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A MORNINGTON man is in jail following what police describe as a “landmark” child exploitation case. The 57-year-old was arrested after Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team detectives raided his home in September. The case is the first to be presented before a Victorian court relating to charges of producing child exploitation material outside Australia. Acting Sergeant Paul Turner, of the police media unit, said the case highlighted the high level of investigative expertise of the Joint Anti Child Exploitation Team who target child sexual exploitation offences internationally. The arrest ended a year-long investigation into the man’s production and possession of child pornography, following visits to the Philippines 2012-2015, where he took nude photos of a young girl and two teenage girls. Investigators found more than 2700 child exploitation images on the man’s electronic devices. The man pleaded guilty at the Melbourne County Court and was sentenced to 21 months jail for producing child exploitation material outside Australia and accessing and making available child exploitation material in Australia. The man will be released after serving 15 months and then serve an 18 months community
corrections order for possessing child exploitation material. He may also have to pay $1500 recognisance.
Jailed over siege THE man at the centre of the Rye siege last December has been jailed for three years. Colin Wade Gower, 69, of Rye, held his estranged wife, and a co-worker, hostage for seven hours in a Point Nepean Rd cafe, causing mayhem for weekend shoppers. He was armed with two low-calibre hand guns. Angry traders later said they missed out on thousands of dollars in trade after specialist tactical police shut their shops and cordoned off the area. Gower pleaded guilty in the County Court to five charges. The court was told he repeatedly threatened to kill his wife – who he believed had a boyfriend – while reading from notebooks he called “ramblings of an angry man”. The siege ended peacefully when Gower handed himself in. He had no relevant prior convictions and reportedly suffered PTSD due to a traumatic childhood. He will be eligible for parole in 18 months.
The federal election will be held on Saturday 2 July 2016. Enrolment and voting is compulsory for all eligible citizens over the age of 18 years. Everyone who is on the electoral roll must vote in this federal election. If you can’t make it to a polling place on election day, there may be options to assist you including postal voting and early voting. Remember that you can only vote once in the election. For more information go to www.aec.gov.au or contact the AEC on 13 23 26. GT21923
Man jailed for child sex offences in Philippines
Even if you’re over 70, you still have to vote in the federal election
Federal election, Saturday 2 July 2016
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CLEARANCE UP TO 80% OFF JOSEPH RIBKHOFF TOTAL SELL OUT Opinions sought: The Skylift taking shape on Arthurs Seat is a planning issue that has involved several levels of government and the type of development on which residents are being asked to comment by Peninsula Speaks.
Future views for politicians WHILE politicians, including Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors, put forward their views to secure election, a community group is ready to gather data to assess what residents want for the peninsula. The federal election is on 2 July and council elections in October. Peninsula Speaks is compiling a list of people to participate in an online survey about what people want for the peninsula of the future so the results can be given to state, federal and local governments. “We’re nearly there with the numbers we need to release the survey,” co-founder of Peninsula Speaks Christine Haydon said. “But we can’t proceed until we have enough numbers to make the findings reliable and meaningful.” Ms Haydon said it was “important that all citizens of the Mornington Peninsula take the time to articulate their priorities and simply not sit back and let others dictate”.
Fellow co-founder Peter Avery said the federal and local government elections provides “us an opportunity to reflect and think about priorities for our local area”. “The surveys will be an opportunity to voice opinions regarding important topics such as tourism, climate change and population growth,” he said. The multiple-choice survey will be independently managed and analysed before its results are passed on to the three levels of government. Mr Avery said Peninsula Speaks wants to “gain the widest possible range of views about the Mornington Peninsula, both now and how it could be by 2030”. Answers to the survey would “identify the key priorities for the future and help inform and guide the key decision makers on the peninsula”. To register for the Peninsula Speaks online survey about the peninsula’s future go to info@ peninsulaspeaks.org.au
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50% OFF MON-SAT 9am-6pm SUN 1pm-5pm 72-74 Mt Eliza Way, Mt Eliza 5/59 Barkly St, Mornington 1180 High St, Armadale 75 Mitchell St, Bendigo
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