Wednesday and more than handy 5Y0 Skyvalley-Mystical Rainbow gelding Rocky Valley returned to the winners list for the first time since September last when victorious in the 2150 metre Rothacker Stockfeeds Trotters Mobile.

Trained at Kurinjang by Maree and John Caldow, Rocky Valley driven by John for long time participant Ian Caruana settled one/one from gate two on the second line after receiving a great run through the field as the heavily supported favourite Kyvalley Michael (gate three second line) after being caught wide was set alight by Chris Alford to cross the leader Romantic Nina (gate four) which had taken over Watch And Act (gate three).

Sprinting swiftly three wide in the last lap, Rocky Valley at odds of $22.60 raced clear on turning to record an easy 7.4 metre margin (his sixth in 47 outings which include 16 placings) over Kyvalley Michael and Watch And Act who was 1.5 metres back third. The mile rate a slick 1-57.8.

■ Always B Miki-Phlying Philtra gelding Crackin Philtra trained by Mick Blackmore in Kyabram looks to have a bright future and was successful in the 2150 metre Oxley Feed Mill 3Y0 Pace in a 1-58.5 mile rate.

Driven by James Herbertson, Crackin Philtra coming off a third at Shepparton on debut a week earlier was restrained from gate three ending up mid-field leading up the outside division after Gidgett Kay flew away from outside the front line to lead before handing over to the poleline favourite Famous Crimes which came off her back to assume control.

Gaining cover at the bell when Cocosworld (extreme draw) went forward from near last to race uncovered, Crackin Philtra after angling three wide on the final bend ran home strongly to record a 4 metre margin over a game Cocosworld, with Thereshewas (gate three second line) flashing late from four pegs for third a half neck away.

■ Another Kyabram winner was smart home bred 4Y0 Skyvalley-Little Miss Chlo mare Little Miss Valley in the Aldebaran Park Trotters Mobile over 2150 metres for Brent Thomson.

Going forward from outside the front line to cross Brother Mountain (gate four), Little Miss Valley led virtually throughout to register a 3.3 metre margin over Brother Mountain who was no match over the concluding stages. Voldagha (gate five - one/ one – three wide home turn) was third 4.3 metres back. The mile rate 1-59.1. It was Little Miss Valley’s third victory in 15 outings.

■ Local Longlea trainer/driver Matthew Gath landed the Bendigo Ski Boat Centre Pace over 2150 metres with 11Y0 Mach Three-Tasma Walton gelding Tasma Flash who’s last success was at Gunbower in February 2022.

Raced by long time stable clients Norm and Joan Visca, Tasma Flash bred by Joan settled a long way off the leader Dreamtime Nala (gate three) which had crossed thirteen year old Salsboy (gate two) with only one other runner Tex Goes Bang behind him at the rear.

Gaining a three wide trail home on the back of Tophat Johny ahead of him, Tasma Flash after angling four wide on the final bend ran home best to gain the day by 2.7 metres from Salsboy along the sprint lane. Dreamtime Nala held third a head back. The mile rate 1-59.

■ Meredith co-trainers Emmett and Richard Brosnan snared the Simons Homes Bendigo 3Y0 Maiden Trotters Mobile over 2150 metres with Mister Devereaux, a gelded son of Majestic Son and Lola Devereaux.

Driven by Emmett, Mister Devereaux led all of the way from gate six, spacing his rivals to score by 18.2 metres in advance of War Dan Phoenix (gate six - one/three) and Life On The Hill (extreme draw – one/two). In a 2-02.5 mile rate.

Ballarat

■ Ballarat was Thursday’s venue with eight races programmed and Maude duo Jack (trainer) and wife Karen (driver) provided a shock result at odds of $41.00 to the 2200 metre Black Horse Naturals Pace when 4Y0 For A Reason-Overthorns mare My Beautiful Life bred and raced by them under the banner of Kenlach Standardbreds was successful.

Restrained from outside the front line to the rear as polemarker Aveiro had little difficulty in leading. Using inside runs to be four pegs mid-race, My Beautiful Life after being extricated to four wide on the final bend, ran home best

This Week

■ Wednesday – Bendigo, Thursday –Kilmore, Friday – Mildura/Geelong, Saturday – Melton, Sunday – Cranbourne, Monday – Charlton, Tuesday – Echuca.

to account for Wichita Kansas (gate two –three back on the markers) before looking the winner in the straight after angling into the clear and wide in the straight. Ynobe Nova (one/one from gate four was third. The margins being 1.2 by 8 metres in a mile rate of 1-58.8.

■ Local Sebastopol trainer Colin Holloway and son Brent landed The Cleaners Room Trotters Mobile with 5Y0 Sebastian KIllawong Shimmer mare No Telling Heather in a 2-00.3 mile rate.

Raced by the Holloway family, No Telling Heather enjoyed a cosy passage from the pole trailing the pacemaker Night Flight (gate four) and after easing off his back on the final bend, ran home best to prevail by 1.5 metres from Night Flight, with the odds-on favourite Favourite Poppy Popstar (one/one from gate two) third 9.9 metres away.

■ Concongella (Stawell) part-owner/ trainer Paul Rousch loves his harness racing and snared the ballarattrottingclub.com.au 4Y0 and over Maiden Pace with Thelongroadofhope a 4Y0 daughter of Major In Art and Hope To Fly. Driven by Dunnstown reinsman Brent Murphy, Thelongroadofhope settled three pegs from gate two as Dulcee Maureen ahead of him from inside the second line came away from the markers to race exposed entering the straight for the bell with Diamondontherocks leading from gate three.

Angling into the clear on the home turn, Thelongroadofhope finished best to defeat polemarker Betting Attack off the back of the leader by a metre, with Diamondontherocks holding third 3.3 metres back. The mile rate 1-58.8.

■ Percydale’s John Hurrell combined with Olivia Jardine to capture the Hip Pocket Workwear Safety Concession Drivers Trotters Mobile over 2200 metres with 7Y0 Betting Line-Diamond Rock gelding Apex, leading throughout from gate five to account for polemarker Itgetsbetter (three pegs) which was slightly held up before gaining an inside run.

Despite racing exposed, Metro Swish(inside second line was third) The mile rate being 2-03.3. The margins 2.7 metres by a half head.

■ Havelock owner/trainer Derek Krafft used the services of ace reinsman James Herbertson to land the Michael Unwin Wines Pace over 1710 metres with 6Y0 Sweet Lou-Majestic Reign gelding Reign Em In.

A prohibitive $1.18 favourite, Reign Em In had little trouble leading from gate four to greet the judge by 1.8 metres from All Done Tara (gate three – three pegs) and Calypso Mistress (gate two) which followed the winner finishing a half head away third. The mile rate 1-57.7.

Melton

■ Melton’s Ken Tippet does a great job with his team and 5Y0 What The HillRihannah gelding Hillwinsome chalked up his seventh success in 53 outings when taking the 2Construct Trotters Mobile over 1720 metres at Melton on Friday.

Given a sweet trip by Ewa Justice, Hillwinsome travelled beautifully on the back of the poleline leader El Tornado before making full use of the sprint lane in the straight to score by 3.8 metres from the raging hot favourite Queen Of Sees (gate four) which raced exposed returning a 159.6 mile rate. El Tornado held down third 1.8 metres away.

Len Baker

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Why are the ads free? What’s the catch? There is no catch - all standard text ads are 100% free for private advertisers. When you lodge your free ad, you never receive a bill from us. Your ad can be up to 40 words. Simply follow the instructions. How do you make money if the ads are free? Free-ad papers make money by selling business advertising.

How do I lodge a Free Photo Ad? How do I get the photo to you? Go to www.AdvertiseFree.com.au - the form gives you instructions on how to attach the photo.

CRAIGIEBURN. Available now. Clean, quiet furnished ensuite-room available in old Craigieburn. Suitable for a working professional or student. Includes private bathroom, shared kitchen/ laundry, WiFi, safe onstreet parking, close to transport and shops. Nonsmoker, no pets preferred. GC. $340. 0419 681 292.U-Y

BED. Hospital-type. Fully adjustable, electric with side rails and pneumatic alternating pressure mattress and controller. EC. $2400. Watsonia. 0490 130 660.U-Y

BED FRAME. With stands and base. EC. $55. Baxter. 0407 047 602. X-BB

BED HEAD. Book shelf. Wooden light colour. VGC. $40. Baxter. 0407 047 602. X-BB

BIKE. Lady’s.. Colour: purple. make: Huffy Friction. Plus: basket, helmet and ump. VGC. $100. Pakenham. 5940 5018. U-Y

BOOKS. 10. Peter Fitzsimons. Hard cover. All different titles. VGC. $100. Brookfield. 0415 562 593.Q-W

BOOKS. Approx. 50. Ranging from cricket gear and general. Also AFL. All in EC. Will not separate. $80. Euroa. 0455 267 422.X-BB

CAMERA. Pentax (mainly lenses). Kodak camera Retinette. Melway street directories Nos 9, 20, 33., 46. Universal 1960, $25 each. Coasters, 10 cents each. GC. Box Hill South. 9890 7904.U-Y

CHAIR. Black,. Firm. Comfortable seat and back. VGC. $25.. Baxter. 0407 047 602.X-BB

CHEST OF DRAWERS. Teak colour. Good size. VGC. $30. Baxter. 0407 047 602.X-BB

CARAVAN. Executive. 24ft. Dual axle. Double bed. Fridge. Freezer. Cooktop. Unregistered. Needs work. $5400. Watsonia. 0490 130 660.U-Y

CHAIN. 12 metres. 10mm thick. Retail price: $350. My price: $175. Viewbank. 0418 366 588.U-Y

CHAIN. 18 metres. 8mm thick. Retail price: $525. My price: $260. GC. Viewbank. 0418 366 588.U-Y

CHEVROLET. 1991. Camaro RS Coupe. White in colour. Auto. 5-litre V8. Low miles. Targo top. EC. Club rego: H6193. $32,000. Viewbank. 0407 403 507.Q-W

DESK. With 4 drawesr. brown teak colour. As new. $50. Baxter. 0407 047 602.X-BB

DINING CHAIRS. Parker. 6. Solid vintage frames, FC. Upholstery could use a clean or recover but structurally sound. Great project for restoration or retro dining setup. Selling as set of six. Pickup required. Message if interested. $1000. Greensborough. 0433 366 628.Q-W

DOLL MAKING PARAPHERNALIA. Lots of wigs, shoes, hand made clothes. UFOs, etc. New cond. $250. Whittlesea. 716 1881.H-K

DRUM KIT. Rogers USA. 40 years old. Re-skinned in black. Comp,lete with cymbals, hi-hat, heavy duty stands and stool. Great sounding drums. VGC. $2300. Rye. 0415 441 843.X-BB

DVDs. 350+. Some new. Hot Rod Street Classic, Motor Bike Shows. 1956 up to 2020 movies. Cars, war, romance, Aussie crime, Western, Nature. Box sets. VHS. Planet of the Apes. More. Also Cassettes, Music. VGC. $150 or best offer. Healesville. 5962 6219.Q-W

FIREWOOD. 3 metres. All wood cut up. ready for use. $85. Cranbourne area. 0466 690 323.U-Y

GARDEN ROCKS. Good quality. All free. Bulleen. 9850 5128.U-Y

HORSE FLOAT. 2001 Kara Kar. Rego until may 28, 2026. Side window vent, day yard included. Reliablem roadworthy. Fantastic condition. $15,000. Richmond. 0434 974 072.F-I

HORSE RUG. Tartan. Hardly used. GC. $30. Macleod. 9459 6714. O-S

KITCHEN CHAIRS. Nameo. 4. 1950s/60s. Chrome and mustard colour, vinyl. GC. $250. Glenroy. 9306 7628. I-L

LAURA ASHLEY Cotton Queen Coberlet set. Size 220cm x 240cm, plus 2 pillowcases. Plae blue with thin white stripes. Never used. $25. Ashburton. 9885 2203.H-K

LOUNGE SUITE. 3-piece top quality luxury leather. Light cream Moran pillow type. Unused Lounge. $1800. Armchairs, $990 each. 2 throws and 2 pillows included. Essendon area. 0419 384 496. Q-W

MOBILITY SCOOTER. Freedom Odyssey Plus, as new, 2 batteries, fully charged. Manual with instructions and invoice. Not needed anymore. Can inspect anytime. EC. $1800. Heidelberg. 0429 054 065.H-K

Indoor Outdoor Ground Covers. Stags, Bird of Paradise, Succulents, Ferns, Hydrangeas, more. Come and see. Very cheap. VGC. Noble Park. 0407 325 030.I-L

WALL TILES. Johnson White bathroom 150 x 150mm. Approx 128 tiles. $60. Soal holder $10. Johnson wall tiles, 198mm x 198mm. Approx 60 tiles, $40. Yea. 0419 109 887. O-S

PLUMBING DOWNPIPE. Colourbond Steel. 100x50mm. Four lengths at 1.8 metres. Yea. 0419 109 887. O-S

REGISTRATION

PLATES. Personalised. ‘MISUBI’. Slimline. B&W. VGC. $550. Frankston. 9789 9634. O-S

ROOF HOIST. Flo con Auto Mounted Car Roof Hoist. For disability patient., with key locks and lifting harness and patient seat. Works well. GC. $1300. Ferntree Gully. 0421 353 012.X-BB

Dimplex. Electric Portable. 7 vane. VGC. $60. Frankston. 9789 9634 O-S

SAWS. 5 vintage saws for woodwork. FC. $12. Also frame for manual sharpening. GC. $8. Ashburton. 9885 2203.H-K

STOVE. Electric Free Standing Stove with CookTop and Oven. Near new. Ideal for holiday home or unit. Very clean. EC. $100. Marysville. 0417 337 424.F-I

WETSUIT. Men’s. Wavelength. PFP Type 3. Suitable for waterskiing. Intended body mass 60kg. and cover, manufactured 2001. Catalogue No 3025, batch 0639. Rarely used, EC. $50. Greensborough. 0433 366 628.Q-W

TRUCKS WANTED for reale or wrecking. Richard, 0419 566 009.Q-W

Please Note: Free Ads Are Not Taken Over The Phone

VICTORIAN rocking horse, carved from wood and original. GC. $2000. Broadmeadows, Dallas. 0480 273 335I-L

ANZ BANK Money Boxes. GC. Will also trade. Proices negotiable. Mill Park. 9436 6893.U-Y

Notice of Precipe

For the record, the woman living in her private capacity, known by her proper name, Leah Bridget of Elwood, Victoria, is permanently domiciled on the land and soil of the Terra Australis State (Terra Australis). I am not a voluntary transactor in commerce. I hold, by right of original claim, the paramount security interest over all estates, property, assets, and collateral, both registered and unregistered. This absolute security interest extends over all associated copyright-protected trade names, including LEAH FRAME, FRAME LEAH BRIDGET, LEAH BRIDGET FRAME, LEAH B FRAME, LEAH B. FRAME, L.B. FRAME, L B FRAME, FRAME LEAH, Leah Bridget FRAME, LEAH Frame, Leah FRAME, FRAME Leah, LEAH B. Frame, Leah B. FRAME, Leah Frame, Leah Bridget Frame, Leah B. Frame, L.F., LF, LBF, L.B.F., and MS LB. My lawful reconveyance to the land and soil jurisdiction of Terra Australis was recorded under Public Recording Number RPP44 63900 05100 28447 50606 on the Proclamation Date 24 July 2025. Consequently, all usufruct subjugation ties with the corporate government of Australia are severed. I declare that I am no longer under government oversight, rescind government benefits, have removed myself from all voting rolls, and refuse and waive my right to enter into a RECOGNIZANCE everywhere as a person before the law. This standing reflects the peremptory norms of international law (jus cogens) from which no derogation is permitted, binding all state organs and corporate entities regardless of domestic legislative provisions to the contrary. The Australian government and its affiliates are hereby instructed to cease and desist misaddressing and misrepresenting the name Leah Bridget Frame in all capital letters contrary to the rules of standard English grammar and immediately cease and desist infringing upon my estate, private property, assets, collateral, and copyright-protected trade names.

By the Christian woman: Leah Bridget.

CLAIM: SOLE FIDUCIARY/DIRECTOR/EXECUTOR

TRUSTEE FOR THEIR ESTATES

Living Souls: Nick Papas, Man; Rena Papas, Woman; William Papas, Man; Mia Papas, Woman (any name derivative). NOTICE: To any entity, body, man or woman that believe they have any authority or interest in said Estates may view/rebut documents at Public Notices: www.thecommonwealthofaustralia.com.au

Notice of Precipe

For the record Marta Popa© nee Servanis, on Victoria, is permanently domiciled on the Land and Soil of Terra Australis. I am not a voluntary transactor in commerce, and the paramount security interest holder of all estates, property, assets and collateral, both registered and unregistered, and all associated copyright protected trade names. My lawful Conveyance to the Land and Soil jurisdiction of Terra Australis was recorded with Public Recording Number RPP44 63900 05100 38541 62601 on Proclamation Date10th September 2025, respectively. All usufruct subjugation ties have been severed with the occupying corporate government of Australia. The corporate Australian kakistocracy and its affiliates are instructed to immediately cease and desist misaddressing Marta Popa© nee Servanis in fraudulent debased Dog-Latin, GLOSSA and to cease and desist infringing upon my estate, property, assets, collateral and copyright protected trade names.

I/We Joyful George Pty Ltd applied to Liquor Control Victoria on 01-04-2026 for the packaged liquor licence at Preston Market Shop C235 30A The Centreway Preston Vic 3072.

Any person may object to the grant of this application on the grounds that:

• it would detract from, or be detrimental to, the amenity of the area in which the premises are situated, and/or

• it would be conducive to or encourage the misuse or abuse of alcohol. An objection must state the reasons for the objection. All objections are treated as public documents. Objections must be made in writing to: Liquor Control Victoria GPO Box 4356 Melbourne VIC 3001 Objections must be made no later than 30 days after the date of this notice.

EMPLOYMENT

Part-time Small Engine MechanicCutting Force - Oakleigh

PUBLIC NOTICES

HEALTH RECORDS NOTICE — TRANSFER OF PRACTICE

(STRACHAN EYECARE PLUS BLACKBURN)

Strachan Eyecare Plus, located at Shop 22, Blackburn Square, 66 Springfield Road, Blackburn, advises that this practice is being transferred to Jacky Wu, long-time employee of Greg and Sue Strachan, and that Greg and Sue will be retiring and no longer be providing health services. The business will continue under the same name.

Your health records

In accordance with Health Privacy Principle 10.2 of the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic), patients who have received health services at Strachan Eyecare Plus are advised that their health records will be made available for transfer to themselves or to a health service provider of their choice.

Patients who wish to arrange transfer of their records should contact Strachan Eyecare Plus at blackburn@strachaneyecare.com.au within 21 days of the date of this notice.

After that time, records will be dealt with in accordance with the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic).

Continuity of your care

We want to reassure you that Jacky and the rest of the Strachan Eyecare Plus team, including Petra, Hana, Christa, Phoenix, David, Elisabeth, Ray, Helen, Carolyn, and Lauren, who have been working alongside Greg and Sue for many years, will all remain in place. You can expect the same high level of care and personal attention you have always received.

Dated: 27 th May, 2026

Contact: blackburn@strachaneyecare.com.au or 9878 9095

Jacky Wu and the Strachan Eyecare Plus Team

HEALTH RECORDS NOTICE — TRANSFER OF PRACTICE

(STRACHAN EYECARE PLUS BALWYN)

Strachan Eyecare Plus, located at Shop 4, Belmore Plaza, 399 Belmore Road, Balwyn, advises that this practice is being transferred to Jacky Wu, long-time employee of Greg and Sue Strachan, and that Greg and Sue will be retiring and no longer be providing health services. The business will continue under the same name.

Your health records

In accordance with Health Privacy Principle 10.2 of the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic), patients who have received health services at Strachan Eyecare Plus are advised that their health records will be made available for transfer to themselves or to a health service provider of their choice.

Patients who wish to arrange transfer of their records should contact Strachan Eyecare Plus at balwyn@strachaneyecare.com.au within 21 days of the date of this notice.

After that time, records will be dealt with in accordance with the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic).

Continuity of your care

We want to reassure you that Jacky and the rest of the Strachan Eyecare Plus team, including Petra, Hana, Christa, Phoenix, David, Elisabeth, Ray, Helen, Carolyn, and Lauren, who have been working alongside Greg and Sue for many years, will all remain in place. You can expect the same high level of care and personal attention you have always received.

Dated: 27th May, 2026

Contact: balwyn@strachaneyecare.com.au or 9857 9375

Jacky Wu and the Strachan Eyecare Plus Team

or

in

or

or phone 0439 828 509

We are seeking a skilled small engine mechanic to maintain, repair, and service equipment used in our concrete cutting operations. This includes demolition saws, core drills, and other petroland diesel-powered machinery. The ideal candidate is hands-on with an attention to detail who can keep equipment running safely and efficiently. This position is ideal for an older individual potentially looking at scaling back from fulltime employment but not quite ready for retirement. Workshop based, flexible hours and a low stress friendly environment.

To enquire please contact Jonty on 0418 372 440 or email melbournesales@cuttingforce.com.au

Notice of Praecipe

For the record Andreas Mardes(c) and Paulina Winnifred Mardes(c) in care of Wonga Park, Victoria State are permanently domiciled on the Land and Soil of Terra Australis. We are not voluntary transactors in commerce and we are the paramount security interest holders of all estates, properties, assets and collateral, both registered and unregistered, and all associated copyright protected trade names. Our lawful conveyance to the Land and Soil jurisdiction of Terra Australis also known as the Commonwealth of Australia was recorded with Public Recording Number RPP44 63900 05100 28511 90600 and RPP44 63900 05100 28511 91607 respectively on Proclamation Date 16th March 2026. All usufruct subjugation ties have been severed with the occupying corporate government of Australia. The corporate Australian kakistocracy and it’s affiliates are instructed to immediately cease and desist misaddressing Andreas Mardes(c) and Paulina Winnifred Mardes(c) in fraudulent debased Dog-Latin, GLOSSA and to cease and desist infringing upon our estates, properties, assets, collateral and copyright protected trade names.

Copyright Notice, Acknowledgements

The Copyright Act 1968 – Section 42 (‘Fair Dealing for purpose of reporting news) provides:

(1) A fair dealing with a literary, dramatic, musical or artistic work, or work with an adaptation of a literary, dramatic or musical work, does not constitute an infringement of the copyright in the work if:

(a) it is for the purpose of, or is associated with, the reporting of news in a newspaper, magazine or similar periodical and a sufficient acknowledgement of the work is made; or (b) it is for the purpose of, or is associated with the reporting of news by means of a communication or in a cinematogrpah film.”

Packaged liquor licence application

I/We, UDAO PTY LTD trading as HOT MART, applied to Liquor Control Victoria on 15th May 2026 for the grant of a packaged liquor licence at Unit 3/ 993 North Rd, Murrumbeena VIC 3163.

Any person may object to the grant of this application on the grounds that:

• it would detract from, or be detrimental to, the amenity of the area in which the premises are situated, and/or

• it would be conducive to or encourage the misuse or abuse of alcohol.

An objection must state the reasons for the objection.

All objections are treated as public documents.

Objections must be made in writing to: Liquor Control Victoria GPO Box 4356 Melbourne VIC 3001

Objections must be made no later than 30 days after the date of this notice.