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Southern Peninsula News 21 June 2016
NEWS DESK
Man, 69, 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.
Pokies update A REVISED framework for controlling the use and number of gaming machines and minimising harm to the community on the Mornington Peninsula was adopted by council on Monday. A report by the social planning and development department revealed $79,400,240 was lost through the 821 pokier machine in the shire during 2014/2015, with the daily loss rate being $217,535. The report found that although gambling is recognised as a “legitimate leisure and entertainment activity”, it acknowledged the potential for financial and social harm. The new Responsible Electronic Gaming Machine policy aims to encourage responsible gaming by guiding council’s decisions on the location and design of gaming venues. The policy updates the 2001 document and the results of the outcome of the exhibition of the
background paper and draft strategy and action plan 2007. In the report, author and acting team leader Kathy Heffernan noted the financial contribution that gaming venues make to the community, but accepted that council had a role in protecting the shire’s vulnerable communities from the detrimental impacts of gambling through a “health and wellbeing” approach. The draft policy will be available for public comment for four weeks.
Bridge upgrade SHANDS Rd between Tucks and Shoreham roads, Main Ridge, will be closed until October while repairs are made to a bridge. The works will include demolition and removal of the existing bridge deck, substructure and abutments. A new bridge structure will be built and minor roadworks on Shands Rd completed. The $600,000 project is funded through Roads to Recovery. Property owners on Shands Rd have been contacted, and local property access will be maintained. A traffic management plan and signs will be displayed in the area. Details: 5950 1048.
Finance finals VIOLETA Finance is a finalist in the Mortgage and Finance Association of Australia annual excellence awards, with the national finals to be announced on 14 July in Melbourne. “We are honoured to have been recognised by our industry peers and to have been selected from all the entrants across the country and named as a finalist for this award,” mortgage and finance broker Carl Violeta said. “We are particularly committed to demonstrating how we are a family friendly business as we grow, supporting women in the workplace, and engaging with our community to make a difference.”