NEWS DESK
‘Affordable’ rentals in sharp decline curity and comfort. “While the government argues that Newstart is not intended to be a payment you live on, it does not help if the payment is so low it is impossible to find living arrangements that support you to get yourself back to work,” Ms Galloway said. She said the legal centre would continue advocating for the rights of rooming house residents through its outreach program. “In the future, we hope these vulnerable people will be able to afford a home environment that enables them to have the opportunity to escape the entrapment of poverty.” The rooming house outreach program (RHOP) is paid for through the Department of Health and Human Services and covers 17 municipalities and more than 800 registered rooming houses. For more information about free legal services, call 9783 3600 or visit www.pclc.org.au. Keith Platt
THE amount of rental housing regarded as being “affordable” has dropped from 30 per cent of the total on offer to 7.6 per cent in a decade. “Affordable housing is generally defined as accommodation expenses that account for no more than 30 per cent of gross household income,” Peninsula Community Legal Centre CEO Jackie Galloway said. “With the Victorian housing crisis centered on the availability of affordable housing, the urgency to raise the rate of Newstart is becoming pressing. We are seeing the impact of the crisis with 75 per cent of PCLC’s clients on no to low income. Low income being defined as living on less than $26,000 per annum.” Ms Galloway said the Newstart rate had not risen in real terms for more than two decades, while the cost of living in Australia had “increased substantially”. “Because of the growing gap between those that can afford to live and those that can’t, we are seeing an inevitable increase in the homelessness rate.” Ms Galloway said the 2016 Census data indicated the rate of homelessness grew by 13.7 per cent over the previous five years and on Census night, more than 100,000 Australians were homeless with about 17,000 being children under 12. “A single person living on Newstart is trying to make ends meet on $40 a day. The average rooming house rent is $200 a week and this usually only gives access to a single room with shared bathroom and kitchen facilities,” she said. Conditions in rooming houses could be substandard and have the added problems of se-
Fashion parade MORNINGTON’S Beach End Op Shop will hold a fashion parade on Friday 4 October. Clothes from the store will be paraded from 1.30pm-3.30pm at St Marks Uniting Church, 50 Barkly Street, Mornington. The $10 entry includes “bubbly” and afternoon tea. A raffle will be held during the parade and tickets are available at Beach End Op Shop, 70 McLaren Place, Mornington as well as at the door on the day. All proceeds go to Mornington Community Information and Support Centre.
In training: Chef Joshua Pelham and apprentice chef Harrison Caruana are preparing to represent Australia in the Bocuse d’Or culinary competition. Picture: Sydney Low
Chef ’s prepare for contest THE executive chef at RACV Cape Schanck Resort, Joshua Pelham, will represent Australia in next year’s international Bocuse d’Or culinary contest. He will be joined in the Bocuse d’Or Asia Pacific qualifier by RACV City Club apprentice chef Harrison Caruana. The pair will be trained by head coach Scott Pickett and a panel of senior chefs. Pelham says he has has dreamed of competing in the elite event ever since he watched Pickett training for Bocuse d’Or 2005. “At the time I was an apprentice at Matteo’s with Scott’s commis chef Cate Robertson,” he said. “She invited me to watch a training session, and I admired their level of discipline and focus. From that time on I was inspired to compete for Australia one day, so this really is a dream come true.” Pelham completed his apprenticeship at Fenix with George Calombaris, Raymond Capaldi and Gary Mehigan. Since then he has worked in
London under Philip Howard at The Square and Kitchen W8, with Calombaris at The Press Club and The Hellenic Hotel, and as Pickett’s head chef at The Estelle. He has been executive chef at RACV Resort Cape Schanck for the past three years. Bocuse d’Or Australia president Tom Milligan says Pelham impressed the selection committee with his focus, drive and dedication, as well as his extraordinary cooking talent. “Josh competed very well this year in both the Thierry Marx Career Development Award and also the chef of the year competition at Foodservice Australia,” Milligan said. “In chef of the year, Josh was runner-up to Michael Cole, who competed for Australia in January, and I believe he has both the tenacity and the talent for Bocuse d’Or.” Next year’s Bocuse d’Or Asia-Pacific selection will see five out of 12 teams selected to test their skills against some of the best chefs in the world, in Lyon in January 2021.
FRIDAY 22•11•19
AUSTRALIA’S MOST WANTED 80’S TRIBUTE SHOW!
PRIZES
BACK BY
FOR BEST DRESSED
POPULAR
80’S
DEMAND
PRESALE TICKETS ONLY $25 DOORS OPEN 8PM FOR 9PM SHOW
BOOK NOW AT THE VENUE OR www.ticketebo.com.au/rosebudhotel BOOKING FEE MAY APPLY TO ONLINE BOOKINGS • TERMS AND CONDITIONS APPLY • PHOTO ID REQUIRED • MANAGEMENT RESERVES ALL RIGHTS
NOW TAKING BOOKINGS FOR
Christmas Lunch 2019
• SEAFOOD OR SOUP ENTRÉE • TRADITIONAL CHRISTMAS ROAST • DELICIOUS SELECTION OF DESSERTS
SANTA
WILL BE VISITING WITH A
PRESENT FOR ALL THE KIDS
DRINKS INCLUDED
Adults $110.00 Children (up to 12yrs) $55.00 Limited Tables – Get in quick!
For bookings PH: 59500 300
Southern Peninsula News
25 September 2019
PAGE 5