13th November 2024

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St. Arnaud, Charlton, Wedderburn & Surrounding Districts

Est. 1864

18 Napier Street, St. Arnaud. 3478. - Advertising & Editorial Material - Ph.: (03) 5495 1055; Fax.: (03) 5495 1937. Email: ncn@iinet.net.au Published weekly. Registered by Australia Post, Publication No. VAC 4217.

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 13th 2024.

$2.00

Circulating in:- St. Arnaud, Charlton, Donald, Rupanyup, Bealiba, Stawell, Marnoo, Navarre, Dunolly, Wycheproof, Wedderburn, Birchip, Korong Vale, Stuart Mill, Redbank, Avoca & Moonambel.

(Incl. GST)

Northern Grampians bucks the trend for gender equity NORTHERN Grampians Shire Council has a new look with now 4 of the 6 Councillors being female and 4 of the 6 new to their positions. The results of the 2024 Local Government elections have now been announced and there are only 2 members that sat on the last council and with 4 females they surpass the Victorian Government target of 50/50 gender equity by 2025.. Returning are Cr. Karen Hyslop (Central ward) and Cr. Murray Emerson (Kara Kara Ward). A computer count tallied the candidates that were successful and declared them elected last Thursday 7th November. With the amended electoral boundaries and the decrease in wards to three (not four) with only 2 councillors for each ward, things were always going to be tight. But with four sitting councillors all making their pitch for election as a Councillor is Central Ward, Hyslop, Erwin, Dempsey and Haswell, someone was going to miss out. In Central Ward the first

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St. Arnaud Shopping Promotion “Red Star” starts today STARTING today is this year’s RED STAR promotion with lots of goodies to be won including cash, items and vouchers. Get all your Christmas shopping done in town, by ‘Shopping Local’.

See page 9 for a list of participating businesses and ideas for Christmas. Keep up to date each week for new specials and ideas in the North Central News

successful candidate was (sitting) Councillor Karen Hyslop and the second was Jenny Greenberger. In Grampians Ward, close voting called new councillors Justine Hyde and second Jack Blake, another newcomer, with sitting councillor Trevor Gready and newcomer Lisa Whyte missing out. In Kara Kara Ward, Karen Probst polled magnificently with second placed elected Murray Emerson, ahead of locals Terence Robertson and Ross Hudson and Stawell resident John Farrell.

Legacy of Kevin Erwin Kevin Erwin, although defeated at this election had served for 21 years and has served six terms as Mayor, between 2005-06, 2008-9, 2009-10, 2013-14, 2018-19 and 2021-22. He is the longest serving councillor on Northern Grampians Shire.

Mayor looses after two terms

placed the bar high for the new female members of council.

Unsuccessful contest for Gready Trevor Gready was also one of the sitting councillors to unsuccessfully recontest his position. He was seeking only his second term as councillor.

Deputy Mayor position Swearing in of these elected representatives will occur tomorrow night, and too late for this edition of North Central News.

Also to be decided at that meeting is the contentious issue of whether to appoint a Deputy Mayor. This position has been an issue for the previous Council with division on the value of such a position. The issue has long been held particularly by those that who failed to regain their seats that the position of a Deputy was too financially demanding whilst the argument for the position was thought to produce not only a succession line but also one that would add depth to the leadership of council.

Swearing In Ceremony The new Northern Grampians Shire Council

will be sworn in at a statutory meeting on Wednesday night. The councillors elect will take the oath or affirmation of office in the Council Chamber, Pleasant Creek Historic Precinct, Stawell, at 6pm. At the meeting, councillors will consider whether to set a mayoral term of one or two years and whether to establish an office of deputy mayor. Council Chief Executive Officer Brent McAlister will chair the meeting until the mayor is elected. He said it was an exciting time for the municipality. “On behalf of the organisation I congratulate the new councillors on

being elected,” he said. “I very much look forward to working with the incoming council to see fantastic outcomes for our community and to see the shire prosper in every sense of the word.” The councillors will complete mandatory induction training during the next few months. “Councillors will be well-supported by staff and will have plenty of opportunities to liaise with the community as they set the priorities for their term,” Mr McAlister said. The statutory meeting is open to the public and will be livestreamed via council’s YouTube channel from the council’s website.

Elected Councillors for Buloke Shire The following candidates were declared elected to Buloke Shire Council at the election held in October 2024. Lower Avoca Ward has elected Bruce Stafford and Stephen Barrett. For the Mallee Ward, Bernadette Hogan and Alan Getley have both been re-elected unopposed and for Mount Jeffcott Ward the elected representatives are Graeme Milne and

Charmaine Delaney. These councillors will represent their community on the Buloke Shire council until the next general council election in October 2028. Election Manager Bevan Spencer declared the result at 3pm on Friday 8th November at the Supper Room, 367 Broadway, Wycheproof.

Mr Rob Haswell, who was the Northern Grampians Mayor at the time of the elections having served until the swearing in ceremony this week. Cr Rob Haswell was elected Mayor of Northern Grampians Shire Council for a twelve-month term in 2023. Mr Haswell served two terms as a councillor for Stawell Ward, having first been elected to council on 22nd October 2016, and reelected in 2020.

Loss for hardworking Dempsey Lauren Dempsey has been one of the hardest working of the sitting councillors who unsuccessfully contested these local elections. She ran a positive campaign and was one of the founding members of the Women 4 Council – Northern Grampians group. She was also the instigator of the need for a Deputy Mayor position in order to successfully plan for succession in council. She leaves council having

Above: The first fire truck to arrive was too little too late as the house fire in Navarre Road destroyed a family’s lives last weekend. Above inset: Hayley and children.

House fire leaves family without a roof over their heads HOUSE fire at the weekend has left one family homeless after what appears to be an electrical fault in an air conditioning unit which triggered a fire in the roof. The home, in Navarre Road near the railway line, was spotted by workers on the replacement of the railway line between Navarre and Millett Streets, who alerted the family

who then raced from the home taking nothing with them. Ricky Gentles, an employee at the St. Arnaud Sporting Club, his wife Hayley and two children are now homeless and have lost all their possessions. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family. It can be found at www.gofundme.com/f/please-supportour-staff-member-ricky-and-his -family


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