DANDENONG
Tuesday, 24 March, 2020
/DandenongJournal
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Pools, libraries closed
Councillors keep their distance
Team of the Year named
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Platinum milestone for couple By Danielle Kutchel A Noble Park couple have reached a very special milestone together.. John and Maria Miksad recently celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary at Belvedere Aged Care, surrounded by other residents and their family. Only three other platinum anniversaries have been celebrated in Australia. To mark the occasion, the aged care home held a coffee and music afternoon with a Croatian and Continental cake for guests. The happy couple was presented with a certificate from the mayor of Greater Dandenong and letters from the Queen, Premier Daniel Andrews, Prime Minister Scott Morrison, the Governor-General, their family and Belvedere's staff. Still very much in love, John and Maria sealed their special afternoon with a kiss.
Corona cuts? A rates freeze or a stimulus package? Greater Dandenong councillors are tossing around options to cushion ratepayers from an anticipated economic recession during the COVID-19 pandemic emergency. Cr Peter Brown raised the idea of freezing rates in 2020-21, saving households from a rise of about $35. The median residential rates and waste
charge bill would remain at about $1406. Cr Brown said the world faced an "economic downturn" not seen for a generation, with jobs, businesses and property values falling by the wayside. "We cannot plan to spend what we know we will not be able to receive. "Long after the virus has gone and the funerals have diminished, residents will have lost jobs, landlords will be unable to retrieve rents, small businesses will have closed and
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people will be cash and credit poor." By foregoing the 2.5 per cent capped rate rise, the council would shave up to $4 million from the council's bottom line. Cr Brown said it would mean putting on hold a "big ticket item", such a sports pavilion construction, or one of a "bevy of masterplans". "We would have to manage on (the same as) what we've got last year." He forecast that the State Government may
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force the council's hand in any case. "If this (pandemic) goes on for more than two months, no state government would want to increase fees and charges." Cr Matthew Kirwan said he favoured a local stimulus package. With strong finances, Greater Dandenong could borrow on historically low interest rates and bring forward its program of "shovelready" projects. Continued page 4
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Good time to be kind By Danielle Kutchel
A client has her makeup done.
The event empowered female jobseekers.
Dressed to impress By Danielle Kutchel Local women seeking employment were treated to a day of inspiration and transformation, thanks to not-for-profit Groomed to Go. Groomed To Go held their 'Discover the Woman in You' event on Wednesday 18 March in Dandenong, to celebrate International Women's Day. It followed a similar event in Frankston. The event offered 20 female jobseekers a transformational experience, including a full day of pampering with hair styling and makeup by students from Chisholm Tafe.
A one-on-one styling session with new clothes supplied from the Groomed To Go team left participants looking - and feeling ready to take on the world. Morning tea was supplied by Chisholm's hospitality department, before the women were joined by domestic violence campaigner and 2015 Australian of the Year, Rosie Batty. The women then received one-on-one interview preparedness and career coaching from the Chisholm Skills and Jobs Centre team. "It was fun and I felt like I learnt a lot of different things about what I can do with my makeup and hair for when I go to job inter-
views," one participant said. "After the experience I feel more confident and that I have got the clothes and things I need to go out and see if I can get an interview, and a job." Operating as Dress For Success South East Melbourne since 2008, Groomed To Go is part of the Dress For Success worldwide network that has helped more than one million women work towards self-sufficiency. To find out more about donating or volunteering with Groomed To Go, visit groomedtogo.org
Dandenong Market is urging residents to be kind as the Covid-19 pandemic continues The market is remaining open to customers, however acknowledges that social distancing and isolation measures have made it difficult for the community's most vulnerable to visit the market for their produce shopping. Dandenong Market is encouraging everyone to "be kind" by doing random acts of kindness, or sharing what they've seen, and is leading by example by providing 50 bags full of fresh fruit and vegetables to the most vulnerable in the community through the Hit Network's 'To The Rescue' campaign. On Friday 20 March at 9am, some 50 care packages of fresh produce were donated to vulnerable residents. The market is encouraging residents and shoppers to share the details of their random acts of kindness so they can be highlighted and celebrated. Random acts of kindness can be shared on Facebook and Instagram or submitted at dandenongmarket.com.au/news/be-kind-saysdandenong-market
The care packages will be given to the most vulnerable in the community.
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Tuesday, 24 March, 2020
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IN BRIEF Investigation continues after car fire
Covid-19 shutdown By Cam Lucadou-Wells A 500-strong police 'coronavirus' taskforce and a shut-down of "non-essential" services has been announced in a bid to "save lives" during the Covid-19 pandemic. The "non-essential" businesses will be shut down from midday on Monday 23 March, and government school holidays have been brought forward to Tuesday 24 March. As of early on 23 March, Victoria had recorded 355 coronavirus cases - up by 59 in the previous 24-hours. Premier Daniel Andrews announced that coronavirus police squad officers will increase spot checks on returned travellers in 14-day isolation as well as on limits to indoor and outdoor gatherings. Mr Andrews said police would not hesitate to enforce fines of up to $20,000 for breaches. It was confirmed that police had found a number of travellers breaching isolation rules, as well as intervening in misbehaviour at supermarkets. The crackdown was necessary because "unacceptable" mass gatherings at nightclubs, pubs and bars across Melbourne would otherwise "cost lives". "It's disappointing it's come to this," he said. In a dire warning, Mr Andrews said if the Covid-19 virus "gets away from us", there will be a situation in which there won't be enough critical-care beds, doctors, nurses and ventilators to keep people alive.
Daniel Andrews has announced Stage 1 shutdowns to combat the spread of coronavirus. If people acted "selfishly" and didn't take the threat "seriously", people would die. As a "Stage 1" of "unprecedented" service shutdowns, pubs, clubs, nightclubs, Crown Casino and licensed venues in hotels and pubs will be closed. Gyms, indoor sport venues, places of worship, cinemas, entertainment venues, weddings and funerals are also closed. Takeaway and home delivery services from restaurants and cafes are exempt. The Stage 1 bans will be in place until 13 April - though it is "highly likely" that the shutdowns will widen and last beyond that date,
Police are currently investigating a car fire in Keysborough. At 3.30am on Friday 13 March, a witness travelling south on Perry Road in Keysborough spotted a blue sedan parked on the footpath with smoke and flames coming from its windows. The vehicle was identified as a blue Holden Cruze with the Victorian registration number ZEK000. Investigators believe the offenders have broken into the front passenger window of the car, poured in an accelerant and ignited it. A council parking ticket from 11 March was found on the windscreen and matched the location in which the car was found. Police are currently making enquiries with the vehicle's owner and are appealing for witnesses who may have been near the car or seen it to come forward. Anyone with information can contact Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000 or www. crimestoppers.com.au
Mr Andrews said. He said many Victorians were acting "selfishly" by flouting the rules such as indoor gatherings of 100 people and outdoor gatherings of 500. The new rules didn't mean to "have your mates home and get on the beers". He cited the example of a guest with Covid-19 infecting all the attendees at a dinner party over the weekend. "It's not essential and it's not appropriate." Government schools will be closed for holidays from the end of the school day on Monday 23 March. It brings school holidays forward from Friday 27 March, giving schools the chance to prepare for the possibility of remote, online learning for students. "These are no ordinary school holidays," Mr Andrews said, declaring that going over to friends' places and hanging out at shopping malls as "not appropriate". Kindergartens and child care services will be still open at this stage, Mr Andrews said. "I call on every Victorian to undertake their civic duty and practise social distancing: don't be closer than 1.5 metres from another person, wash your hands and practise good hand hygiene. "Do that for yourself, your loved ones and for the loved ones of people you have never met." For latest updates and advice, go to dhhs. vic.gov.au/coronavirus
Noisy burglary bungled A pair of would-be burglars have been arrested after their noisy antics awoke their target. The victim, a 25-year-old male, was asleep in his two-bedroom flat in Springvale at about 10.30pm on Sunday 15 March when he was woken by a loud banging at the back door. The intruders didn't trouble to keep the noise down, as the victim could hear their voices in the backyard. The victim fled out the front door and hid in some bushes across the road, from where he could still see his property. He saw the offenders moving a Tarago to the front door and saw two people enter the house. Police were called and on arrival heard the two offenders fleeing. A cordon was set up and a police dog deployed to track the pair. One was found on a nearby roof, while the other was found hiding in a nearby unit. Both were arrested. The first offender, a 24-year-old male, was remanded in custody, while the second, a 33-year-old male, was charged and bailed to appear in court. Both offenders are set to face Dandenong Magistrate's Court at a later date.
Charities call for crisis help for vulnerable By Cam Lucadou-Wells and Danielle Kutchel Local organisations on the frontline of helping the most vulnerable are changing their practises as part of the response to Covid-19. And they're anticipating extra demand on their services as the virus hits hard. Springvale Benevolent Society volunteers will be limiting in-person contact as part of their door-to-door drop-offs of emergency food vouchers. President Joe Rechichi said the service had made the changes to keep their volunteers safe. The charity had yet to receive any SOS calls for provisions from people in self-isolation, but was expecting a surge in demand as a result of the coronavirus. "We're currently getting 10 or more extra callouts a month. I hope it doesn't get any worse. "We're coping with our services at the moment. And we'll try to spread our supplies and vouchers out evenly. "But more donations of food or cash won't go astray." Mr Rechichi said his food voucher recipients could face empty shelves at supermarkets due to the spree of panic buying. "If people don't get greedy in the shops, we
can all manage." To donate, call Mr Rechichi on 0409 249 881. Naomi Paterson of Cornerstone, which recently moved to a new location on James Street in Dandenong, said the organisation had experienced an increase in people contacting them asking for assistance with pantry items. "We can't meet demand," she admitted. "Then there's the problem of people living pay-check to pay-check, and on the day they get paid, there's nothing left on the shelves for them to buy." Cornerstone has changed the format of its meal services, serving them outside rather than indoors so guests aren't enclosed in a room. Meals are presented in takeaway containers so guests have the option of taking them home. Opening hours remain the same. "It's a challenge, working out new ways to support each other and to build and nurture the community," she said. Ms Paterson is concerned for the street community, which already faces struggles with basic sanitation and healthcare and is likely to be hit really hard in the Covid-19 crisis. But she has been encouraged by people who have gotten in touch with her and offered their support for Cornerstone, whether
Speaker, lighter stolen in pat-down burg
by buying extra meat so the Cornerstone community can have a meal, or the volunteers who are still assisting as much as they can. "I'm encouraged to see the community spirit being shown by a lot of people," she said. "Hopefully we continue to see that and this is a time when we can come together and support each other." Cornerstone needs donations of meat, vegetables and staple pantry items. Anyone interested in assisting Cornerstone can call 0481 186 323 or email admin@cornerstonecentre.com.au.
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Four youth offenders have been arrested following a robbery on McCrae Street in Dandenong. On Sunday 15 March, the three victims were walking out of Dandenong Plaza from the McCrae Street exit when they were approached by four males of Pacific Islander appearance. The offenders patted down the victims and threatened to 'bash' them if they didn't hand over their man-bags. The offenders then searched the bags for valuables, taking a JBL-branded speaker and lighter from one victim. All four were later arrested, with one offender remanded in custody. Transit CIU is investigating.
Naomi Paterson, Don Linch and Barbara Ashton of Cornerstone. 206737
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•CARPETS•VINYLS•RUGS•TIMBER•LAMINATES Tuesday, 24 March, 2020
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STAR JOURNAL 3
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Corona cuts?
Churches are changing the way they deliver services in the wake of Covid-19.
Don’t stop praying By Jonathan McQuie Services for all major religions across the City of Greater Dandenong have been placed on pause after the Federal Government banned indoor gatherings of more than 100 people, including for religious purposes. Some congregations have chosen to shift online, including Faith Christian Church, which is live-streaming its services via its Facebook Page at 10:00 and 5:30 PM each Sunday. Pastor Alex Attard says that the church is committed to following the regulations put in place by the authorities, but are looking for how to assist their congregation in the meantime. "We'll be streaming services every week as well as continuing to support our community as we always have," he said. "The format may look different. Our faith remains the same."
For St Mary's Catholic Church, decisions were taken out of their hands after the Archbishop announced that all public masses in Victoria will be cancelled. Congregants are still welcome to attend the church for private prayer, but are encouraged to pray in their homes. Father Brendan Lane said that St Mary's isn't able to contact parishioners through social media, making it difficult to keep in contact with them. "If they come here on Sunday, there's nothing that's going on," Fr Lane said. Funerals, baptisms, and weddings are still able to be held, however the crowd will much be reduced, possibly even to just the immediate family. Fr Lane encouraged the community to pray for a swift solution to the epidemic, saying that a lengthy stop could be devastating for them.
"We need a lot of people praying for some solution for this. "A six month stop would be devastating for us if it goes for a long time." The Islamic community at the Emir Sultan Mosque has also ceased regular religious services, announcing the cessation of regular Friday prayers. However, the mosque will remain open for those wishing to pray in isolation or seeking spiritual counselling and guidance. Members of the congregation are able to use the Mosque's WhatsApp group to stay in touch, while local elders are assisting with plans to assist those members of the community who are most in need. The Bright Moon Buddhist Society, Shri Shiva Vishnu Temple, and the Gurudwara Sri Guru Granth Sahib were all unable to provide comment.
From page 1 Priority would be given to the projects that promote the most economic activity, Cr Kirwan said. A rates freeze - with the corresponding capital works cuts - would further jeopardise jobs and send the local economy into recession, Cr Kirwan said. "If you've got a serious threat of recession, the last thing you want to do as a government is to stop spending." Mayor Jim Memeti said the council should weigh the "pros and cons" and make its decision based on "the evidence". "A rates freeze might sound good. But before we make policy on the run, we should get a report from the council directors given it's a ratecapped environment." A 12-month freeze would lead to a compounding loss of revenue for the council - more than $20 million over the next decade, Cr Memeti said. Due to the state's rates capping regime, the council would be unable to recoup the lost income in future budgets, he said. Whatever the response, the focus should be on "saving as many people and as many businesses as possible". With world sports largely on hold, Cr Memeti ruled out the council investing in a renewed bid for an A-League soccer team in 2020-'21. Its Team 11 submission failed in 2018. "The timing is not right. It's been put on the backburner." Cr Memeti was keen for the $50-million-plus Springvale Community Hub project to remain "on time and on budget". It had been forecast for completion in mid-2020. He urged residents to follow Government health advice. "We'll get through this together. We're a strong resilient nation - we're people from all over the globe and we'll overcome this as well." Greater Dandenong corporate services director Mick Jaensch said the council was anticipating revenue losses as a result of the pandemic. "Council cannot say accurately at this point the magnitude of this impact." Over the past week, Greater Dandenong closed down events as well as libraries, aquatic centres, stadiums and customer service centres to stop the spread of the virus. Councillors are currently in talks over the draft 2020-'21 budget. It is expected to be considered on 27 April and then open to public submissions.
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NEWS
Pools, libraries closed Greater Dandenong Council has closed customer service centres, public pools, libraries, sports stadiums and art galleries in an attempt to quell the spread of coronavirus. Its community events such as citizenship ceremonies, Drum Theatre shows, Keysborough's Big Picnic and Cinema in the Square have also been cancelled until the end of April, the council announced. "Council has not taken these decisions lightly but has done so in the interests of the health and wellbeing of our community, which is paramount ," the council stated. The shut-down venues include Dandenong and Springvale libraries, Drum Theatre, Walker Street Gallery and Arts Centre, Heritage Hill Museum and Historic Gardens, Dandenong Oasis, Noble Park Aquatic Centre, Springers Leisure Centre, Dandenong Basketball Stadium and Gloria Pyke Netball Stadium. The council's customer service centres were closed from 5pm on Thursday 19 March. The buildings are closed until further notice. Paddy O'Donoghue Centre and Jan Wilson Community Centre are open for "essential services" only. The Victorian Government's declared four weeks of a State of Emergency led to the event and activity shutdown. Other cancelled events included Sustainability Festival, Dandy-Con, Youth Services events, Library programs and Arts workshops. The council is also discouraging the public from attending its 23 March meeting. The session can be viewed on live web telecast at www. greaterdandenong.com.
Events cancelled Greater Dandenong Council has cancelled all its events, workshops and activities until the end of April, as Covid-19 continues to spread. The cancellation list includes Cinema in the Square Keysborough Big Picnic Sustainability Festival Drum Theatre shows Library programs Arts workshops. The Drum Theatre will close until at least the end of April. Both Springvale and Dandenong Libraries, plus Noble Park Aquatic Centre (NPAC) and Dandenong Oasis, remain open for now.
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In the face of the uncertain, keep calm and carry on By Danielle Kutchel Levels of concern, stress and anxiety are at an all-time high across the country in the face of empty supermarket shelves and the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. It can be difficult to know how to calm those intrusive midnight thoughts or racing heartbeats. But according to associate professor Craig Hassed from the department of general practice at Monash University, there are steps we can all take to reduce our anxiety in this trying time. He believes some of the anxiety currently being felt is out of step with the scale of events. "Concern about getting the infection isn't unreasonable, but the anxieties people often have are out of proportion," he said. He recommends people use reliable sources of information about the virus, including government and medical college websites. "Not feeding on the social media frenzy is probably going to help as well," he added. Practising mindfulness can counteract stress and anxiety, along with being considerate of the other human beings we cross paths with.
There are things you can do to relieve your stress and anxiety. Mindfulness can help keep people grounded and allows sensible decision-making. A/Prof recommended the free Smiling Mind app as people introduce themselves to mindfulness, as well as Monash University's Mindfulness for Wellbeing and Peak Performance course. The free course is available online on the Future Learn platform and gives users ground-
ing in how to practise and integrate mindfulness in their lives. A/prof. Hassed said stress can easily lead to selfishness, as people's thoughts turn to their own survival. "It's very easy for the mind to run ahead of the self and catastrophise about the future," he said. "When that anxiety bubbles over into how
people behave and respond to each other, you start unnecessary panic buying and people getting angry in supermarkets and elsewhere. "Very often, this fear and anxiety is as contagious as or more than Covid-19." But a better way of getting through the pandemic, he said, is by helping others and being considerate. "Generosity can be tremendously helpful," he said. And, having a laugh is a great stress reliever too. As if that wasn't enough, chronic stress can actually suppress the immune system, meaning people are more likely to catch viruses - whether corona or not - and more likely to have severe symptoms. Eating a good diet with plenty of fruit, vegetables and whole foods, exercising regularly at a moderate intensity and sticking with a regular sleeping pattern can all help keep the immune system strong. "If we manage our stress, then we reverse the negative impact that stress can have on our resistance to illness," A/prof Hassed said. Find out more at www.futurelearn.com/ courses/mindfulness-wellbeing-performance
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STAR JOURNAL 5
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Booze buses suspended
A ‘dangerous’ turn By Danielle Kutchel When a truck took out a power pole next to her house last week, the sound was so loud that Paraskevi Petridis thought a bomb had gone off. The accident left the street without power for some time, in an incident that she and her neighbour Angela Kallianis said the truck driver denied. But it's not the first time something like this has happened. Trucks routinely struggle to make the tight turn from Police Road onto Browns Road, forcing them into the path of oncoming traffic or up on to the gutter - or both. When they do mount the curb, trucks often hit the power pole on the corner. A metal plate on the pole bears evidence of past hits, while the ditch on the corner caused by truck wheels is getting deeper by the hour. Three times, Mrs Petridis has had to fix her fence after trucks ploughed through it. She once had a narrow escape as one came through her garage after she had just left that exact spot. "They have to do something. This is very dangerous," Mrs Petridis told the Journal. Mrs Kallianis said trucks also speed down the road, potentially putting pedestrians and other road users at risk. She added that truck drivers also use the road during their curfewed hours. She and her neighbours have been begging Greater Dandenong Council to erect barriers to protect pedestrians, or for the power pole to be removed so trucks can no longer hit it. They've found an ally in Councillor Zaynoun Melhem, who said the corner had been a problem for many years. "They've been hitting a lot of branches and power lines. We're trying to get council and VicRoads to look at better ways to manage the
By Danielle Kutchel Victoria Police has moved to reassure members of the community about their risk of catching Covid-19 through breath tests. In a statement, the organisation said "the exposure risk to coronavirus from a PBT (prelimary breath test) machine is no different to going about your daily life in the community". Victoria Police said it had sought advice from medical experts and been reassured that it is still safe for drivers to take a PBT. "It is against the law for drivers to refuse a PBT on the basis that they suspect coronavirus could be contracted," the statement added. Police use new straws and gloves for each PBT and the machine gets disinfected between use. Drivers are allowed to ask police to complete these steps again in front of them if they have any concerns. Normal penalties apply to those who refuse to undergo a PBT, including licence cancellation for two years and a maximum fine of nearly $2000. The news follows an announcement by Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton on Monday 16 March that booze and drug buses will be suspended to lessen the risk of spreading Covid-19.Officers in patrol cars will still conduct PBTs.
A truck mounts the curb as it attempts the corner.
The power pole is now on a lean after having been hit multiple times. road," he said. He believes barriers could be useful on the corner to protect pedestrians and houses. "I really see a major issue potentially happening there because of the turning circle being so narrow," he said. "Trucks drive over the footpath on a daily basis, I'm nervous a child will get hit. "Either some bollards might help, or making truck entry to Browns Road strictly from Princes Highway - that's probably the only real solution."
Booze and drug buses have been suspended but police patrol cars will still conduct PBTs.
The power pole bears the scars of multiple hits.
An important message from the Victorian Government
MANAGING CORONAVIRUS TOGETHER WILL FLATTEN THE CURVE.
1
2
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Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue.
If you feel sick stay at home.
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Wash your hands often for at least 20 seconds.
Stay informed at coronavirus.vic.gov.au
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STAR JOURNAL 7
NEWS
Garden still open for use By Jonathan McQuie While large public gatherings have been cancelled, the Springvale Community Garden is still open for visitors. Unfortunately, the community open day scheduled for 21 March has been cancelled, as all of the speakers and presenters who were planning to come have declined to attend. Instead, the garden will leave their gates open for people come in and look around, with a few members cooking up sausages and enjoying the day with whoever else pops up. Garden President Gloria Gapper says that the onset of coronavirus means that while visitors will need to be more careful than normal, there's still plenty of benefit for garden members who choose to come. "We're asking them to respect the new government guidelines. They'll just have to be more careful with regards to their distancing." While there's many elderly members of the garden, Ms. Gapper believes that gardening will prove beneficial for them in the long run. "If you're elderly and stuck at home in your house it makes it ery hard, while here they can still walk around tend to their garden and get a bit of exercise. If you're a gardener and like going outside, this is a good opportunity."
Nging with Gloria at the Springvale Community Garden. 205391
Armada events off
Victorians urged to stay kind By Jonathan McQuie
By Danielle Kutchel In the wake of the spread of Covid-19, Armada Dandnong Plaza cancelled its Harmony Day event and upcoming school holiday events. In a statement, the organisation said: "At Armada Dandenong Plaza, the good health and safety of our community is our high priority. "Following the recent advice from the Victorian Government and as a precautionary measure to assist in preventing the spread of the Covid-19, we have made a decision to cancel all our upcoming events ... until further notice. "We apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused and thank our valued customers for your understanding during these circumstances." The centre is still open for trading and hygiene measures have been increased to mitigate the potential risk for customers.
Dandenong Plaza is open for customers.
Though face-to-face interactions on this year's Neighbours Day are no longer possible, the SES is encouraging Victorians to put in additional effort to maintain social connections and support those who are vulnerable. People are being asked to send their neighbours a text, e-mail, or make a phone call to ensure they're doing OK, or to pop a calling card into your letterbox with a house number, contact details and a friendly message. Emma Kerr from the Greater Dandenong SES Unit says that they're planning to celebrate neighbour's day differently. "We've put a hold on all of our community activities as they're considered non-essential." "Once this whole crisis is over, and we're no longer to self-isolate and limit non-essential activities, we will host a neighbour day activity." According to Relationships Australia, positive and sustainable social connections are even more important during this time. "Social connections and support are even more important when so many (already vul-
nerable) people are being asked to self-isolate. Neighbour Day 2020 provides us with an opportunity to expand our connections and understanding of community and 'neighbours'." If community members have spare essentials, including toilet paper, tissues, bread, rice, and pasta, VICSES encourages them to offer these items to those in need, especially elderly and vulnerable neighbours. "The current circumstances surrounding COVID-19 mean the way we support and interact with each other may look a little different, but is just probably more important in terms of our social connections and supporting people who are vulnerable." According to Ms Kerr, Greater Dandenong's diverse population is especially vulnerable. "There's a belief that people from a different country feel isolated anyway and might not connect with the Australian culture and now they're being asked to self-isolate and stay away from social activities." "You might not have met someone before or speak the same language, but just say hi and make sure they're doing OK."
Bullying claims aired as Crestani gives evidence to IBAC By Cam Lucadou-Wells Former Casey councillor and deputy mayor Rosalie Crestani has told an IBAC hearing that she was been bullied by her ex-colleagues for “years”. Ms Crestani accused then-mayor Amanda Stapledon of seeking her to step down as deputy mayor three times. At issue was Ms Crestani publicly speaking out against the council’s approvals of mosques. Her stance was routinely opposed by Ms Stapledon. According to the council’s policy, councillors were recommended to advise the council’s communications unit of their “media interactions”. “And that’s why she asked me to step down as deputy, and I refused,” Ms Crestani said, noting the media guidelines weren’t mandatory. Ms Crestani said her chief bullies were Ms Stapledon and another former councillor Sam Aziz. Mr Aziz “rallied” councillors against her after she supported a councillor who complained against Mr Aziz at a code-of-conduct panel hearing in 2013, Ms Crestani said. “There were different elements over so many years but I’m a quick forgiver. “If I happened to disagree with certain individuals, they’d let me know about it.” 8 STAR JOURNAL
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Tuesday, 24 March, 2020
Casey mayor Amanda Stapledon with her deputies Timothy Jackson and Rosalie Crestani in 2018. She was “intimidated” by their comments, which were often made in public. Occasionally, it was aimed at influencing her vote, Ms Crestani said. “It was there for the public to see. It must have been acceptable for it to continue for years and years and years. It wasn’t just me, it was stacks of people.” Other ex-councillors such as Gary Rowe and Susan Serey said they saw no signs of bullying but more along the lines of robust debate. At the hearing, Ms Crestani was played a
secret phone tap of former colleague Geoff Ablett seeking talking points from developer John Woodman to brief Ms Crestani on the H3 intersection planning issue in late 2018. After crunching the numbers with Mr Woodman, Mr Ablett talks of Ms Crestani being likely voted in to chair the matter. “We were pushing for her because she was running for us and she gets a casting vote,” Mr Ablett tells Mr Woodman. “She said, ‘I will follow what you say, Geoff’.” Upon hearing the tape, Ms Crestani told the inquiry that: “I’m disgusted actually ... it makes people into puppets.” She said Mr Ablett was “talking himself up” in terms of his influence on her. At the time, Ms Crestani knew of Mr Woodman funding Mr Ablett’s state election campaign as well as the pair being investigated by the State Ombudsman in 2015. She agreed with IBAC Commissioner Robert Redlich that Mr Ablett shouldn’t have briefed her due to his conflict of interest. But she wasn’t sure if that extended to private discussions outside of the council chamber. “At times I wasn’t sure where the lines were.” Commissioner Redlich said phone taps suggested that Mr Ablett was able to persuade Ms Crestani to support pro-Woodman motions . “Well, then he would be underestimating
me because I thought he knew me as an independent mind and I made decisions always independently, even at risk of friendships,” Ms Crestani said. Ms Crestani recalled being elected as one of the deputy mayor positions in a split vote in 2018. It was effectively decided by Susan Serey’s vote for Ms Crestani over Wayne Smith. “It was either a conservative or a Commie,” Ms Serey later told her. Ms Stapledon told IBAC that she didn’t vote for Ms Crestani as deputy mayor, nor did she vote for her. In a phone tap, she told ally Mr Aziz that Ms Crestani would “listen to Geoff (Ablett) when it comes to important matters of voting”. Commissioner Redlich noted the conflicts that Mr Aziz, Mr Ablett and Ms Stapledon had in reference to voting on matters related to Mr Woodman. “Mr Aziz has got knowledge that you have a conflict and he’s working on you to be involved. “Mr Ablett has got a conflict and you are telling Mr Aziz that Ablett’s got Ms Crestani’s ear when he shouldn’t. “What’s going on?” Ms Stapledon said: “My values were not in line with my behaviours or my behaviours were not in line with my values, sir, and I’m bitterly disappointed in myself.” dandenong.starcommunity.com.au
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Courts adapt to pandemic threat
Picture: CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
Peter Brown is in self-isolation with coronavirus-like symptoms. 200559
Keeping a distance By Cam Lucadou-Wells Some Greater Dandenong councillors have gone into lockdown as part of coronavirus precautions. Cr Peter Brown has bunkered down at home with Covid-19-like symptoms, while an ill Cr Sean O'Reilly used video conferencing to join in a councillor briefing session. A secondary teacher, Cr Brown has not been formally diagnosed but suffered fever, coughing and breathing difficulties. His GP advised him not to visit the surgery
but instead line up at a hospital coronavirus testing clinic. The thought of lining up in an emergency department with people possibly carrying the Covid-19 virus didn't however appeal, he said. Cr Brown said he was part of 10 per cent of teachers taken ill at his school. Mayor Jim Memeti said during the pandemic, the council would look to more employ technology such as was used by Cr O'Reilly. Booked in for a Q&A forum at the Drum Theatre on 20 March, Cr Memeti was to make his presentation via videoconferencing.
The council advised the public to watch its 23 March meeting via webcast, rather than attending in person. "We don't want to shut down completely," Cr Memeti said. "I just please urge the community to take precautions and listen to the advice of the government. "We're a strong and resilient nation - we're people from all over the globe.
Dandenong Magistrates' Court remains open, though with some "social distancing" modifications. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, first listings will be delayed for up to 20 weeks and more audio-visual links will be used to cut down in-person appearances. For the first time, telephone appearances will be introduced. As of 18 March, the Koori Court was immediately suspended to protect the health of elders. Therapeutic courts such as the Drug Court, programs such as Court Integrated Services Program (CISP), VOCAT and civil prehearings will use telephone contact as much as possible. First listing times will be extended for at least 12 weeks for accused persons on bail, and 20 weeks for those on summons. Family violence matters will continue to be fast-tracked - seven days for bail matters and 28 days for summons. School visits have been suspended. Chief Magistrate Lisa Hannan said existing listings would continue as usual, subject to the discretion of magistrates, judicial registrars and registrars. "The safety of our staff, judicial officers, court users and stakeholders is our highest priority," she said. "We are readying ourselves to implement a range of additional measures and anticipate making further announcements in the coming days."
"We'll get through this together."
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Going for goal in the world game
Going for goal in the world game A soccer showcase in Dandenong will kick things up a notch in the race for an A-League team. Gach Chuol, Greater Dandenong Councillor Jim Memeti and Sukart Alex got in some practice ahead of the Saturday 16 June event. See page 7 for the full story. 181655 Picture: GARY SISSONS
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A soccer showcase in Dandenong will kick things up a notch in the race for an A-League team. Gach Chuol, Greater Dandenong Councillor Jim Memeti and Sukart Alex got in some practice ahead of the Saturday 16 June event. See page 7 for the full story. 181655 Picture: GARY SISSONS
His life for others By Casey Neill
Lee Tarlamis.
Lee Tarlamis says his older brother’s cancer battle inspired him to spend his life helping those less fortunate. His service culminated in a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List, announced on Monday 11 June. The Noble Park man and former state Upper House MP received the nod for service to the people and Parliament of Victoria “I’m extremely humbled. It’s not something that I’d expected,” he said. “I didn’t do it to get acknowledgement. “It was about wanting to provide assistance and help to people. “It’s a view that I formed very early on.” Mr Tarlamis said his brother fought cancer for two years before dying at age 17. “The trouble and the stress that the family went through, I saw how positive he was
throughout those two years,” he said. “It instilled in me that as tough as I think I have things, there are always people out there who are doing it a lot worse than me. “That’s why I got involved in the local community.” Initially that was through the Keysborough Learning Centre. “The centre loaned me a computer for me to do my school work,” he said.
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“I wanted to repay the favour so I was volunteering time with them.” There he met then-politician Eddie Micallef and became his electorate officer. “That’s how I got into the politics world,” Mr Tarlamis said. “That opened up a lot of opportunities to provide assistance to community groups.” He never intended to run for parliament, but “one thing lead to another which lead to another” and he was a South Eastern Metropolitan Region MP from 2010 to 2014. “That was such an honour as well, when you consider the fact that very few people get to hold that position and represent that large number of people,” he said. Mr Tarlamis was a Springvale Benevolent Society volunteer from 2002 to 2012, a Noble Park Community Action Forum member for many years, a founding Springvale Multicultural Men’s Shed committee member, and more.
He’s now a senior advisor to Special Minister of State Gavin Jennings. The world of politics is not where he thought he’d end up. The Tarlamis family moved from Oakleigh to Keysborough when he was eight months old. He went to Wallarano Primary School in Noble Park and to Chandler Secondary College, where Keysborough College’s Acacia campus now stands. Mr Tarlamis went on to study an associate diploma of business. “I grew up working with dad in the family businesses,” he said. “I thought it would be logical that I would go into the business world and maybe into management or something like that. “I really enjoyed the community stuff. “Politics became that vehicle to do it.”
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STAR JOURNAL 9
LOOKING BACK
Compiled by Dandenong and District Historical Society
100 years ago
Bypass 'in 1972'
25 March 1920 Milk Condensing Co. at Dandenong
Tenders have been accepted for the construction of 3.9miles of Mulgrave by-pass road. The acting minister of Public Works Mr Hamer, said: "The route of the Mulgrave bypass road runs roughly parallel to the north of the Princes Hwy. East from Waverly Rd at Chadstone to the Eumemmerring bypass road east of Dandenong. "Provision has been made for the Mulgrave by-pass rod to link with the Melbourne Board of Works South Easter Freeway in the vicinity of Waverly Rd Chadstone". A tender for $3,545,140 for the construction of the 3.9 miles of four lane divided freeway from just west of Stud Road Dandenong North to Princes Hwy at Hallam with interchanges at Stud Rd, Heatherton Rd and the Princes Hwy will allow through traffic to use the freeway as a bypass of Dandenong. A separate tender for
It is gratifying to announce that negotiations for the establishment of a milk condensing company at Dandenong have proved successful. The Australian Milk Pty Co have been granted sufficient milk, to be supplied by the milk producers of Dandenong and district, and have decided to erect a factory on land purchased in Hammond road. Building operations will be commenced as soon as plans have been prepared. It is excepted that the factory will be ready in 4 months, to treat the milk supplied. A siding is to be put in from the factory to the railway station yard.
50 years ago 23 March 1970
$190,893 is for the construction of duplicate four span bridges to carry Stud Rd traffic over the freeway. "The first section of the Mulgrave bypass road is expected to cost $5.5m and should be completed by July 1972. The second section of 4½ miles of the Mulgrave bypass road from Springvale Rd Mulgrave to west of Stud Road is planned to begin in three months and should be completed in 1973.
20 years ago 27 March 2000 Letters to the Editor Cr Roz Blades City of Greater Dandenong You may be aware that the City of Greater Dandenong has now formally launched its application for Heritage history with Heritage Victoria, the Commonwealth Register of the National
Estate and the National Trust for AFL Park Waverley. The City undertook its own formal evaluation before proceeding with this nomination, and has submitted a comprehensive report for evaluation.....Let's remind the AFL that they are trustees of our asset, and insist that the State Government honour their election promise in helping save this venue.
5 years ago 23 March 2015 It's none of our business but Dandenong City Bowls Club, which will fold at the end of March after 132 years did not fade into the annals of history without one last win. The Dandy team beat Hampton 40-31 in the Bowls Victoria division eight grand final at Burden park Bowls Club on Saturday 14 March.
NEWS
South East MP departs Long-serving South Eastern Metropolitan MP Gavin Jennings has announced his retirement. The Special Minister of State gave his farewell speech to State Parliament on 19 March - the day that the Houses closed for a coronavirus-led recess. "I want us all to learn from the mistakes of the past and never go back there," he said - a day after announcing a Stolen Generations' redress schme. "I want us to celebrate the achievements, the talents, the strengths and the wonders of this land. "I look forward to all of us contributing to building a progressive, compassionate, sustainable and safe future together. That will be the country where I want to live." Premier Daniel Andrews paid tribute to
“
I look forward to all of us contributing to building a progressive, compassionate, sustainable and safe future together.” - long-serving MP Gavin Jennings
Mr Jennings, the Government's upper house leader and widely regarded as the Premier's right-hand man. "Gavin has been a fierce and faithful voice for his local community. "Giving voice to the voiceless, affording power to the powerless, and making life better and fairer for working people." Mr Andrews said Mr Jennings' list of achievements included protecting 140,000 hectares of river red gums in the state's north,
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a First Peoples' treaty, as well as the Stolen Generations' redress scheme. "Gavin has been at the forefront of some of our biggest and bravest legislative achievements: fire services reform, gender equality reform and ensuring Victorians at the end of their life have the dignity they deserve. "Because of Gavin, our state is more progressive and more principled." Mr Jennings's retirement is effective from 23 March.
Gavin Jennings has made a sudden retirement from State Parliament.
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Women celebrated By Jonathan McQuie Speakers from a wide variety of backgrounds and occupations presented at the International Women's Day Celebration on Wednesday 11 March, hosted by WASEMA at the North Dandenong Neighbourhood House. 65 women and children from around the city of Dandenong had the opportunity to hear these leaders inspiring stories. Speakers shared messages along the theme
"each for equal", focusing on how to manage their professional and personal leadership skills. Of particular note were speeches by the federal member for La Trobe, Jason Wood, and the Minister for Women, Prevention of Family Violence, and Youth, Gabrielle Williams. Ms Williams discussed the recent Gender Equality Act's role in breaking down barriers of discrimination and gender in the workplace, focusing on how the improved policies pro-
grams and services it bring should lead to better results for the Victorian community. According to Nika Suwarsih, WASEMA's Head of Community Development, the Celebration was an opportunity for women to remember the power of recognising their accomplishments. "Women should celebrate every day their big and small achievements as all achievements are special and impactful."
Gabrielle Williams and Jason Wood cut a cake each. 205113
Challenging the young to be well read By Jonathan McQuie The annual Premier's Reading Challenge was launched on Wednesday 18 March, challenging young people to increase their literacy by reading more books. Students in years 3 - 10 need to read at least 15 books between March and September from the over 12,000 books on the list. Children between prep and year 2 are challenged to experience 30 books, while those who are yet to start school are asked to peruse 40 books with the assistance of their families. According to Minister for Education James Merlino, "Supporting children to read is one of the most powerful things you can do to encourage a love of reading and literacy - developing skills that will set them up for life." Over 3 million students in Victoria have read more than 50 million books since the challenge first began in 2005.
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Indonesian dancer Indah Dwitari. 205113
Minister for Women Gabrielle Williams presents at the WASEMA Celebration.
Armada Dandenong Plaza runs weekly Facebook competitions called Friday Freebies. Customers must simply look out for the post on the Armada Dandenong Plaza Facebook page each Friday and answer a question within the comments section for their chance to win a prize Armada Dandenong Plaza keeps customers updated with news and upcoming events. There are also fun giveaways for all customers. To join in go to www.facebook.com/dandenongplazashopping
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STAR JOURNAL 11
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DDCA’s best of the best best towards the back-end of the season, the overseas pro led the club brilliantly through a rough patch before the grand final was cancelled, preventing the Bucks from a chance of back-to-back flags. Kaushalya Weeraratne (HSD) - 558 runs at 46.5, HS: 89, three wkts at 28 It was a fascinating season for the Heinz Southern Districts star, who was right up in the association in runs but couldn’t quite break through for the massive score despite showcasing immense consistency in the middle order. Incredibly, Weeraratne made between 30 and 49 eight times throughout the season, and scored two half-centuries after Christmas, and only made one single digit score in the entire campaign. Jerome Jones (Buckley Ridges) - 429 runs at 53.6, HS: 97, 26 wkts at 18.8, BB: 5/45 What a recruit he’s been for Buckley Ridges. The West Indian all-rounder enjoyed an absolutely superb maiden season for the club, becoming a destructive middle-order batsman and outstanding spearhead with the ball, sending them down quickly at Park Oval. Jones often provided some huge individual performances, including a golden 97 against Berwick, and a highly-impressive 5/45 against North Dandenong. Ruwantha Kellepotha (Berwick) - 180 runs at 20, HS: 58*, 26 wkts at 17, BB: 4/8 The star all-rounder joined the Bears with a bit of expectation behind him after an extraordinary 2018/19 season with St Mary’s. While it took a bit of time for the leggie and middle-order batsman to settle in to his new surrounds, as the year wore on his value was evident with a number of excellent displays - particularly with the ball. Kellepotha had a tough start to the year with the bat but made some handy contributions, batting at four later in the season. Troy Aust (Buckley Ridges, wk) - 179 runs at 22.3, HS: 47, 17 catches, six stumpings The Buckley keeper and long-term leader enjoyed another incredibly consistent season and once again proved his skill with the gloves throughout the year and also his capacity to provide handy runs later in the innings for his club. He's an unbelievably reliable cricketer who seemingly is still playing at an extremely high standard. James Wilcock (Berwick) - 46 runs at 23, HS: 13*, 31 wkts at 11.7, BB: 5/14 The Turf 1 leading wicket-taker interestingly had a slow start to the season with just four wickets from his first four games, but since then his class went to another level, completely dominating the competition and proving himself to be the premier quick of the DDCA. His patch leading into finals - including 3/3 from eight overs against Hallam and 4/8 against St Mary’s - was frightening. Brendan Rose (Berwick) - 21 runs at 3.5, HS: 7, 24 wkts at 12.8, BB: 5/29 Rose came as a highly-prized recruit to the club from Premier outfit Casey-South Mel-
Jerome Jones enjoyed a stellar first season at Buckley Ridges. 203725 bourne, and enjoyed a strong first season at the club in 2018/19, but this year, the quick’s class was on display in a scary new-ball combination with Wilcock - providing so much consistency with his lines, something he’s well renowned for. He snared 5/29 in Round 2 to set the scene for his season and seemed to always lift to another level against the top-sides, as shown by his 4/19 against Buckley Ridges in a run-soaked one-day clash. Jarryd Straker (Springvale South) - 20 runs at 5, HS: 7, 29 wkts at 12.1, BB: 4/22 Once again staking a claim as the top spinner of the association, the left-arm tweaker was once again absolutely superb for the Bloods with his consistency, control and ability to wear down an opposition on display. He rarely went an innings without a wicket, and took three or more wickets six times throughout the 2019/20 campaign, including four against Berwick, Buckley Ridges and a quality 3/10 against Narre South. He's truly a big game player. 12th man: Greg Todd Buckley Ridges All statistics are based on the home-and-away season only
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It’s been another strong season for some of the star cricketers of the Dandenong District’s toptier, and DDCA reporter Nick Creely has chosen his Turf 1 Team of the Year, based on the home-and-away season. It was an extremely unfortunate end to the Turf 1 season, with the standalone grand final scheduled on Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 March cancelled amid the Covid-19 pandemic, with Berwick picking up its first premiership since 2011/12 due to finishing on top of the ladder at the conclusion of the regular rounds. Buckley Ridges - which was shooting for back-to-back flags - finished as runner-up after qualifying for the decider after finishing in fourth position. Here is the team (in batting order): Matthew Chasemore (Berwick, captain) - 617 runs at 61.7, highest score: 134* Now a Berwick premiership captain, the exVictorian Premier Cricket great enjoyed one of his most prolific scoring seasons in a number of years, mostly opening the batting for the Bears. The left-hander made a superb 134 not out against Buckley Ridges and also struck scores of 55 not out, 70 not out, 91 and 98 to be one of the most consistent top-order players in the association once again. He also led the Bears superbly throughout the season, which ultimately ended up in the Turf 1 flag after finishing on top of the table. Ateeq Javid (Springvale South) - 565 runs at 51.4, HS: 110, four wickets at 31.5 The overseas pro joined the Bloods as their skipper and had an immediate impact with scores of 110, 87, 75 not out and 63 all before Christmas to completely take the competition by storm. While his form tailed off slightly after the break, Javid was a driving force in the club’s push towards finals, and almost finished the season with 600 home-and-away runs next to his name. Morteza Ali (Narre South) - 438 runs at 33.7, HS: 125, 24 wkts at 15.1, BB: 5/11 The Narre South all-rounder was a deserving winner of the Alan Wookey Medal as champion player of the Turf 1 season, with the exciting Lion proving his worth in the top-flight with some dominant performances that ultimately helped lead the club to an incredible finals appearance after being promoted from Turf 2. Ali belted a memorable 125 against North Dandenong early in the season, while just prior to Christmas, he put Hallam Kalora Park to the sword with 64 and 5/58, while he also snagged 5/11 in a match-winning performance against St Mary’s. David White (Buckley Ridges) - 695 runs at 53.5, HS: 101 It was always going to be a hard act to follow after one of the most dominant individual seasons in 2018/19 in his first season in the association, but the South African star was once again the most prolific Turf 1 batsman of the year, topping the competition in runs and providing his usual fireworks with some of the more entertaining and breathtaking knocks you’ll see. While White wasn’t at his absolute
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