News - Pakenham Officer Star News - 7th January 2021

PAKENHAM OFFICER

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Thursday, 7 January, 2021

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Food pantry doors open

Looking back on 2020

Sports still triumph

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Top results for VCE

Our new suburb

By Danielle Kutchel Work is set to commence soon on the south east’s newest suburb, Pakenham East, with the State Government promising the suburb will have the right infrastructure to support the community.

Pakenham East will feature 7200 new homes, creating 1300 new jobs and adding more than $1 billion to the Victorian economy over the coming years.

The suburb will also include four new schools and what’s being touted as 22 MCGs worth of parkland. Deep Creek, Hancocks Gully and two hilltops are planned to be turned into public open space. A local town centre and convenience centre plus three community centres will also be included in the new suburb.

Pedestrian and cycling routes will link users to both the recently announced Pakenham East station and the existing Pakenham Station, which is set to be upgraded as part of the Cranbourne-Pakenham Line Level Crossing Removal Project.

Meanwhile, an extensive network of local roads will feed onto the Princes Highway.

The new suburb will be guided by the recently approved Pakenham East Precinct Structure Plan. This is the first plan to be approved under the State Government’s new VPA Fast Track program to provide certainty for communities about future development.

Bass MP Jordan Crugnale welcomed the new development and said it would be “a great place to live and raise a family, with jobs, schools, parks and affordable homes - keeping the dream of owning a home within the reach of many Victorian families.

“When the train line extension to Pakenham East opens in 2024 it will connect the community to surrounding areas, major service hubs, metropolitan Melbourne and the airport,“ she added.

Construction of Pakenham East will commence in early 2021.

Here today, gone tomorrow - farmland set to become a new suburb in Pakenham East.

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NEWS

Sam gets top ATAR Beaconhills College VCE students have produced some spectacular 2020 VCE results, including a perfect 99.95 ATAR for College Dux Sam Sail.

Sam, a Pakenham Campus student, recorded perfect scores of 50 in French and Mathematical Methods, 47 for English and 44 for Specialist Mathematics, along with his 2019 score of 50 in Physics.

Berwick Campus Dux was Jaime Watts with 98.25. Jaime scored 39 for French, 38 for Literature, 40 for Media and 42 in Theatre Studies and Psychology to add to her 48 for Extended Investigation in 2019. Year 11 Berwick student Sharni Seamons also scored 50 this year in her Extended Investigation subject.

The College is celebrating strong results across a wide range of subjects, with 12 students achieving ATARs of 95 or more and 27 students with 90 and above.

Headmaster Tony Sheumack said students from both campuses achieved 40s in all learning domains. These included English, Mathematics, Visual and Performing Arts, Technologies, VCE Vet Programs, Humanities, Science, Digital Technologies, Health and Physical Education, Business and Economics, Languages and Extended Investigation.

“These results really reinforce the benefits of our open-entry, diverse College, where students can follow their passions and succeed,” Mr Sheumack said.

He said despite the challenges of Covid-19, the exceptional work of teachers in supporting students through months of remote learning - along with the resilience shown by students themselves - had paid dividends.

“I am extremely proud of how our students have risen above the difficulties of 2020 and shown the tenacity and resilience to achieve these results,” Mr Sheumack said.

College Dux Sam Sail said that finding a genuine interest in the subjects he studied

The Beaconhills students who achieved ATARs above 95. helped keep him engaged throughout Year 12.

This year Sam also studied Physics as part of the University of Melbourne’s Extension Program and hopes to do a Bachelor of Science at the university in 2021.

And while remote learning had its challenges, Sam said there were also some Covid positives.

“For studying maths subjects, I think it [remote learning] was actually an advantage. Covid affected us all in slightly different ways, but it brought us all together.”

Round 1 offers from Victorian tertiary institutions are released on 14 January 2021.

Beaconhills College’s top ATARs: Samuel Sail 99.95 - College and Pakenham Campus Dux Jaime Watts 98.25 - Berwick Campus Dux Callum Pritchard 98 Sandy-Amick Wu 97.45

· · · ·

Beaconhills 2020 Dux, Samuel Sail.

Big effort, big results Lakeside College is pleased to announce that its 2020 Dux is Tyler Denboer with an ATAR of 94.75. Fellow student Karman Sukhija is also to be acknowledged with an ATAR of 94.1.

Tyler and Karman’s success was supported by the rich learning environment at Lakeside College. They were among a smaller cohort of 18 students who concluded their educational journey this year and benefitted from the rich relationships that come from being part of a smaller school environment where close relationships between students, staff and parents support achievement.

The College team congratulates all of its Year 12 students who worked diligently through this most unusual of years, and will keep them in its prayers as many await news of acceptance into their post-school pathway of choice.

Excellent results in Year 12 are the culmination of many years of support from an entire community. It is right to acknowledge the work of all those who supported these Year 12 students during their time with the College as they journeyed from Primary School, into Middle School and then into Senior School.

Principal Tom Brennen said: “While we celebrate the academic achievement of our students we are equally proud of their character and care for their community that graduates of Lakeside College represent.

“It takes a village to raise a child, and today we again see the excellent results of our work as the community of Lakeside College.”

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Top results at St Francis St Francis Xavier College is pleased to announce its 2020 VCE Dux and VCAL Student of the Year.

Laura Thorpe was named VCE Dux with an ATAR Score of 98.65 Laura was thrilled to receive a call from Rebecca Cetrola, deputy principal, head of campus on Wednesday 30 December, congratulating her on being the St Francis Xavier College 2020 Dux. Laura said: “It feels very surreal. It is a great honour, especially in the year that was 2020. I am honestly quite lost for words, but I am very happy. I am extremely grateful to have had an abundance of support from friends, family and teachers, without which this achievement would not have been possible.”

Laura is hoping to go to The University of Melbourne to study a Bachelor of Arts and eventually teaching, and gives these words of wisdom for the class of 2021: “Make the most of every opportunity offered to you in your Year 12 year. On behalf of the Class of 2020 who did not get to enjoy the majority of the usual celebrations that occur in Year 12, make the most of every day, enjoy your friends and the opportunities that the school provides you.

Also know that it is OK to lose motivation and to have off days but always keep your goals in mind, strive to achieve the best you can and most importantly surround yourself with people who support you.”

Elodie Tour was named VCAL Student of the Year.

On hearing the news Elodie said: “I feel so honoured and shocked to be the 2020 VCAL Student of the Year. There were so many hardworking VCAL students this year. I am feeling very blessed.”

Elodie attended Chisholm TAFE during her VCAL studies and is going on to complete a Pathology Collection course next year and then a Diploma of Nursing.

Laura Thorpe, Dux. “I’d like to be a nurse in the Army or work in third world countries as a nurse one day,” said Elodie.

Elodie has achieved VCAL Student of the Year by demonstrating the following: Excellence across all subjects Excellent leadership qualities which she showed consistently throughout the year Preparedness for learning Engagement in class discussions and all VCAL activities Excellent communication with her teachers throughout the year Excellent planning and organisation skills Competency for all VET studies Respect towards staff and students.

St Francis Xavier College congratulates the class of 2020 and wishes them all the best in their future endeavours.

· · · · · · · ·

Elodie Tour, VCAL Student of the Year.

Chairo high achievers to serve in range of roles Hope Van Rossen, with an impressive ATAR of 98.80, has been announced as the Dux of 2020 at Chairo Christian School’s Pakenham campus and is planning to study Law and Information Technology at Monash University.

For her VCE, Hope studied English Language, Mathematical Methods, Further Mathematics, Physics and Legal Studies, as well as undertaking a first year Law subject at Deakin University.

Hope, who lives in Beaconsfield, kept up her part-time work at Woolworths throughout Year 12 and faced more than a few disruptions in 2020. Even before lockdowns, Hope was forced to relocate to a new house because of a flood but she didn’t let this affect her learning.

Hope said: “The support group at Chairo just made me want to study a bit harder.

Chairo was always celebrating what you were capable of. I loved all my subjects and it gave me something to focus on during lockdowns.”

At Chairo Pakenham, 11 percent of the VCE cohort achieved an ATAR above 90, with 26 percent above 80.

High achievers are planning to pursue studies in fields as diverse as medical imaging, science, education, law, international studies, paramedicine, engineering and nursing.

Principal Peter Wells commented: “We’re delighted to see that our VCE students are able to pursue their course and career interests, and we’re excited that in years to come our alumni will be making a meaningful contribution to our community in many different professions.

“Similarly, our VCAL students all successfully completed their program despite the disruptions, and we look forward to seeing them use their talents in trades and industry. There has been a significant interest

Chairo Pakenham 2020 Dux, Hope Van Rossen. in the hospitality sector from this cohort.”

Noting that 2020 has continued a pleasing improvement in VCE results at the campus, Mr Wells commented that the outcome was testament to the hard work of all students and staff members, and to the parents who supported them throughout a challenging year.

“With our IT platforms already established, Chairo was well-placed to maintain quality learning and supportive relationships throughout the periods of remote learning,” Mr Wells explained.

“As much as we’re all pleased to see 2020 behind us, our senior students can certainly say that it wasn’t a wasted year. We congratulate them on their outstanding achievements.”

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NEWS

Food pantry doors open

By Danielle Kutchel

Miriam Cadwallader, CEO of Living Learning Pakenham, with the donation bin.

After a challenging year, relief agencies from across Cardinia Shire have bonded together to open a new community food pantry, to be located at Living Learning Pakenham.

The partnership includes ADRA, Salvation Army, Follow Bless Collective, Siri Guru Nanak Darbar, PC3 as well as Outlook Community Centre and the Pakenham Men’s Shed.

Members of the community will be able to drop non-perishable items into collection bins, strategically located at supermarkets and at the relief agencies, for donation to the pantry.

Anyone in need of immediate food assistance is able to visit the pantry at Living Learning Pakenham at 6B Henry Street, which will feature signage in multiple different languages. Outlook will help to maintain the pantry and ensure it is fully stocked.

The pantry is set to remain a permanent fixture of the site, to help those doing it tough even after Christmas.

In true community style, the initiative draws on the talents of many. Council’s waste team dropped off donation bins to Living Learning Pakenham to be painted and decorated by younger members the Cardinia shire community with the help of local artist Robert Matheson. The pantry itself was designed and built by the Pakenham Men’s Shed.

Cardinia Shire Council Mayor Councillor Brett Owen joined the team at Living Learning Pakenham on Monday 14 December to kick off the donation drive.

“We know there are people in the Cardinia community who are doing it tough as a result of Covid-19 but one of the positives brought about by the pandemic is the strength shown by the community and the willingness to band together to help others.

“So many of us have loved ones who might be out of work and under financial stress but I’ve been struck by the positivity, empathy and generosity of spirit that shines through even in difficult times.

“One small way the community can get involved and help their neighbour is to add an extra tin or packet to their grocery shop before placing it in one of the food donation bins on their way out of the supermarket. They’ve been so beautifully decorated by our young artists, you can’t miss them!“ he added.

Already, donations have been arriving at Living Learning Pakenham, ready to go to those in need.

Amanda Fleming, team leader of the Doorways Program at the Salvation Army, said she was pleased to see the agencies come together to address the community’s needs.

“We’re all different parts of the shire but we’re all coming together to help the vulnerable community,“ she said.

Leanne Griffiths from Follow Bless Collective, based in Officer, said the pantry had been a long time coming, with agencies meeting with the council to determine what was needed.

“We’ve all joined together to ensure there’s a community pantry for those who might not feel comfortable to come into an organisation

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Representatives of the relief agencies gather to launch the donation bin outside Woolworths Arena. and give details about themselves [to access support],“ she said.

Pastor Richard Schoenmaker of PC3 Church, which is just planting in Pakenham, said the church was pleased to be able to part-

ner with its fellow agencies.

“We’re only small, but we’re doing what we can,“ he said.

Rebecca Auriant, director at ADRA, said the organisation was “privileged“ to work

alongside others in their mission to support the most vulnerable in Cardinia Shire. ADRA’s work has been complemented by youth volunteers from Afri-Aus Care, which has provided food support throughout the pandemic.

“It’s great to see our youth volunteering to support their local community,“ she said.

Donation bins can be found at Woolworths Arena with other drop off sites to be announced.

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STAR NEWS 5

2020 - THE YEAR THAT WAS...

NEWSMAKERS

‘Not on our patch’ protest

By Brendan Rees Residents of a Berwick estate were seething with Major Road Projects Victoria (MRPV) with plans to widen a road to six lanes outside their homes without noise barriers.

As part of the second stage of the Monash Freeway upgrade - MRPV has proposed to add two lanes on O’Shea Road in each direction between Clyde Road and Soldiers Road.

Once complete, O’Shea Road will be three lanes in each direction and six lanes in total which is due to be completed in 2022.

MRPV says this will create better connections at Beaconsfield and ease congestion.

But residents of Affinity Estate which adjoins O’Shea Road want the project shelved or delayed, saying “at no point” were they made aware the road being widened to six lanes and have also cited concerns of noise, large increases in traffic, and removal of trees.

Michel Suttie, chairman of Affinity owner’s corporation committee, said residents were told the planned upgrade was always for four lanes and “we have had no opportunity to respond to the six lane proposal”.

“Despite repeated requests, the MRPV has produced no documentation to support six lanes, no traffic management plan for surrounding streets that will become a rat run, no identification of the authorising person, no impact study and no opportunity for a submission,” Mr Suttie said.

He added: “There will be an increase in the number of large trucks descending past the Affinity Estate using their exhaust brakes to slow down, just meters away from homes”.

Dozens turned out for a community meeting recently where residents were keen to express their frustrations.

They were told by MRPV representatives

Residents of the Affinity Estate in Berwick are concerned about the potential removal of their picturesque trees on O’Shea Road. 204377 that noise barriers were not needed “as the policy doesn’t require as to” - a remark Mr Suttie said was a “contradiction” to what residents were told at a community briefing last year.

He also said he had viewed an artist’s illustration of the O’Shea Road Upgrade on the Monash Freeway Upgrade website “that clearly shows a noise wall installed”.

According to the MRPV website, the noise policy “does not allow for the provision of

noise attenuation in this case”.

Mr Suttie said many residents won’t be able to enjoy a walk along the footpath “due to the air buffeting and potential water spray off vehicles”- however MRVP contends safety barriers will be installed along O’Shea Road.

“The roadway will only be the width of a footpath from domestic dwellings,” Mr Suttie added.

MRVP program director Ray Paterson said

they had spoken “extensively” with residents about the project including hundreds who have attended information sessions where “thousands of information sheets” have been handed out.

“Almost half a million people rely on the Monash Freeway daily, so it’s vital we improve connections by building extra lanes on O’Shea Road and easing the pressure on Clyde Road,” Mr Paterson said.

Town split over ‘world significant’ gallery

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A magnificent development pegged for Harkaway divided the Casey community.

Residents were intensely opposing to a proposed world-class art gallery in the rolling foothills to the Dandenong Ranges.

But the developers behind the proposed gallery, that will house a $500 million art collection, were reassuring residents that their $50 million investment would benefit the community in more ways than not.

Publicity-shy businessman and local, Lindsay Hogg, was in discussion with the State Government to have his enormous art collection donated to a proposed art gallery at 193-209 King Road, called Rosemaur.

Under the proposed plans, which were being assessed by the Planning Minister, the eight hectare site would accommodate about 600 patrons and feature a 140-seat restaurant and function centre, plus two dwellings for the gallery.

Residents were opposing the idea in fear of it “changing the amenity” of Harkaway.

Residents were also concerned the site would damage the green wedge zone and is “entirely out of character for the area”.

“If Casey Council and the Victorian Government preside over the wanton squandering of this unique, widely treasured asset that is Harkaway for the sake of an inappropriately located, wildly experimental, fragmenting development on the basis of a nebulous promise by a vested interest landowner living elsewhere, I believe it will go down in Casey’s history as an outrage second only to the findings of an IBAC enquiry,” Save the Casey Foothills Association spokesperson Rosalie Counsell said.

Harkaway resident Phil Ward said the development, if approved, would “spell the end of the Harkaway village and surrounding area as we know it”.

“It may be one of the last unspoiled areas within the whole of the Melbourne metropolitan area - how very, very sad,” he said.

“Any future applicants to build just about

Phil Wild and Rosalie Counsell on King Road, where the art gallery is proposed for, in Harkaway. 217593 anything in the Harkaway area, no matter how outrageous, would be able to use this development as a precedent and could not easily be prevented from doing so.”

But Rosemaur architect and project coordinator, Danielle Peck, assured residents that the facility would attract visitation to the. area, which will have beneficial effects for all local businesses, and will create future job opportunities.

In response to the site affecting the green wedge zone, she said Rosemaur will protect, conserve and enhance the biodiversity, natural resources, scenic landscapes and heritage of the area with its proposed natural regeneration of the landscape through

planting, management and the establishment of a bird sanctuary.

“Rosemaur will protect and enhance the existing rural living areas by delivering 75,000 square metres of open space, and provide benefit to the local community through access to these grounds during operating hours for their enjoyment,” she said.

“It will preserve the landscape as the proposal does not seek to subdivide the land.

“Rosemaur will also deliver sustainable land management practices and infrastructure provision with the inclusion of numerous lowlying native gardens, tree planting and a bird sanctuary.” pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

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Thursday, 7 January, 2021

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STAR NEWS 7

2020 - THE YEAR THAT WAS...

NEWSMAKERS

Harry’s open battle

South East Covid alert

By Jessica Anstice Throughout lockdown, Berwick businessman Harry Hutchinson went to work every day to sit behind the register and stare out the front window at an empty street.

Owner of Harry’s Clothing, the retailer wondered if his 15 years’ of hard work and love would survive this year.

When there was no end date to the harsh coronavirus restrictions, he said his mental health was starting to “play havoc”.

“The restrictions have affected my business immensely due to the ongoing scenario that we’re having: stage one, two, three and four - it’s just continuing and there is no end,” Mr Hutchinson said at the time.

“The further it goes on, the harsher the restrictions.

“All of us who work in retail anywhere in metro Melbourne are suffering because of it, through no fault of their own. We’re receiving government handouts to survive.”

Along with many other businesses across metropolitan Melbourne, Harry’s Clothing, in Loveridge Walk off High Street, was inconsistently opening and closing for about six months.

“I’ve been closed for six weeks now in these restrictions but even when the prior restrictions were in place there were few people walking around the streets as they were told not to shop even though we were allowed to open,” he said in October.

“I’m a retail on-seller so it’s difficult because when people look up my products, they go straight to the source which is my supplier, so the supplier gets the first bite of the cherry unless they specifically look up Harry’s Clothing.

“It is generating some sales but certainty not enough to survive on.”

By Mitchell Clarke In June, Australia’s top medical officials have advised Victorians against visiting the City of Casey and Cardinia Shire amid an increase in Covid-19 cases.

The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) “strongly discouraged” travel to and from six local government areas (LGAs), including Cardinia and Casey, until control of community transmission had been confirmed.

In a statement released on Sunday 21 June, the AHPPC said it was “critical” that community transmission numbers could be controlled.

“The AHPPC recognised the importance of the measures taken by the Victorian Government, which seek to reduce further spread and the development of new outbreaks,” a statement read.

“The Victorian Government has identified the local government areas of Hume, Casey and Brimbank, Moreland, Cardinia and Darebin as the focus of current outbreaks of concern. The AHPPC strongly discourages travel to and from those areas until control of community transmission has been confirmed.”

The news came just a day after Premier Daniel Andrews warned that Cardinia and Casey residents could be subjected to further strict lockdowns.

“I am not announcing any changes for those geographical areas right now but I cannot rule that out,” the Premier said.

Mr Hutchinson was slapped with a hefty $10,000 fine after he illegally reopened his business during lockdown. He is still fighting the fine. 218074 Mr Hutchinson said business was down by about 90 percent, forcing him to lean on JobKeeper and savings to survive.

Before Covid-19, Mr Hutchinson’s small business would see an average of seven customers enter the shop each day.

“It’s a case of living off savings and JobKeeper, which is terrific, and we would’ve been long gone if it wasn’t for that, but you can’t run a business on that,” he said.

“We’ve still got commitments - we’ve still

got rates and all the bills from running the business, but we have no one coming in and spending any money.

“I am extremely worried that if this goes beyond the 19th of this month that a number of businesses may close, and I could be one of them.”

Mr Hutchinson was slapped with a hefty $10,000 fine after he illegally reopened his business during lockdown. He is still fighting the fine.

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2020 - YEAR THAT WAS …

IBAC

Casey ‘corruption’ probe

By Cam Lucadou-Wells One month.

That was the original scope of IBAC’s examination into alleged corruption involving Casey councillors and developers starting November 2019.

In the end, the Operation Sandon inquiry grew to 45 days of hearings over 13 months.

It delivered blow after blow of jaw-dropping accusations at state and council political figures.

The epic grilling extended to more than 20 witnesses including state MPs, council administrators and political party fundraising chiefs.

On the witness stand were a string of former Casey mayors Geoff Ablett, Sam Aziz, Amanda Stapledon and Lorraine Wreford.

Former and current Labor state MPs Judith Graley, Jude Perera and Pauline Richards were interrogated.

At issue were their ties to developer John Woodman who stood to gain from several lucrative projects and rezonings in Casey such as Brompton Lodge estate, Hall Road H3 intersection, Pavilion Estate and Amendment C219 in Cranbourne West.

Mr Woodman was a major donor to Casey Council candidates as well as to Labor and Liberal coffers, the inquiry heard.

He gave $150,000-plus to Labor’s 2018 state election tilt and $70,000 as a top-tier member of the Liberal’s corporate fundraising arm in 2019.

He also dined for lunch with Premier Daniel Andrews at the Flower Drum restaurant in 2017 - though no planning matters were discussed, according to Mr Andrews.

More than $90,000 was said to be spent on about 20 main and support candidates in the

Cranbourne MP Pauline Richards at the IBAC inquiry on 30 November.

Sam Aziz takes the oath, 16 November.

Lorraine Wreford and Sam Aziz at Higher Ground cafe, Little Bourke Street, Melbourne on 25 October 2018.

Picture: IBAC

2016 Casey Council election.

The campaign was allegedly organised by mayor Aziz, who denies he was aware of Mr Woodman’s donations.

In November 2020, Mr Aziz finally took the stand after staying in Egypt with health issues for Operation Sandon’s opening rounds.

Mr Aziz was accused by IBAC of failing to disclose more than $1 million of “private benefits” received while a councillor.

IBAC Commissioner Robert Redlich indicated that he was giving “due deliberation” into whether the payments were corrupt.

“What is clear is that you have in the most profound way failed to meet your integrity obligations as a councillor in terms of your obligations to disclose the private benefits that you were receiving.”

An at-times combative Mr Aziz denied many of the inquiry’s allegations including of lying under oath, saying it was “trashing my reputation”.

“Sure I failed to declare a conflict of interest

on a few occasions.

“But my intention was not malicious nor was it intended to profit from my job.”

He was accused of taking $660,000 of “benefits” from Mr Woodman and associated entities.

Mr Aziz said about $600,000 was his own money being returned to him, plus interest from a “legitimate” mezzanine financial arrangement.

But more side-deals were alleged, involving parties with commercial relationships with Casey Council.

They included a purported loan of $250,000 from property group director Andrew Nehme, whose Kuwait-sheik owned company bought the Casey Lifestyle Centre site from the council.

Mr Aziz was also allegedly paid about $45,000 from developer Vlad Kostic, and a $150,000 discount in shares from tech company Lodex, which pitched a digital payment platform to Casey Council.

Tech firm IPsoft allegedly paid him $30,800 soon after it signed a contract with Casey to trial an AI robot, Amelia.

Counsel assisting IBAC, Michael Tovey added there was also about $250,000 cash that Mr Aziz “can’t explain”.

IBAC also alleged former mayor and Liberal state candidate Geoff Ablett received $330,000 from Mr Woodman, as well as a donation to his 2014 state election campaign.

The benefits included part shares in racehorses, buying part of Cr Ablett’s rural property and fees for looking after Mr Woodman’s racehorses.

Another mayor Amanda Stapledon conceded she was “sloppy with my paperwork” in not declaring Mr Woodman’s $25,000 donation to her 2014 state election campaign.

IBAC is due to report on its investigation this year.

It is expected to also recommend ways to prevent corruption risks in the planning system.

A pathway for every child

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2020 College DUX

ATAR Score

Laura Thorpe

98.65

Laura was thrilled to find out she is the 2020 College DUX. Laura said, “It feels very surreal. It is a great honour, especially in the year that was 2020. I am honestly quite lost for words, but I am very happy. I am extremely grateful to have had an abundance of support from friends, family and teachers to which this achievement would not have been possible without.”

Laura plans to attend The University of Melbourne to study a Bachelor of Arts and eventually teaching.

VCAL Student of the Year

Elodie Tour The title of VCAL Student of the Year is awarded to the Year 12 student who achieves outstanding excellence overall in their VCAL studies. “I feel so honoured and shocked. There were so many hardworking VCAL students this year. I am feeling very blessed.“ Elodie attended Chisholm TAFE during her VCAL studies and is going on to complete a Pathology Collection course next year and then onto a Diploma of Nursing. Elodie said, “I’d like to be a Nurse in the Army or work in third world countries as a Nurse one day”.

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Thursday, 7 January, 2021

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STAR NEWS 9

2020 - THE YEAR THAT WAS …

Inside the Covid fight

By Danielle Kutchel Last January, it seemed the whole world waited with bated breath as news of a new virus outbreak in Wuhan, China, reached our shores.

The first case in Australia was identified on 25 January, 2020.

And although no one could have predicted what was to come, behind the scenes, our frontline health care workers were quietly preparing.

It wasn’t just in-hospital wards that had to get ready.

Hospitals are complex, with multiple units to deal with the health challenges of the public.

At Monash Health Casey Hospital, Sally Webster was grappling with the challenge of delivering care to people outside of a ward in the middle of a pandemic.

She’s the nurse unit manager of Hospital in the Home, which delivers hospital care to admitted patients in their own home.

Stringent infection control procedures are, of course, always in place - but when it’s an environment you have no control over, concerns can arise.

“Safety was paramount,” she says, for both her staff and the patient.

Risk screening of patients was in place before staff went to visit, so that precautions could be put in place if needed. With the niggling worry of carrying the virus home everpresent, Sally and other managers ensured staff were supported emotionally and that they knew they would go home safely each day.

Across town Janet McAllister, nurse unit manager at St John of God’s Langmore Centre Shepton Aged Care Unit, recalls working in intensive care as the first Covid cases arrived, and realising how little clinical knowledge there was around this new pathogen.

“I don’t think at that time we realised how virulent it was and how quickly it spread,” she says.

“We knew it was aerosol generated, that you need distance and masks, good hand hygiene and cough etiquette.”

She and her colleague Karen Ward, nurse unit manager for aged care in St John of God Berwick Hospital’s Covid-19 ward agree that they had never seen anything like Covid-19 in all their decades of nursing.

Nevertheless, plans began for what would eventuate: a pandemic that would infect thousands across Victoria.

It was expected to hit hard, as it did overseas.

For Karen and Janet, working in the private sector, they knew that the public sector - in Berwick, Casey Hospital - would take on the bulk of the Covid-related work - but St John of God staff still needed to stand ready for anything.

Karen says the plan initially was for some of the private hospitals to be kept “clean” - that is, Covid-free - to provide vital back-up for daily

Sally Webster from Casey Hospital played an important role in community Covid screening during the pandemic. 224627 Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS

2020 PEOPLE OF THE YEAR medical care and surgery in the event that patients needed to be transferred out of the public system to make way for infected patients.

Or, as Janet explains, “making sure you kept the health system going”.

There were simulations and mock practises of patient transfers. Nurses from across the hospital were quickly upskilled with basic intensive care skills, in case they were needed should the worst happen.

“We expected ICUs to be really full,” Karen says.

“All the planning right from the beginning was around ICU - working out what areas we could expand if we needed more beds.”

Thankfully, she adds, the first wave was relatively mild and hospitals didn’t fill as expected.

Then the second wave arrived.

“It was clear pretty soon that in this second wave, the ones who’d been hit were some of the most vulnerable in the community, and that was aged care,” Janet remembers.

“I don’t think any of us expected it to be hit that hard. It took a huge toll.”

Karen agrees: “it happened so quickly, we

thought we were getting better”.

This was where their unit came to the fore.

One morning, Karen was pulled from a meeting and told the news: nursing home residents were en route, some of them positive, and the ward needed to be prepared immediately.

The hospital swung into what Karen describes as “organised chaos”.

Porters, allied health assistants and physios arrived on the floor and began moving patients, who were allocated to any available bed in the hospital. The maintenance team rushed to put up new shelving, doors and plastic tarp.

Rooms were converted into changing areas for nurses.

An executive assistant bought shower gel, shampoo and conditioner so Covid ward nurses could shower on site before going home.

Any surplus equipment was moved to a different part of the hospital, to be brought back if required.

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Public hospitals were expected to take on the bulk of the Covid work. 224627 |

Thursday, 7 January, 2021

pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

2020 - THE YEAR THAT WAS …

Thank you cards line the walls at St John of God Berwick Hospital. 224455 Pastoral care staff hit the phones to alert family members of where their loved ones were.

And, as the last patient left the floor, the first nursing home resident was coming up the lift to be admitted.

“It was very close,” Karen recalls.

“When they came, we had no idea who was positive and who was negative.”

Of the residents who arrived, 24 were positive and six negative. Those six remained negative for the duration of their stay at St John, and no staff caught Covid from the patients.

But looking after patients with dementia, with Alzheimer’s, with little understanding of English, presented challenges. Residents had to be bathed everyday instead of showered, with showering considered an aerosol transmission risk. They were confused about the nurses looking after them, who were necessarily covered in head-to-toe PPE, and about why they needed to be swabbed.

Janet and Karen from St John of God Hospital are proud of the work they’ve done. 224455

“When you can’t explain or comfort them properly because they can’t see your face, don’t understand, or can’t speak English, it felt like you were violating people,” Karen says.

“It was heartbreaking.”

Staff worked 12, 14 and 16 hour shifts in those first few days, with ‘clean’ and ‘dirty’ sections of the hospital kept entirely separate and different teams assigned to tasks like paperwork and running errands and messages.

For the floor staff, it was some of the most challenging work they’d ever done. Wearing full PPE constantly was uncomfortable, but as Karen says, “you just did it”.

Some of her staff were concerned about the infection risk and the possibility of bringing Covid home to their families.

But Janet says their training and preparation - their knowledge of infection control, of donning and doffing - stood them in good stead.

“A part of both our roles was helping staff

We congratulate all our VCE students for their outstanding VCE results and acknowledge the achievements of our duxes: Annie Wu, Senior Girls, who achieved an ATAR of 99.80; and Oliver Ward, Senior Boys, who achieved an ATAR of 98.15 Both our Senior Girls and Senior Boys recorded excellent results.

Of our Senior Girls, 36% achieved an ATAR over 95 and 52% an ATAR above 90, placing them in the top 5% and 10% of the nation respectively.

with that, reassuring them ... that if you follow the procedures and practises ... your chances are minimised,” she says.

Karen agrees: “We’re exposed to infections all the time and we don’t take them home, so if you’re doing the right thing, following the training, it will keep you as safe as possible.”

Meanwhile, Sally was out in the community working at Covid screening clinics.

She started at Pakenham Health Care Centre, seeing around 150 people a day until that number climbed rapidly with an outbreak of Covid in the town.

From April to September, her role revolved around educating staff, making sure IT processes were followed and documentation was done correctly, and patients received their Covid results quickly.

In July as the second wave gathered momentum, she moved to IYU Reserve in Pakenham and began working with the ADF to run

the testing station there, at some points seeing over 1000 patients a day.

It was a gloomy time for many of us, but despite the ever-present risk of a virulent virus, Sally says Covid has had its positive moments.

Working with health workers from different departments and from the ADF was a highlight, she says, and the widespread take-up of Telehealth has been beneficial for timely patient care.

And of course, there’s the kindness that was evident in the community throughout the pandemic.

“You saw people going through some really stressful and quite frightening times in some instances, and people were really kind and respectful to each other,” she says.

“I’m really proud of our community.”

It’s a sentiment that’s echoed by Karen and Janet at St John of God. Nurses from across the St John of God Victorian network put up their hands to help out as Melbourne struggled through its high numbers of cases, and businesses and individuals alike donated care packs to patients at the hospital, and food to the nurses.

We’ve come out the other side now thanks to that team effort, they say - from environmental staff, caterers, maintenance and infection control teams in the hospitals, to cleaners, paramedics, teachers, family members and, of course, the doctors and nurses.

While recent weeks have seen community transmission return to Victoria, the nurses say that if we persevere together, the virus risk will be minimised and we will see it run its course.

Thankyou cards now line the walls of the tearoom at what was the Covid ward at St John of God Berwick Hospital - but Karen and Janet laugh at suggestions that they are ‘legends’.

“You don’t expect to be in a pandemic, but you do it because it’s your job, what you’re trained to do, and you know that you’re there to help,” Karen says.

“It was an experience. Hopefully I don’t ever have to do it again, but I’m glad I did it. You come into nursing for a reason.”

Of our Senior Boys, 27% achieved an ATAR over 90 and 48% an ATAR above 85, placing them in the top 10% and 15% of the nation respectively.

4 perfect scores of 50 were attained in Applied Computing: Data Analytics, English, Further Maths and Health and Human Development.

We are proud of all our students and look forward to following the trajectories they take in life, with the same care and concern we felt for them at school.

Ms Annette Rome, Principal

Find out more at StMargarets.vic.edu.au 12461772-LB02-21

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Thursday, 7 January, 2021

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STAR NEWS 11

2020 - THE YEAR THAT WAS...

Marching orders issued

By Cam Lucadou-Wells The State Government, backed by the Opposition, moved to sack Casey Council in February 2020 and put it under the rule of administrators until 2024.

It came on the back of an ongoing IBAC investigation of serious corruption allegations involving chiefly Casey councillors Geoff Ablett and Sam Aziz and property developer John Woodman.

However an explosive report by the State appointed Monitor Laurinda Gardner found more widespread “governance failures” and a bullying culture across the council.

Failings included councillor conduct, disclosure of conflicts of interest and decision making.

Her report recommended dismissing the council and appointing administrators beyond the 2020 election.

On 18 February, the government moved a Bill of Parliament to dismiss the councillors in the hope it would pass both Houses by the end of the day.

“Our intention is to see this matter resolved for the Casey community as quickly as possible,” government MP Jacinta Allen told Parliament.

Opposition local government spokesman Tim Smith, in supporting the Bill, noted he would prefer a shorter administration period until March 2023.

He labelled Cr Aziz as “the Christopher Skase of local government” who should imme-

Former Casey councillors Tim Jackson, Geoff Ablett, Wayne Smith, Rex Flannery, Susan Serey, Gary Rowe, Amanda Stapledon, Damien Rosario and Rosalie Crestani... minus Sam Aziz, after the Picture: BRENDAN REEES mayoral election in late 2019. 199882 diately return to Melbourne to “face the music” at IBAC. Instead, Cr Aziz was staying in Egypt “next to a river called Denial”.

Greens MP Sam Hibbens, also in support, called for reform to ban political donations from property developers.

In her report, Ms Gardner found councillor bullying, intimidation and exclusion flourished due to an “embedded “avoidance culture”.

She stated that amidst the IBAC Operation Sandon allegations, councillors prioritised their own reputations rather than the City of Casey.

She singled out the council’s special council meeting on New Years’ Eve to establish a special planning committee out of councillors’ belief that it would help restore public confidence.

The timing and the concept was of “significant concern to the community members I spoke to as an example of poor process and little regard for the community”, Ms Gardner said.

“The establishment of the Special Commit-

tee indicates a willingness to pass responsibility onto another body rather than taking up the challenge of demonstrating how they can govern well, and restore community trust and confidence.”

Councillors had taken an overriding view that if either one or both councillors in the middle of the IBAC investigation were removed that “everything would be all right”, she reported.

It was an “inadequate” response that showed a lack of understanding by councillors on the “poor governance practices” exposed by the IBAC allegations.

Ms Gardner noted that no councillors had sought refresher training on conflict of interest and governance issues.

She reported on councillor cliques based on “one or more dominant personalities”, and read “disrespectful” and “inflammatory” email exchanges between councillors. “(The) unwillingness of councillors to call

out unacceptable Councillor behaviour and hold each other to account appears to be motivated by a fear of conflict or further intimidation that has enabled inappropriate behaviour to go unchecked.”

Ms Gardner also observed councillors “stumbling” in declaring conflicts of interest at council meetings, and failing to inform the gallery of the reasons for conflicts of interest.

There was too much ‘en bloc’ voting by councillors with a lack of questioning and a low standard of debate contributing to meetings of less than an hour.

Casey Council had suffered “serious damage” to its reputation and public confidence, Ms Gardner said.

“I do not have confidence in the ability of the Casey City Council to meet its statutory obligations under the Act for the foreseeable future, particularly in relation to its ability to ‘act in a way that secures and preserves public confidence in the office of councillor’.”

Former Local Government Minister, Adem Somyurek, who was sacked in June following explosive branch stacking allegations, said the Monitor reported “clear evidence” of governance failures.

“Victorians expect and deserve the highest standards of governance and integrity from their local council - the monitor’s report has found clear evidence Casey has fallen short of those standards,” Mr Somyurek said.

“This a very serious measure but it’s essential that Casey residents get a council that works in their interests.”

FOCUS ON … JOIN YOUR LOCAL CLUB

Join the Cathy-Lea Community in 2021 aged 2-5 and teach confidence, co-ordination and creativity in classes that are jam-packed with engaging music, bright props and some great routines!

Cathy-Lea graduates have studied at the Australian Ballet School, the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School, Patrick Studios Australia, Melbourne City Ballet Company, Ministry of Dance, Kelly Aykers Studios and Dance Spectrum, as well as performing professionally in Australia and overseas. Four CathyLea students have been offered places in full time dance courses in 2020 with two gaining scholarships to the renowned Brent Street Studios in Sydney.

The Elite Training Program at Cathy-Lea features tuition by professional performing artists, highly qualified coaches and master teachers from around the world. Over a hundred young dancers and performers engage in this program each year experiencing the high-

est standards of conditioning, technique and performance training, producing outstanding dancers who are well-equipped to pursue careers in dance and performance.

Recreational classes are offered in all styles including Hip Hop, Contemporary Dance, Drama, Singing, Musical Theatre, Acrobatics, Commercial Jazz and Broadway Jazz for those seeking confidence, fun and fitness. Students of all ages and abilities are welcome and special discounted fee packages are available for students taking multiple classes!

Students of all abilities have the opportunity to perform in concerts and soirees with exams and eisteddfod work optional.

With over 100 classes per week on offer in Dance, Music and Drama Cathy-Lea is sure to have a class that meets your needs. Please contact Cathy on cathy-lea@cathy-lea.com or 9704-7324 or visit the website www.cathy-lea. com to find out more.

N HEENA ONDO W EE TRIAL TAEK FR WEEK • Performing Arts Training Est. 1991 • All Ages • All Abilities • All Styles

Classes held at Cranbourne & Pakenham

Contact us to join the Cathy-Lea community in 2021

CRANBOURNE TUESDAY NIGHTS Starting 2nd February at 7pm

www.cathy-lea.com 9704-7324

If you join, you will receive a uniform for half price.

PAKENHAM WEDNESDAY NIGHTS Starting 3rd February at 7pm

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0407 869 998

Contact Sue on 5940 9791 or 0400 216 670

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Since 1991, Cathy-Lea has been training students in performing arts including Ballet, Jazz, Tap, Contemporary Dance, Hip Hop, Drama, Singing, Musical Theatre and Instrumental Music. Many have gone onto careers on the stage in Australia and abroad and thousands have gained confidence, co-ordination, fitness, friendships and a love of performing arts from their experience at Cathy-Lea. Renowned for its high standards, disciplined classes, and friendly, expert staff, Cathy-Lea encourages students of all abilities to shine, training through recognised syllabi and affiliated with professional associations including Cecchetti International Ballet, The Australian Teachers of Dancing, AMEB and Trinity Guildhall.

For our pre-schoolers we offer the highly awarded “Ready Set Dance” and “Ready Set Ballet” programs as featured on television on Nick Jnr. These classes are for boys and girls

Dancing is great for fitness, co-ordination, balance and memory.

Rock ‘n’ roll with Suzie Rockn’ Suzies dance classes are now in their 18th year teaching at Pakenham and Cranbourne.

Pakenham classes are held in the library complex on the corner of John and Henry streets.

The Cranbourne class is held at the Senior Citizens Hall on the corner of Codrington Street and the South Gippsland Highway Both nights offer beginner and advanced rock ‘n’ roll classes open to all with no partner required.

The program also includes a special class at the end of the night for partners only to learn some of the different styles associated with rock ‘n’ roll including swing, west coast, jive, triples, line and partner dances and cha cha.

The classes are designed to be fun and easy to follow for those aged 10 upwards.

Dancing is great for fitness, co-ordination, balance and memory, with many people forming great friendships through the classes.

Rockn’ Suzies also runs a monthly charity dance at the Pakenham Hall which has been running for 14 years. A different band plays each month. Everyone in the community is welcome and encouraged to attend.

For information call Sue on 5940 9791 or 0400 216 670.

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Thursday, 7 January, 2021

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STAR NEWS 13

Light Meals Available 9am - 3pm EGGS ON TOAST CHOICE OF FRIED/POACHED/SCRAMBLED EGGS SERVED ON SOURDOUGH $14

OPEN OMELETTE W/CHERRY TOMATOES, SPINACH, MUSHROOM & SOURDOUGH $19

VISTA MUESLI WITH MILK, NATURAL YOGHURT & MIXED BERRY COMPOTE $16

SMASHED AVO ON SOURDOUGH W/2 POACHED EGGS TOPPED W/CRUMBLED FETA & DRIZZLED W/OLIVE OIL $21

HAM & CHEESE TOASTIE $10

HAM, CHEESE & TOMATO TOASTIE $11

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LAMB, TOMATO RELISH, SPINACH & CHEESE TOASTIE $12

EGG, BACON & TOMATO RELISH TOASTIE $12

HOMEMADE SCONES (SWEET OR SAVOURY) W/HOMEMADE JAM AND CREAM $51 | $9 FOR 2

Extras BACON $4 | MUSHROOMS $4 HASH BROWN $3 | SAUTÉED SPINACH $3 GRILLED TOMATO $3

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BUTTER CHICKEN CURRY (GF) W/ RICE AND FLAT BREAD $24

VEGAN BURGER (V) VEGAN PATTIE W/ LETTUCE CARROT, CUCUMBER, TOMATO ONION AND BEETROOT RELISH. $22

HOKKIEN NOODLES STIR FRY (VG) TOSSED IN MIXED VEGGIES, SOY & CHILLI; FINISHED W/ FRIED SHALLOTS $20 - ADD CHICKEN $4

SLOW COOKED PULLED LAMB GREEK SALAD LETTUCED ONION, TOMATO, CUCUMBER, OLIVES & FETA, FINISHED W/ OLIVE OIL & LEMON JUICE DRESSING $24 - WITHOUT LAMB $19 (VG, GF)

CHICKEN SCALLOPINI (GF) CHICKEN BREAST SAUTEED IN A WHITE WINED BACON & MUSHROOM CREAM SAUCE, SERVED W/ STEAMED VEGETABLES $26

HAWAIIAN CHICKEN PARMA W/ HAM, NAPOLI, PINEAPPLE, CHEESE, CHIPS & SALAD $25

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MOUSSAKA GREEK STYLE LASAGNA W/ LAMB BOLOGNESE LAYERS OF EGGPLANT & POTATO FINISHED WITH BECHAMEL CHEESE SAUCE SERVED W/ GREEK SALAD $23

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Tea - $4.5

Entrée GARLIC PIZZA (V) $10

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ST.ALi Single Origin Organic - Wide Awake Cup $4 - Mug $5

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GRILLED SAGANAKI W/ OLIVE OIL, HERBS AND LEMON WEDGE (V) $13

CHICKEN SATAY SKEWERS W/ STEAMED RICE AND SATAY SAUCE (GF) $13

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ICED CHOCOLATE $7 HOT CHOCOLATE | ADD $.50

W/ WARM PITA BREAD (V) $14

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FISH N CHIPS W/ FRESH LEMON,TARTAR & SIDE SALAD $23

VISTA BURGER & CHIPS W/ BACON, CHEESE, TOMATO, LETTUCE, EGG & SAUCE $20

PENNE CARBONARA SAUTEED ONION BACON & GARLIC IN A CREAMY WHITE WINE SAUCE FINISHED WITH EGG YOLK AND PARMESAN CHEESE $22

SERVED W/ SWEET CHILLI DIPPING SAUCE (6) (V) $10

Kid’s Menu NUGGETS & CHIPPIES $14

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Thursday, 7 January, 2021

2020 - THE YEAR THAT WAS...

Pokies ‘no’

By Brendan Rees A bid to install 100 pokies machines at a proposed $36 million hotel in Clyde North was knocked back by the state’s gambling regulator.

The Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation rejected the proposal after concluding the application had the potential to increase the impact of problem gambling within the City of Casey.

The application by Castello Daisy’s Hotel, which is to be located on the corner of Matterhorn Drive and Thompson Road, planned to be the first venue of its kind in Clyde North.

The development proposed to offer a 10pin bowling complex, a bistro, a sports bar with TAB, function rooms, a beer garden, a kids’ play room, a cafe, alfresco dining terrace, a virtual entertainment and E-sports area, and a gaming lounge.

The Commission said there was evidence which indicated a “negative community attitude” towards the application, with a social impact assessment undertaken by City of Casey receiving 68 opposing submissions.

There are currently 13 gaming venues operating across the municipality with approvals to operate more than 900 electronic gaming machines.

Alliance for Gambling Reform chief advocate Tim Costello said the application’s rejection was a “big win” for the community.

“People in Casey already lose $362,000 every day on the 913 poker machines currently in the municipality,” Mr Costello said.

“This application would have taken the city to well over a staggering 1000 poker machines ... in an area that is already experiencing mortgage stress, that would have been a disaster.”

Casey Council’s administrator Noelene Duff said the result was a “fantastic outcome” for Casey and a “great example of council officers and community members working to-

Tom Cummings of Berwick in 2017 after objecting to gambling regulator’s decision to approve extra poker machines at Zagame’s Berwick Springs Hotel. 169118 gether to build a safe community”.

“Gambling machines can have detrimental effects on local communities and it is council’s responsibility to ensure our community’s wellbeing,” Ms Duff said.

“I wish to thank and congratulate the community members who provided their feedback.”

Council is still in the process of assessing the planning application for the Castello Daisy’s Hotel.

It’s the second time Casey Council has successfully opposed against a licence for electronic gaming machines after opposing an application for an additional 20 poker machines at the Lynbrook Tavern in 2018.

Ex-gambling addict and Berwick resident Tom Cummings, who had submitted an objection, welcomed the news.

“As someone who has worked hard to overcome a gambling addiction, I couldn’t stand the thought of another venue opening up on my doorstep ... I know how many people this would have hurt,” he said.

All in their own words “It’s not just against the organisation - it takes away from the whole community.”

- Clyde firefighter Ian Earle said after heartless thieves made off with their fire helmet used to collect donations at a shopping centre in February.

“I was shocked and annoyed there was nothing left for people that needed it especially people who live week to week or pensioners.”

- Aleksandra Burska of Narre Warren South said she stood looking at empty shelves at Aldi Supermart in Hampton Park after it was cleared out of toilet paper at the beginning of coronavirus lockdown.

“I did not lie.”

- Former Casey mayor Sam Aziz denied that he lied under oath about the extent of his $600,000 ‘investment’ with developer John Woodman.

“I just had this non-stop cough which I’ve described as like drowning. It’s almost like when you’re underwater and you’re struggling for air. You basically can’t breathe and when you get out of the water, you gasp for air but you fall in again.”

- Berwick resident Michael Rojales, 46, who was diagnosed with coronavirus in July.

“This week has been one of the scariest times of my life.”

- Berwick mother Nikki Jane said when her six-month-old baby tested positive to coronavirus.

“All of us who work in retail anywhere in metro Melbourne are suffering because of it,

through no fault of their own. We’re receiving government handouts to survive.”

- Berwick businessman Harry Hutchinson said while businesses were closed throughout lockdown.

“This is what he wanted. He always said ‘tell the world my story to ensure it never happens again’.”

- The Tattooist of Auschwitz author Heather Morris in reference to Holocaust survivor and the book’s main character Lale Sokolov.

“It just didn’t cross our minds to think - you would never think that it would happen to you.”

- Madee Vos, a young mum of four, was devastated to find her car stolen just metres away from her doorstep in Cranbourne East.

“I wanted to do something good, I didn’t want to be looked at as the bad kid that steals cars, because that wasn’t me and I didn’t do it for that reason; I had personal reasons why I did what I did. It was nice to be able to come to a place where I felt safe and not judged.”

- Calliopeia came from a rough background but turned her life around when she became involved in an organisation called Hand Brake Turn.

“I’m trying to do everything right that I could.”

- Mungo Andrew who was living peacefully in his caravan at Casey Fields was ordered to move on by six council staff and four police officers. pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

2020 - THE YEAR THAT WAS...

IN PICTURES

Greg Matthews created some beautiful Aboriginal art to sell at the Berwick market.

204281

Teddy bears and Preps enjoyed a teddy bears’ picnic at Haileybury’s Berwick campus on Monday 10 February. Pictured is Julian with buddy Logan. 204320

Lind-Elle School of Dance under-13s from Narre Warren South, performed live on stage at the Berwick Show. 204762

Natalie performed an old clog dance in a traditional Dutch costume at the Berwick Dutch festival in March. 204729

Bella, 3, and Samantha, 6, from Narre Warren enjoyed the Berwick Show in February. 204762

Lisa and Michael wore the famous “9” worn in the movie “The Waterboy” played by Adam Sandler at Narre Warren’’s Sporting Globe Bar and Grill for the Super Bowl. 203859

There were sparkles and glittering outfits at Wilson Botanic Park Berwick where hundreds turned out for a “Magical Princess meet and greet’’ on Wednesday 22 January. Pictured is magical princesses with three-year-old April from Cranbourne. 203323

Flynn, 3, got behind the wheel of an old military car at the Berwick Australia Day celebrations. 203684

Marlon from Clyde North sussed out some goldfish that are for sale at the market at Berwick. 204281

FOCUS ON … SCHOOL HOLIDAYS

Family fun at the circuit Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit is the destination for the whole family with many hours of entertainment and enjoyment on offer and over these school holidays is the ideal time to visit.

Go Karts and Tandems Strap yourself into the all-new Sodi Go Karts for an exhilarating session on the 750-meter track - a replica of the world-renowned Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit. Push out a series of hot laps and try to set the fastest time.

With 9 horsepower Honda GX 270cc engines, the French-made karts provides an ultimate karting sensation and are tested to meet the stringent Australian standards.

The RT8 Evo2 single karts can reach up to 65k/mph and feature a high front blade for greater safety and a roll bar with all-round protection to avoid wheel-to-wheel contact. While the harness seatbelt and easy to use seat adjusters allow for greater comfort and custom fitting.

The 2Drive tandem karts allow the whole family to get involved as the twin seats provide children the thrill of go karting. The dual steering allows children to get involved while under the safety and supervision of an adult driver.

Bookings are recommended.

Grand Prix Motorcycle Collection at the Circuit The star exhibit in the History of Motorsport Display is the superb collection of 25 Grand Prix winning motorcycles from the two famous Italian marques, Aprilia and Cagiva, with the two-wheel treasures permanently installed in the display at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit Visitor Centre.

In total these sleek racing machines have won 9 World Championships, 51 Grand Prix wins and 106 Podiums. Make the time these holidays to take in these magnificent pieces of racing history.

Slot Cars - The Best Fun for all Ages Race your family or your mates and experience the fun on Australia’s largest four-lane GP Slot Car Track - an exact replica of the circuit.

Racing Simulators Test your skills or challenge your mates to a simulated race on the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit. Go flat out down Gardner Straight, through ultra-fast Doohan Corner, slide through Stoner Corner, thread your way through Siberia and slip stream up the back straight. Watch out for the hairpin at the bottom of Lukey Heights. Who will get the bragging rights?

Champions Cafe After all the excitement, the Champions Licenced Cafe delivers with its fresh menu with plenty of choices. Fantastic coffee and delicious scones, cakes, slices, muffins, pastries, sausage rolls and pies hit the spot Our gift shop at the Visitor Centre has a wide selection of stylish apparel, merchandise and souvenirs to choose from so you can take a memento home with you.

COVID-19 Operating Conditions Due to current restrictions Guided Circuit Tours and Hot Laps will not be available.

Push Bike Ride Days will also not be running over the Summer. We are aiming to have these days return for the Easter School Holidays.

For further information call 03 5952 9400 or visit www.phillipislandcircuit.com.au and www.phillipislandgokarts.com.au

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pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

Thursday, 7 January, 2021

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STAR NEWS 15

2020 - THE YEAR THAT WAS...

Rachel and Michael Rojales. 212041

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Face of Covid campaign

16 STAR NEWS

|

Thursday, 7 January, 2021

sible outcome for 19-year-old daughter Megan, who witnessed the virus affect the people closest to her.

“For my daughter to see everyone she loved taken to hospital and not knowing whether they’d come back or not, that broke my heart,” he said.

Mr Rojales said the power of faith has allowed his family get through their darkest days.

“My faith in God has become even stronger. He’s given me a second chance at life and I don’t want to waste it. I want to help people as much as I can,” he said.

Prior to his hospital stay, Mr Rojales had never seen the inside of a ward. He was a healthy person and didn’t fall into a high risk category.

By sharing his story far and wide, he hoped to bring much needed awareness to the deadly virus, which continues to wreak havoc across the globe.

He said he “didn’t know how to feel” about being the face of the State Government’s campaign - which ran across social media and television - but said people needed to understand the seriousness of the situation.

“I do know I have a story to tell and I just want to help our community and our fellow Victorians be caring and careful through this interesting period of history,” he said.

Mr Rojales was placed in an induced coma for two weeks and spent 72 days in hospital.

Picture: SUPPLIED “We know that this virus is real but there are people out there that think this is just a cold, but different people are impacted in different ways by the virus. Some only get mild symptoms but some die.

“We don’t want anyone else to go through what we’ve been through.”

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A Berwick man who almost lost his life to Covid-19 became the face of a statewide campaign to warn Victorians about the deadly virus.

Michael Rojales, 46, spent 72 days in hospital fighting coronavirus after first contracting it on the plane trip back from South Africa.

Mr Rojales arrived home on 19 March and tested positive four days later. Within two days, his condition worsened and he presented to hospital. By 29 March, he had been placed into an induced coma.

His inspiring story caught the attention of Premier Daniel Andrews, who shared his journey as part of the ‘Staying Apart Keeps Us Together’ campaign.

“I had a temperature and a mild cough and I thought I’d just go to the fever clinic to make sure I didn’t have corona ... I thought it was unlikely but I wanted peace of mind,” Mr Rojales told Star News.

He got tested at the Gibb Street facility and was advised the following day that he did, in fact, have the virus.

“I couldn’t believe what I heard. How could I possibly have corona?”

Mr Rojales isolated at one end of the house, away from his wife, daughter and mother in law, but as his symptoms progressively worsened, he was taken to hospital.

“I just had this non-stop cough which I’ve described as like drowning. It’s almost like when you’re underwater and you’re struggling for air. You basically can’t breathe and when you get out of the water, you gasp for air but you fall in again,” he said.

“It was a horrible cough and it went on for one to two minutes before I could get air, but somehow breathing tickled my throat and I started coughing again. That was just happening over and over - it was a vicious cycle.”

Mr Rojales was taken to Casey Hospital before being transferred to Monash Clayton. At this point, the virus was still fairly new in Australia.

“There were a lot of things still unknown.

Doctors said to me ‘for now, the best treatment is to put you into an induced coma’,” he said.

“I didn’t really know what that meant and I wasn’t sure how long I’d be in that state, so I was just hoping for the best.”

For the next two weeks, Mr Rojales remained in an induced coma. He had stopped breathing on his own, which meant the ventilator was working at 100 percent. Doctors thought he had 24 hours to live.

“I had no idea what was happening, I was in

dreamland and didn’t know the seriousness of what was going on,” he said.

He eventually woke on Easter Sunday to one of the nurses saying: “Hey Michael, your wife and many people are praying for you”. He didn’t fully understand why.

“Two weeks after I woke up, my wife told me exactly what happened. She said I almost died and the doctors told her to prepare for the worst and prepare to say goodbye to me,” he recalled.

While Mr Rojales fought for life, wife Rachel, was dealing with an unimaginable situation.

She had also contracted the virus, as did her mother, Gely Constanilla, who tragically passed away on 6 April, after being admitted to hospital on 31 March.

“I was in the midst of my induced coma when she passed away,” Mr Rojales explained.

“On the day she died, the nurse called my wife. My mother-in-law was feeling a bit distressed, so my wife spoke to her as the nurse held her hand.

“My wife said: ‘Mama, I love you, be strong.

Let me pray for you’. As soon as she said that, my mother-in-law peacefully passed away.

“One of the things that is very hard with corona, when people die, they don’t have their loved ones around them.”

Mr Rojales own doctors were getting prepared to tell Mrs Rojales that she’d lose her husband too, but called The Alfred hospital in search of a last minute solution.

“They said ‘we’ve done everything we can, but nothing’s changed’,” Mr Rojales recalled.

“The Alfred doctors suggested to lie me on my stomach, which sounds simple and also very weird, but amazingly I started to breathe again at 50 percent, straight away.

“As the days went by, I just got better and better. We’re people of faith, so I can only attribute breathing again to the prayers of my church.”

Throughout his hospital stint, Mr Rojales developed pneumonia, anaemia, acute kidney failure and nerve damage.

After 72 days, he was finally deemed well enough to be discharged from hospital on 5 June.

“It was great to be home and in a different environment. I felt like furniture in the hospital,” he laughed.

“I’m still very immobile. I’m not able to walk or stand for long periods and my left leg is not weight bearing, but it was just great to be back with my family again.”

Having Mr Rojales home was the best pos-

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pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

FOCUS ON … REAL ESTATE

IMPRESSIVE CONTEMPORARY RESIDENCE THIS impressive contemporary five bedroom residence sits perfectly on approx. 1.5 acres located in the prestigious Robinhood Estate in Drouin. With excellence on every level, the whole family will enjoy the four living areas including a formal loungeroom, media room, open plan dining and living zone plus the fully enclosed entertaining and barbecue area.

The entrance hall welcomes visitors with beautiful porcelain floor tiles and high ceilings that follows through to the centre of the home; the stylish kitchen with dark Caesarstone benchtops and white glossy vinyl wrap doors and cupboards bring to life this beautiful gourmet and entertainers kitchen, high quality appliances and the convenient butlers pantry adding to the easy flowing floor plan of this hub area.

The home covers approx. 68 squares under roofline and 36 squares of total living space starting with the generous size master bedroom with double walk in robes and very stylish ensuite including double shower with double shower heads, double vanity and large bathtub, there is the second spacious family bathroom, plus two separate powder rooms (three toilets in all) while the remaining four large bedrooms offer multiple built-in-robes.

From the kitchen area we enter into the enormous fully enclosed north facing entertaining and barbecue area, huge in size yet offering plenty of diversity and enjoyment for many different uses for both adults and children alike.

On the outside we explore the further

magnificent features of this stunning property, including established manicured gardens, shrubs and trees, several garden gazebos, an abundance and variety of fruit and nut trees, large vegetable patch and a fantastic choice of different berry varieties, all this almost all year round.

Vehicle and car accommodation is truly

impressive with an oversized triple car garage able to comfortably accommodate 3 cars plus extensive storage capacity, which is attached to the house with internal access into the home; double car portico at the entrance of the home, plus the 18m x 9m x 4.2m industrial size color bond shed and workshop.

Additional features include ducted heating, evaporative cooling, ducted vacuuming system, low energy lights, six water tanks, 6.6KW - 22 panel solar electricity system and the list goes on and on. This stunning property offers a lifestyle of comfort, style, open space and privacy, inquire today. ●

HOME ESSENTIALS Address: 2 John Street, DROUIN Description: 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 5 garage Price: $1,550,000 - $1,650,000 Inspect: By appointment Contact: Vince Di Grazia, 0433 921 581, RAY WHITE, DROUIN, 5625 1033

Take advantage of the $10,000* first home owners grant and even better….

Receive up to $25,000* for the new builders scheme.

Now is the time to buy! *eligibility criteria must be met

Inclusions • Vinyl wrap kitchen with stone benchtops • Stainless steel electric oven • Stainless steel gas hot plates • Stainless steel range hood • Ducted heating • Ceramic floor and wall tiles as per floor plans from builders range

Pakenham

• Carpet to remaining areas from builders range • Stainless steel sink and flick mixer to kitchen • Chrome mixer tops from builders range • Mirrors with polished edge to bathroom • Exhaust fans to bathrooms • Roller door to garage

• Flush panel internal doors • Internal door handles • 50mm Scotia cornice throughout • White glo tub to laundry • Weathertough acrylic to all exterior • Sewer power, drainage, gas and water connections as per plans • Outdoor water taps

Whether you’re looking to downsize and keep the caravan or boat, a first home buyer looking to enter the market or savvy investor, this development has a little something for everyone. Located in an established part of Pakenham, opposite parklands and open space, the fresh air and neighbourhood vibes will have you feeling at home in no time! With close access to all the amenities such as shopping, schools, restaurants and more throughout Pakenham and surrounding towns, you’ll have everything you need.

With easy access to the M1.

2 bedroom townhouses $369,000–399,000.

3 bedroom townhouses $409,000–$449,000.

First Home Owner Grant $10,000 (to eligible applicants) Prices subject to change 12452900-LB26-20

pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

Thursday, 7 January, 2021

|

STAR NEWS 17

FOCUS ON … REAL ESTATE

PASSION FOR THE JOB WALEED Mohmand has a hunger for real estate - a passion that has served him well in his role with Only Estate Agents.

With over two years of experience under his belt, Waleed has the know-how to meet the needs of both buyers and sellers.

He enjoys being able to help people get their first home or sell their properties, and specialises in brand new homes, home and land packages and established properties.

During the second Covid lockdown, Waleed took the initiative early on to take videos of every property he had listed to create virtual tours for clients.

As a result, during that time he sold six properties.

“Every time someone called about a property, I would say ‘you can see it, I’ll send you a link, click on it to look at the property and if you like it, let me know’. That’s how I sold those properties,” Waleed said.

He believes the technology will continue to help estate agents into the future, with virtual tours able to be used for interstate or absent buyers.

It’s a testament to his hunger for real estate work, along with his determination to give his all to every client.

“I’ll do my best to get them the best

result and a quick result. For customers buying property, I’ll do my best to give them what they want,” Waleed explained.

Waleed said he takes the time to develop a trusting relationship with his clients to better serve their needs.

“I don’t see them as another customer, I see them as a family member. If someone has put their trust in me to sell their property, I won’t let them down,” he said.

- Danielle Kutchel ●

Waleed Mohmand has a hunger for real estate.

SPACIOUS HOME IN QUIET LOCATION THIS spacious home is located on the highly desired and quiet Outlook Drive in Drouin.

Insulated throughout, large capacity solar system, great shed plus 4 car carport as well as r/c double garage.

The home is fully insulated, with perks such as ducted vacuum, high ceilings, ensuite and walk-in robe and extra large living room with bay window, There is a lot of boxes immediately ticked here!

A builder’s own home and a level, large block with privacy and enclosed backyard.

Enquire today. Inspections welcome. ●

        Take advantage of the $20,000* first home

HOME ESSENTIALS Address: 20 Outlook, DROUIN Description: 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 6 garage Price: $565,000 Inspect: By appointment Contact: Miranda Pike, 0404 193 205, SEJ REAL ESTATE, 5622 3800 —

owners grant and even  better….

Receive up to $25,000*  for the new builders scheme.  Now is the time to buy! 

96

Lampard

| Drouin

| Drouin

Road

    

*eligibility criteria must be met

   

Inclusions • Carpet to remaining • Flush panel • Vinyl wrap kitchen areas from builders internal doors with stone benchtops range • Internal door handles • Stainless steel electric • Stainless steel sink • 50mm Scotia cornice oven and flick mixer throughout • Stainless steel gas hot to kitchenTOWN • White glo tub plates • Chrome mixer tops to laundry • Stainless steel range from builders range • Weathertough acrylic hood • Mirrors with polished to all exterior • Ducted heating edge to bathroom • Sewer power, • Ceramic floor and wall • Exhaust fans to drainage, gas and tiles as per floor plans bathrooms water connections as *Subject to developers final approval, statutory regulations & builders preferred sitting. from subject to change without notice.

• Roller *Pricing & inclusions Pictures door for illustration purposes only. per plans builders range to garage • Outdoor water taps 18 STAR NEWS

|

Thursday, 7 January, 2021

FOR SALE - 18 Stunning Units Nestled amongst the open space of Bellbird Park, Drouin.

First home buyers grant of $20,000 available to eligible purchasers. BUY NOW AND SAVE THOUSANDS ON STAMP DUTY!

For more information, contact: Dale Atkin: 0402 717 891

Don’t miss this opportunity to purchase a unit in a great part of Drouin, surrounded by open space and parklands. With 2 & 3 bedroom and single & double garage options, these quility built units feature open plan kitchen/meals/living area, and high quality finishes throughout.

96 Lampard Road is located just 1.5kms from Drouin’s main shopping precinct, schools, train station and recreation facilities. Take a leisurely bike ride along the ‘Two Towns Trail’ from Drouin to Warragul, enjoy the town’s restaurants and cafe’s, take the kids to the local skate park, or make the most of the array of sporting facilities offered in Drouin including golf course and basketball stadium.

12466250-SN43-20 12451848-NG25-20 12452901-SG27-20

2 Bedroom - $349,950 3 Bedroom, - $399,950 2 Bedroom, plus study - $ 374,950

* Images are for illustration purposes only.

pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

2020 - THE YEAR THAT WAS...

Covid cluster in church

By Brendan Rees A Berwick pastor was fighting the coronavirus in hospital in May following a trip to South Africa in March - which also led to the death of a family member who contracted the virus.

Pastor Michael Rojales was in a coma for two weeks upon his return to Australia after travelling to Cape Town for a study tour with four other pastors from the Berwick Church of Christ, according to a source from the church.

“His kidney basically closed down and at one stage he only had two per cent,” the source said, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “(He’s) still in corona wards - he hasn’t been let out to go to rehab yet.”

The source also revealed Pastor Michael’s mother-in-law died after contracting Covid-19 while his mother was also infected but had since recovered after being admitted to hospital.

“The funeral was happening while he was still in a coma so I believe, which is pretty tough, and he’s got an 18-year-old-daughter,” the source said. The wife of Pastor Mat Daniels, who was “least affected” by Covid-19, also contracted the virus.

Asked whether other members of the church had contracted Covid-19, the source said: “Not that I’m aware of.”

Of the five pastors who travelled to Cape Town, four are back working at the church two of whom were infected with the virus, the source said. It comes as Pastor Braam Botha spoke of his “desperate physical state” after being diagnosed with Covid-19 following the trip to Cape Town with the group of pastors.

Speaking in a video streamed to the Berwick Church of Christ Facebook page, Pastor Braam revealed Pastor Michael “was doing it tough” on their return flight home.

He explained their flight times had changed but nonetheless all five were flown back to Australia’s before the borders were closed. Information about the virus at this stage, he said, had been “still a bit sleepy” following their trip from 8-19 March.

“At that stage we could really see Michael was doing it tough and we are still trusting in god for Michael’s miracle,” Pastor Braam said, adding “thank god he has been healing up and it’s going better with him”.

“Then I had some symptoms that wasn’t the typical symptoms,” Pastor Braam said. “I had

the headaches which was quite severe. I could feel that something in my chest wasn’t right, but there was no cough, there was no phlegm produced, it was just the headaches and the fever that was intense.

“I suspect on our way back on the second leg of the flight we were exposed to the coronavirus in the airplane.

“A few days after coming back we started to present some symptoms that was relating to the coronavirus.”

Upon returning to Australia, Pastor Braam said he had three visits to hospital but due to his lack of symptoms at the time, medical staff suspected his condition was “something else”.

On his third trip to hospital, he said staff took some x-rays and diagnosed him with “a typical pneumonia with 50 per cent of my one lung left functioning normally and 25 per cent of the other lung.”

“A few days later I was still doing it tough and I was so distressed because I sensed something in my body was not doing well,” he said in the streamed video.

“I was lying in bed at one stage and the pain was so intense and I could feel my back to get oxygen to my organs was intensifying.

“At a stage I suddenly felt some of the organs in my body starting to slow down, that’s the most awkward experience.

“A fear got hold of me,” he said, adding at one point he turned to his wife and said: “It’s as if death is knocking on my door.”

Pastor Braam said he went back to hospital but “they referred me to another hospital”.

“My fever just kept on rising and rising and at one stage I had a fever of 41.8 which is way too high.” (A normal body temperature is around 37 degrees). Pastor Braam was bathed in ice in an attempt to cool his body as he recalled “battling for my life.”

Fortunately, Pastor Braam recovered, saying “thank god for the amazing treatment I got.”

The Department of Health and Human Services was contacted regarding Covid-19 cases linked to the Berwick Church of Christ, however, a spokesperson at the time said: “DHHS does not identify individual cases or their close contacts.”

“The department is responding to cases as they are notified and the public can be confident that all close contacts are responded to accordingly as required to protect public health,” the spokesperson said.

Sutton under fire: Leaders react to CHO’s concerns

By Brendan Rees and Cam Lucadou-Wells Afghan community leaders hit out at comments made by Victoria’s Chief Health Officer in September, after Brett Sutton pinpointed Casey’s Afghan community in a Covid-19 cluster. The community leaders said the comments were “offensive” and “inappropriate”.

It came as Hallam, Clyde and Narre Warren were identified as hotspots by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). However, Victorian Chief Health Officer professor Brett Sutton came under fire after saying on Monday 14 September that the outbreaks had occurred within Casey’s Afghan community and was a “priority for engagement and a priority for testing for us”.

“They do the right thing but they have some vulnerabilities in terms of where they work and how they need to work,” he said, adding he had offered to speak directly to the Afghan community. Having previously travelled to Afghanistan, he said people had a “universal motivation” to protect their families.

“I know their motivation is to get on top of this as much as anyone.”

On 14 September, the Hallam postcode had recorded 16 cases in the past week, and Clyde/ Clyde North/Cardinia with 18 - including nine on 14 September. There were 83 active cases in the City of Casey on 15 September. Casey’s 2020 citizen of the year and community leader Bassir Qadiri said he was disappointed by Professor Sutton’s remarks,

ed Publish y ursda

saying the Afghan community had been following all the government guidelines.

“As a community leader I express the Afghan community’s disappointment at a way that they have been singled out and blamed,” Mr Qadiri said, who is also chair of the Bakhtar Cultural Association. He said Covid-19 cases could “affect anyone in the community,” and it was “inappropriate to finger point a specific community”.

“The Afghan community is disappointed and hurt by the statement.”

Mr Qadiri said he had been working with the local MPs including Pauline Richards and Gary Maas and relevant community organisations to make sure the DHHS Covid related information “reaches out to everyone in the community”.

“Afghans like their fellow Victorians citizens are doing the right thing and adhering to the current restriction applied by the

a grave concern,” he said.

“As per information in hand we had only two new contracted cases that relates to two Afghan families but how about the rest, the remaining seven cases? And why there is not a mention of other communities or individuals and only Afghans?”

Mr Keshtiar said residents of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds had the same access to accurate health information as others in their own languages.

“To blame the health department that we didn’t get the message or vice versa indirectly blaming the entire community for such outbreak we find it difficult to believe. The media must ensure they have their facts right and stop being subjective or biased when it comes to these type of highly sensitive issues.”

“Even in these communities with language barriers surely they’ve got some members of their family to explain to them and they can ask this is why so far they have complied with all the rules and regulations related to Covid-19 restrictions.” He added the community “demands an explanation” as to why “specific mention” was made of the Afghan community and “on what basis?”.

Melbourne’s RMIT University Associate Professor of Microbiology Taghrid Istivan said the latest spike of infections in the south east was “probably” due to people ignoring selfisolation guidelines or Covid-safe directions but warned against blaming culturally diverse communities for spreading the virus due to “multiple factors that may be considered”.

Grab a FREE printed copy of your Pakenham Officer Star News!

12453919-FA28-20

Th

Casey’s 2020 citizen of the year and community leader Bassir Qadiri is disappointed by the Victoria’s Chief Health Officer comments. 215737

government. However, no other community, Afghans or others should be blamed or to be taken responsible for the action of individuals within the wider community.”

Mr Qadiri’s comments were also echoed

by Sadia Ali, president of the United Cultural Support Inc, who said the Casey Afghan community had been left “hurt morally and emotionally” by Professor’s Sutton’s comments, and urged him to apologise.

“I am personally disappointed and offended by this inappropriate act which needs to be rectified by apologising from the community,” she said. “We are aware of our ethical and moral responsibilities towards the country’s laws and regulations we live in.”

“Defaming the sanity and integrity of any community brings hatred and riot among the wider communities.

“We have worked hard all these years to achieve good name by all means of positive integration and collaboration, we would not allow anyone to pinpoint name not with any community, ethnicity, race or belief.”

Ms Ali stressed that Professor Sutton’s should have taken “appropriate steps for the resolution if he was concerned”.

Bashir Keshtiar, an Afghan community leader and president of the Afghan Social Services Association of Victoria, said it was unfair to “single out” the Afghan community in Casey as the source of spreading the virus without evidence of contact-tracing proving this was the case.

“To pinpoint one particular community is

pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

Thursday, 7 January, 2021

|

STAR NEWS 19

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STAR NEWS 21

SPORT YEAR IN REVIEW

City of Casey CEO Glenn Patterson and Melbourne City FC chief executive Brad Rowse at Casey Fields on Wednesday morning.

Picture: COURTESY OF ROB CAREW

Sport has its triumphs

By Nick Creely and Lance Jenkinson 2020 has been a year of challenges in Melbourne, Victoria and the entire country but from a community sport perspective, there is still plenty of local achievements that are not only worth celebrating, but give added optimism that 2021 will be something to look forward to.

One of the major stories of 2020, coming in the back-end of the year was the announcement that A-League club Melbourne City would be relocating to an elite training facility at Casey Fields - something expected to bolster the football-loving region and open even greater pathways for boys and girls to pursue their dreams of playing professional soccer.

After persistent rumours, the club announced in December that it would be moving its administration and training facilities to the south east region after years of Team 11’s presence in the area, and City CEO Brad Rowse said it was a win-win for all involved.

“One of the things we’ve found, is that a lot of our members reside in the area - we also at the time, when Team 11 were submitting their bid for the region, knew it was a powerhouse of an opportunity for a club to be based there,” he said on the morning of the announcement.

“If you look at the facts, there is 1.6 million people living there, and I think 1.9 million when you factor in Gippsland.

“It’s been one of the fastest growing areas in the country for the last 10 years, its multicultural, residents from 160-odd nationalities, and there are 115 grassroots clubs.

“The biggest one for us, its probably rare in Victoria, is that football is the number one code - there’s only one professional sporting club in that entire region, compared to in and around Melbourne where there is a proliferation of sporting teams.

“So its very attractive to be the sole club representing the south east.”

Another major story was Future Score, who 22 STAR NEWS

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Thursday, 7 January, 2021

“

It’s absolutely fantastic - he’s such a lovely horse.

He’s only small, but he’s a real tryer and he seems to get better and better with each prep.”

Trainer Matt Cumani after Future Score won the Cranbourne Cup.

lived up to the name as one to watch for future races, with the $18 outsider storming home to claim the 2020 running of the now $400,000 Cranbourne Cup in sensational scenes in October.

The Matt Cumani-trained horse stormed home from Odeon and Dr Drill rounding out the places.

“It’s absolutely fantastic - he’s such a lovely horse. He’s only small, but he’s a real tryer and he seems to get better and better with each prep,” Cumani said.

“I thought when he was 20-1 to one it was a bit wide of the mark - 15 was a bit more where I thought - but I was quietly hopeful he’d at least run a place.

“But to win that well - it was an impressive performance from the horse, and a beautiful ride. He just did it so well that it bodes well for the future.”

There was plenty of local recognition in 2020 at the Victorian Sports Awards, with both the Victorian Sikh Games and the City of Casey taking out prestigious honours.

The Victorian Sikh Games took out the Community Sporting Event of the Year for its outstanding event at Casey Fields in 2019, toppling a large group of very strong finalists.

The City of Casey also took out the Local Government Initiative of the Year with its work in transforming Casey Stadium into a world class multi-sport stadium, equipped with new gymnastics, indoor cricket, indoor soccer and wheelchair sports programs.

Parliamentary secretary for sport, Danielle Green, said it was incredible to see so many

boys and girls take part in sport across the state, and to be honoured for their achievements.

“We’re seeing growing numbers of girls and boys, women and men signing up to play sport at local clubs. Home-grown heroes play a big part in inspiring that growth,” she said.

“Congratulations to all the achievers recognised in the Victorian Sport Awards. The hard work and dedication of athletes, coaches, officials, administrators and volunteers at all levels of sport is truly outstanding.”

Adrian Little was another to shine in his field, with the Berwick local shining in the 262-kilometre Melbourne to Warrnambool Cycling Classic on 15 February - one of the most iconic sporting events in Victoria and the second oldest one day cycling event in the world winning the A Grade event with an impressive time of 6:25:48, and with a phenomenal average speed of 40.8 kilometres per hour.

“I wanted to just do my best, and I was lucky enough to come away with a win,” he said.

“Coming into the race, the forecast wasn’t great, there were really big head winds, which isn’t good for a really long race, so I was pretty hesitant not knowing how it’d pan out.”

Tiggerlong Tonk showed why he’s regarded as one of the country’s most exciting young sprinters with a comprehensive victory in April’s star-studded edition of the Group 3 Easter Gift at the Sandown Park greyhounds.

Here’s Tears also became the Victorian National Distance Champion after a superior staying performance at Sandown Park in August.

Pearcedale-based trainer Luckie Karabit-

sakos confirmed that his superstar local dog Hard Style Rico will go out on a high after racing into immortality with 2020 TAB Melbourne Cup glory at Sandown Greyhound Racing Club in late-November.

Ex-St Kilda AFL player, from Hallam and Beaconsfield, Arryn Siposs was signed by the Detroit Lions in the NFL after an eye-catching punting stint at US college powerhouse, the Auburn Tigers.

“I didn’t expect this to happen in my wildest dreams,” Siposs admitted.

“It has been an amazing journey so far and it really is just the beginning of it...I just wanted to play AFL for 10 to 12 years and have a great career doing that, but that didn’t work out, so hav- ing the opportunity to do this is amazing and hopefully I can have decent career in the NFL.” Peter Moody returned to training the way he left it - with a winner - thanks to a dominant display by Shepard at Ballarat in May. The man best known as the trainer of former champion sprinter Black Caviar celebrated victory with his first runner in more than four years.

In more racing triumphs, Rachael Cunningham, who trains out of Sportsbet Pakenham in Tynong, was in awe of her nine- year-old as he crossed the line with her great mate Lee Horner on board to claim the time-honoured Grand National Steeplechase over 4500 metres at Ballarat in August.

Attorney then laid down the law for Matthew Smith in December as jockey Nash Rawiller powered home the six-year-old bay at the head of a bumper field to claim the $300,000 Sportsbet Pakenham Cup for 2020.

In the baseball and softball scenes, young local baseball player Kendra Rutgers oozed potential.

Rutgers, a student at Kambrya College in Berwick and member of the Southern Mariners, was selected to represent Australia at the IBA Under 12 World Championships. pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

SPORT YEAR IN REVIEW

Future Score claimed the $400,000 TAB Cranbourne Cup in impressive style with Fred Kersley piloting him home.

The 12-year-old was excited to follow in the footsteps of her older brother in being selected to represent her country and be the first female selected in this team.

Softballers rejoiced after the Sweeney Reserve softball pavilion was officially opened.

The $2.59m pavilion is the headquarters of the Casey Softball Association, which is home to 37 teams across nine clubs and 390 participants.

It was also a big year in basketball, and one of the first teams impacted by the dreaded Covid-19 was Berwick College’s budding young basketballers.

After winning the School Sport Australia national title, the school was invited to represent Australia at the World Schools Championships in Croatia.

The dates were set for 15 to 22 March , a time when the pandemic was beginning to wrap its tentacles on every corner of the globe.

Much to the disappointment of the Berwick students, the school made the tough decision to cancel the trip.

Club and association basketball was next to hit hard by Covid-19.

Our headline - ‘When Hoop Dreams Deflate’ - summed up the feelings of players, coaches and fans of Casey Cavaliers, Pakenham Warriors and Dandenong Ranges in the Big V and NBL 1 competitions.

Warriors women’s coach Simo Pajdic summed up a strange situation unfolding due to the pandemic in April.

“Obviously it’s been postponed and we’re not allowed to have any contact with players in regards to training sessions,” he said.

Organised basketball, outside of the professional competitions, was cancelled for 2020.

The talents of Cranbourne West’s Nyadiew Puoch were recognised with a scholarship to the world renowned Centre of Excellence at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra.

Australian superstar Liz Cambage was unveiled as Southside Flyers boom recruit for shortened 2020 season.

The WNBL was played in a hub in Queensland due to Covid-19 and Cambage led the Flyers to the premiership.

Upper Beaconsfield product Jack Le Brocq pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

Picture: RACING PHOTOS

Berwick sport shooter Sergei Evglevski will certainly remember 2020 for positive reasons.

Le Brocq took out his maiden Supercars win for the Tickford Racing team in Sydney.

After an impressive inaugural season that saw them reach the grand final, Casey Demons were eager to step back out onto the court and try to go one better.

Unfortunately, Covid-19 wiped out the Victorian Netball League season in what coach Robynn Pym described as a “bummer”, leaving the Demons disappointed and seeking a one year extension to the VNL licence with Netball Victoria.

Hard working Pakenham Lions president Marg Jones was recognised for her efforts with Netball Victoria’s prestigious Volunteer of the Year Award.

In Rugby League, The City of Casey played host to the Storm Harmony Nines competition in February.

Some of the best players from across the

Picture: SUPPLIED state featured in the fast-paced nine-a-side game that has become a traditional warm up event for rugby league competitions the world over.

Melbourne Storm players Tui Kamikamica and Ryley Jacks, part of the NRL championship winning squad later in 2020, was on hand to launch the event, which featured 12 teams, six men’s and six women’s.

The Storm also played a preseason game for local fans against the North Queensland Cowboys.

Storm CEO Dave Donaghy described the event as “a celebration of rugby league” in the lead up.

Of course, it was a pro-Storm crowd, and they went home happy after the Purple Army beat the Cowboys 22-14.

Berwick shooter Sergei Evglevski had his preparations for Tokyo 2020 meticulously planned.

In his dreams was a gold medal in the

25-metre rapid fire pistol.

Unfortunately, it was his nightmares that played out in 2020, with the Olympics postponed due to Covid-19.

Amidst the lockdown, Evglevski turned to juggling, drawing, puzzles and study to keep his mind sharp.

“I kind of just assumed it [Covid] would be one of those things that would come and go, but this has become a much more serious thing,” he said.

It was a similar story for Laetisha Scanlan, who, instead of competing in the green and gold in shooting, she was picking apples alongside her dad on their Tynong orchard.

Despite the many obstacles and challenges faced by clubs and athletes in 2020, there has been plenty to celebrate and remember.

And Star News looks forward to covering even more fantastic local achievements in 2021!

Thursday, 7 January, 2021

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STAR NEWS 23

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