Casey Catch Up - Autumn 2023

CELEBRATING CASEY’S OUTSTANDING CITIZENS

The City of Casey recognised and celebrated a record number of outstanding individuals and groups for going above and beyond in their contribution to the community at the 2023 Casey Community Awards.

Announced at a special gala celebration event in January, City of Casey Chair of Administrators Noelene Duff PSM congratulated all the winners for the well-deserved recognition and thanked each of the nominees for giving their time, passion and energy to help build a stronger community.

THE 2023 WINNERS

Casey Citizen of the Year – Jo Ann Fitzgerald

Jo Ann is the heart and soul of Neighbourhood Watch Casey. She manages the group and its community events, including Safe Plates Day, community safety information, and the group’s Facebook page, sharing timely and relevant safety information with Casey residents. Jo Ann also represents NHW on Council’s Casey Community Safety reference group.

Casey Senior of the Year – Peter Cahill

Peter has been a volunteer English language tutor with the Adult Migrant English Service for 17 years. During the COVID-19 lockdown, Peter ensured his students were engaged and created various activities via Zoom and Facetime to help his learners continue to practice and grow, even under difficult conditions.

Casey Young Citizen of the Year – Tanisha Dooley

Tanisha is a mentor with the Casey Youth Action Committee making positive contributions to the group, showing exemplary leadership and a willingness to give her time and support to others. She also tutors at the Aboriginal Gathering Place in Doveton, using her teaching skills to support young community members with homework assistance.

Community Award winners (back row from left) Peter Cahill, Maggie Ma, Liesel Kippen, representatives from Bandok Tati Zahleigh Thomas and Jeremiah Nannup, Joy McKerihan, Jo Anne Fitzgerald, Melanie Bramble, (front row from left) representatives from the Afghan Australian Philanthropic Association Zarghona Attafi, Dur Aschna, Sultan M Miakhel, Tareq Bakhtani, and Asadullah Nazari.

Casey Woman of the Year – Liesel Kippen

Liesel volunteers with a soup kitchen, has raised over $17,000 for the homeless, collects and distributes warm clothing, has a voice on the Casey Council Libraries group and supports overseas charities too. She coordinated a care day for the vulnerable in our community before Christmas, offering hot meals, food hampers, clothing, blankets, toiletries and gifts for those who would otherwise go without.

Lindsay King Art Award – Bandok Tati

Bandok Tati is an Aboriginal dance group based in the City of Casey – Boonwurrung/Bunurong Country. They are a group of young men aged from 8 to 21 years who aim to bring more awareness to their culture through song and dance. They hope to inspire the broader community, and eventually the world, to learn more about the beauty of the Aboriginal culture, the oldest surviving culture in history.

Environment and Sustainability Champion – Melanie Bramble

Melanie is passionate about recycling and funds many different hard-to-recycle recycling options for the community, with her house being the drop-off point. She coordinates with her children’s school and her workplace to make sure everything that can be recycled, is recycled and runs a Facebook page promoting local recycling options available to Casey residents.

Casey Diversity and Inclusion award – Afghan Australian Philanthropic Association (AAPA)

The AAPA provides support and information about education, health, police, housing, and employment to newly arrived Afghan migrants and refugees. Older members of the community are encouraged to stay connected and young people are engaged through sport music and dance that enables Afghan culture and heritage to be celebrated.

Casey Community Group of the Year – Berwick Church of Christ Food Pantry

This not-for-profit organisation has been providing crisis care to the community in the form of fresh and non-perishable food, toiletries and nappies for the past ten years. The team of volunteers have created an environment where clients are respected, valued, accepted and cared for.

There were also two Special Mentions awarded: Maggie Ma was awarded Highly Commended in the Equity and Inclusion award for her art program with young Casey girls and women on the spectrum.

The Friends of Wilson Botanic Park was awarded Highly Commended in the Environment and Sustainability Champion award category for their work supporting Wilson Botanic Park in Berwick.

CASEY STORM PARTNERSHIP A WIN FOR THE SOUTH EAST

The City of Casey and Melbourne Storm have signed a new five-year partnership agreement, that will help boost rugby league participation across the community with free community programs and family events.

The new partnership, announced in February by City of Casey CEO Glenn Patterson and Melbourne Storm CEO Justin Rodski, will be in place until October 2027. City of Casey Chair of Administrators Noelene Duff PSM said the partnership would be a game-changer for Casey and Melbourne’s south-east by creating more opportunities for physical activity in the community and removing barriers to participation with free community programs and family day events.

Mr Rodski said the new partnership with the City of Casey was an extension of Storm’s activities in the region in recent seasons.

“The City of Casey and the wider south-east is home to thousands of our Storm members. In the past three seasons, we have conducted two very successful NRL trial matches at Casey Fields, as well as meeting our members and fans at open sessions and via our Storm in Your Club program,” he said.

“Storm is dedicated to developing more local Victorian juniors into NRL players and currently two juniors from the Casey Warriors Club, Sheldon Diaz and Jared Nauma, are on that pathway via our new Storm Academy program.

“NRL Victoria through the Storm Cup, Storm Premiership and Storm Junior League is also looking to continue to grow rugby league in the south-east via its five clubs and the work of its game development officers.”

Melbourne Storm’s junior representative teams will play a number of their home games at Casey Fields during the 2023 NSWRL competition.

Melbourne Storm CEO Justin Rodski and City of Casey CEO Glenn Patterson.

IN BRIEF

BOOK IN FOR YOUR FREE IMMUNISATION

Council runs a number of free public immunisation sessions each month, delivering Government-funded vaccines at community centres across Casey.

While many of the vaccines are for infants and young children, eligible residents up to 25 years can also access the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccine, which helps to protect against the types of HPV that cause most HPV-related cancers and disease in men and women.

To find out which vaccines are available, check your eligibility for certain vaccines or to book into a session, please visit our website.

REPORTING PROBLEMS IS A SNAP

If you spot something in the community that is broken, missing or in need of Council’s attention, you can let us know by taking a quick photo of the issue and sending the photo to us via the Snap Send Solve app.

The app is available on the Apple and Google app stores and is free to download and use, or you can also report incidents online using the updated Report an Issue form on Council’s website.

This will allow you to report incidents such as damaged equipment, graffiti, fallen trees, illegal parking or animal issues quickly and easily for us to investigate and resolve.

GREAT DAY OUT FOR CASEY KIDS

More than 5,000 Casey residents gathered at the Old Cheese Factory in March to enjoy this year’s Casey Kids Carnival.

A favourite on the Casey events calendar, the event returned this year with free rides, face painting, a petting zoo, live performances, roaming circus performers, AFL and gymnastics events and market stalls.

The community were also able to see displays and receive information from organisations including Ambulance Victoria, Victoria Police, Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES), and find out more about a range of Council services.

CASEY KINDERGARTENS WELCOME LITTLE BLUE DINOSAUR ROAD SAFETY PROGRAM

The City of Casey has joined forces with the Little Blue Dinosaur Foundation and the University of NSW – Transport and Road Safety Research Centre on an innovative new program to help improve child pedestrian safety around local kindergartens.

The Little Blue Dinosaur Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to protecting child pedestrians from the ever-present danger of roadways and moving vehicles through a program of community education.

City of Casey Chair of Administrators, Noelene Duff PSM said Casey was proud to be involved with the project.

“Council is committed to improving safety for children and this partnership with the Little Blue Dinosaur Foundation will help put pedestrian road safety at the top of all our minds,” Ms Duff said.

“Council is installing ‘Hold My Hand’ signs, created by the Little Blue Dinosaur Foundation, outside ten City of Casey kindergartens to encourage greater awareness about pedestrian road safety.

“We have also purchased the Little Blue Dinosaur’s picture book, Tom’s Holiday, as part of a road safety kit for every City of Casey kindergarten to support discussions with children about pedestrian safety.”

The foundation was established in 2014 by Michelle McLaughlin, following the death of her four-year-old son, Tom McLaughlin due to a pedestrian-motor vehicle crash that occurred during a family holiday.

“Over the last decade from 2013 to January 2023, 587 children aged 0-16 years were involved in a road fatality crash, with 22 per cent of these fatalities occurring when the child was a pedestrian or a cyclist. On average, one child per week dies in Australia this way, and it’s entirely preventable,” Ms McLaughlin said.

“It is especially important for young children to hold their carer’s hand when around busy roads. My family knows firsthand the heartbreaking reality of losing a child to road trauma.”

The study taking place in Casey will involve a parent survey about child pedestrian road safety, a community awareness/ educational campaign, and a follow-up survey to gauge the impact of the project.

HAVE YOUR SAY ON THE DRAFT BUDGET

The City of Casey Draft Budget 2023/24 and Draft Council Plan 2021-25 - Year 3 Review, will be available for community feedback from 19 April to 9 May 2023. The suite of documents available for the community to review and provide feedback on include the Draft Council Plan 2021-25 – Year 3 Review, Draft Annual Action Plan 2023/24, Draft Financial Plan including the Draft Budget 2023/24 and Capital Works Program 2023/24.

Created in line with community feedback gathered across a number of recent community engagement opportunities, these strategic documents continue to reflect the community’s stated aspirations for the future of Casey, which is to become a more connected, bold, and resilient community.

Visit Council’s website to view the documents and have your say.

Little Blue Dinosaur founder Michelle McLaughlin, Victoria Police Acting Sergeant Matthew Camillo, City of Casey Director Community Life, Callum Pattie, Sierra, Tobey and Alia.

USING THE RIGHT BIN MAKES A DIFFERENCE

Is your recycling bin being contaminated with items that should be disposed of in another way?

Unfortunately, quite often the wrong items end up in the recycling bin, leading to higher sorting costs and in worst cases, entire loads of recycling being sent to landfill.

It can sometimes be confusing to know how best to dispose of different items, and you can always check the handy A-Z guide available on Council’s website, or you can request a hard copy of the Casey Waste Guide to be sent to you.

When we notice items being put into the recycling bin that don’t belong there, residents might see a tag on their bins letting them know. This way we can try to reduce contamination of the load and ensure as much as possible can be effectively recycled.

When we recycle right:

• more items can be made into new things (like roads, footpaths, glass jars, planter boxes and park benches)

• valuable resources aren’t wasted in landfill

• we use fewer new or raw materials which is good for the environment. Remember, whenever possible, refuse excess packaging to help reduce your waste and use the right bin. Every bit makes a difference.

SOME OF THE COMMON ITEMS THAT NEED TO STAY OUT OF YOUR RECYCLING BIN INCLUDE:

Soft plastics

These are our worst contaminants. Supermarket shopping bags, bread bags etc. cannot be recycled and should not go into your kerbside recycling bin. Always make sure your recyclables go into the bin loose (not tied up in a plastic bag), to ensure it can be effectively sorted. Currently, around 16 per cent of Victorians put their recycling in plastic bags, making them a major contaminant. Soft plastics can get caught in the sorting machinery, increasing sorting costs and if the contamination is widespread, resulting in whole loads being sent to landfill.

Textiles

Textiles like clothes and shoes cannot be recycled as part of your fortnightly kerbside collection. If they are in good condition, consider donating them. If not, they need to go into the general waste bin.

Batteries

When batteries are placed in your household bins, they can cause fires in the bins or the trucks that collect them. They also contain toxic substances that are harmful to you, your family and the environment. There are battery collection bins at several locations across Casey including local libraries, Council’s customer service centres and some retail stores.

Polystyrene packaging

Polystyrene, also know as Styrofoam, cannot be recycled as part of your fortnightly kerbside collection. It needs to go into the general waste bin or check the waste guide for nearby collection points.

CLIMATE ACTION PLAN CHARTS PATH TO LOWER EMISSIONS

The City of Casey has adopted its Climate Action Plan 2022-2030, setting the course towards becoming a net zero emissions community and detailing actions that help tackle climate change.

The plan incorporates extensive feedback from the community and is designed to guide decisions and highlight what Council is doing to reduce corporate emissions and achieve net zero corporate emissions by 2030 or sooner.

The plan also outlines how Council will support the Casey community to achieve a regional target of net zero emissions by 2040. City of Casey Chair of Administrators, Noelene Duff PSM, said the actions detailed in the plan were ambitious, yet achievable, and would set Casey on the path to a more sustainable future.

“Council already has a strong record on reducing greenhouse gas emissions through improvements in energy efficiency and investment in renewable technology,” Ms Duff said.

“This new plan will ensure this work continues and that we meet out targets for net zero emissions and renewable energy supplies. Climate change is likely to impact everyone in Casey, with modelling predicting more extreme-weather events, including heat waves, longer and more intense bushfire seasons, drought conditions, increased storm activity, flooding and a rise in sea levels. These are long-term impacts that we can plan and prepare for.”

Through Council’s extensive Shape Your City community engagement programs in 2020/21 and 2022/23, we heard from more than 10,000 community members, each time overwhelmingly highlighting the need to deliver and invest in actions to address climate change.

To provide clear direction and guidance, actions in the plan have been grouped into six themes: Energy Efficient Buildings, Renewable Energy, Transport, Circular Economy, Sustainable Land Use and Planning, and Education and Empowerment. View the full report on Council’s website.

CASEY CATCH UP

CIRCULAR CASEY

The City of Casey is providing funding and support to seven projects led by innovative start-ups, businesses, and social enterprises to solve key environmental challenges, while also providing immediate benefits to the community.

Here’s a snapshot of the initiatives residents and local businesses can get involved with:

To tackle food waste, Reground will collect used coffee grounds from Casey cafés and deliver them for free to local community gardens, schools, and home gardens to be repurposed as fertiliser. Households can sign up for the OzHarvest program, Use It Up, to learn simple habits to reduce food waste and save money at home.

Forkful will onboard Casey hospitality businesses onto their app, allowing them to sell food at the end of the day at a reduced price to prevent food waste and provide Casey residents with access to healthy food for a lower price.

To enable a more sustainable construction and demolition sector, Activ group, in collaboration with Reece Group, will provide local businesses with an avenue to divert troublesome materials from landfill.

FTD Circular will support the renovation of community facilities across Casey, ensuring retired furniture and products are diverted from landfill and repurposed.

Evitat will support Casey homeowners to assess the efficiency of their houses and provide support for home improvements to reduce energy use and costs.

The Rosella Street Platform will enable Casey residents to re-sell, rent, swap or giveaway unused items.

To find out more visit conversations.casey.vic.gov.au

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Saturday 24 June – Sunday 16 July, 10.00 am - 10.00 pm

Free entry

Take a journey through the immersive Lost Dogs’ Disco in the Bunjil Place Plaza. Featuring a custom sound design of electronic music and dogs that light up as you pass by, this fun installation celebrates the place of dogs in our lives.

Find out more at bunjilplace.com.au

Artwork: Lost Dogs’ Disco by ENESS Image: Diana Snape Photography @studioeness