News - Berwick Star News - 2nd February 2023

BERWICK

Thursday, 2 February, 2023

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Woman of the Year

Jo Ann inspires

By Eleanor Wilson

Neighbourhood Watch Casey secretary and treasurer Jo Ann Fitzgerald was recognised as 2023 Casey Citizen of the Year. 317422 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS Fitzgerald said catering to the varying needs of the community is no easy task.

She hopes her award can inspire other community members to join in the work of Neighbourhood Watch Casey.

“Hopefully we can get a bigger volunteer

base, we’re a small group of volunteers so it can be difficult to find volunteers to attend every event,” she said.

“We are all volunteers, so if there are any like minded individuals that could volunteer a couple of hours a month, we’d appreciate all

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the help we can get.”

“My hope is that we can grow a little bit so we don’t have that concern for the future... some other groups in Victoria have closed because they don’t have enough volunteers and I don’t want to see that happen.”

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For Narre Warren South’s Jo Ann Fitzgerald, the title Casey Citizen of the Year is still sinking in.

The secretary and treasurer of Neighbourhood Watch Casey, it was Mrs Fitzgerald’s tireless work to keep the community safe that earned her the title at the 2023 Casey Community Awards last week.

“I’m only just starting to realise just how big of a thing it is... I’m very grateful” she said.

Six years ago Mrs Fitzgerald answered a Facebook call-out searching for a new treasurer and secretary with the volunteer-run community crime prevention group.

She took on both roles, and has remained dedicated to the position ever since - something she puts down to her benevolent nature.

“I’ve always been one to give back to the community, it doesn’t matter if i’m talking to a veteran or whether it’s one of the scouts, they all have different concerns,’ she reasoned.

“If i can make any body feel a little bit safer and more comfortable in the community I’ll find a way to do it.”

A mouth piece to the community, Neighbourhood Watch Casey encourages City of Casey residents to participate with Police in the prevention of crime to ensure safe and secure neighbourhoods.

“We are the educational part of keeping people safe, that’s the overarching theme,” Mrs said.

“Whether its guiding the community on how to respond if there’s a fire, what to do during fire restrictions, or working with Victoria Police to inform residents about how to report problems in the community, when to dial Triple-Zero or when to use Crime Stoppers...If we can manage it anywhere we can possibly make a difference to make the community safer, you’ll find us,” she said.

You’ll often see them at events like the The Doveton Show or the Casey Kids Carnival, which they volunteer their time at each year alongside other events.

In a municipality as diverse as Casey, Mrs

NEWS

Lynbrook scrubfires ‘suspicious’ Victoria Police are investigating two suspicious scrubfires within days near Lynbrook Primary School.

Hampton Park CFA units as well as FRV crews responded to the second bushfire at Patterson Drive about 3.47pm on 26 January.

The 40-metre by 40-metre fire was burning behind the school and near a train line, a CFA spokesperson said.

“The incident was declared safe by 4.18pm and handed to Victoria Police to investigate.“ Police were also called to investigate a grass and scrubfire in wetlands next to the train line and near the school about 1.18pm on 22 January.

Six CFA units from Hampton Park, Casey Group, Cranbourne, Hallam and Narre Warren took several hours to extinguish the blaze.

It was declared under control at 1.59pm and safe at 3.36pm.

A Victoria Police spokesperson said no one was injured and no structures were damaged.

“At this stage the fires are being treated as suspicious.“ CFA incident controller Lieutenant Joe Show said residents can ensure their safety this fire season by checking emergency smoke and fire warnings, available at emergency.vic.gov.au “A couple of helpful pieces of advice would be to keep your distance from emergency services while they do their job and if you find yourself near a grassfire, walk at least two streets back,” Lt Shaw said.

Any information to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppers.vic. gov.au

The grass and srcub fire was brought under control by units from Clyde, Tooradin and Devon Meadows Fire Brigades. 317872 Picture: CLYDE FIRE BRIGADE

Machinery warning

By Eleanor Wilson Local fire brigades have issued a reminder for residents to be aware when using farm machinery during fire season, after a grass and scrub fire in Cardinia on Wednesday 25 January.

Units from Clyde, Tooradin and Devon Meadows CFA were called to a private property in Cardinia around 1:30pm on Wednesday 25 January, where a grass and scrub fire was spreading.

The fire was brought under control within about 30 minutes with no one injured and no damage to property, according to a Facebook post by Devon Meadows CFA. The fire is understood to have been started by farm machinery, sparking brigades to issue

a reminder to community members to act with caution during fire season.

“If you’re using farm machinery or vehicles, ensure it is free from any faults and mechanical defects, fitted with an approved spark arrestor and carrying a water fire extinguisher,” the post read.

“Be aware of hot exhaust pipes, mufflers can start grassfires. The accumulation of grass around the underbody of vehicles can create a fire risk.“ The most common cause of grass and scrub fires caused by machinery is material collecting on hot engine components such as the manifold, exhaust and turbocharger, according to the CFA. “The key to avoiding grass fires caused by

machinery is diligence in clean-down and inspection.”

The reminder came a few days ahead on the imposition of a Fire Danger Period in Casey and Cardinia on Monday 30 January.

The period places a series of restrictions on fire activities in the community, with written permits required to burn off grass, undergrowth, weeds or other vegetation.

Lighting a fire in the open without a permit is an offence and can bring a penalty of over $21,800 and/or 12 months imprisonment.

Barbecues and fires for cooking and warmth do not require a permit, but must be lit in properly constructed fireplaces.

For more information, head to cfa.vic.gov. au/warnings-restrictions/total-fire-bans-firedanger-ratings/can-i-or-cant-i

Trail bike riders targeted in Parks Victoria operation A new operation targeting illegal trail bike riding across Melbourne parks is the first of its kind by Parks Victoria.

Locals can expect to see an increased presence of Parks Victoria authorised patrol officers in urban parks to crack down on illegal trail bike riding on walking and management trails, to raise awareness of the safety risk and damage posed by their behaviour.

Recent years have seen a spike in reports of trail bike riders spotted in Lysterfield Park and Churchill National Park.

The new operation, under the name Operation OXIDE will set up patrols in these areas, along with Bunyip State Park and Kurth Kiln Regional Park, which have been significant impacted by increased trail bike activity since the 2019 bushfires.

As well as being a safety risk in popular urban parks, like Lysterfield, illegal trail bike riding causes damage to valuable habitat for native species, causes soil erosion impacting waterways and sensitive vegetation, and can potentially impact Aboriginal heritage and cultural sites in the area.

Manager of Enforcement Operations Chris Mercier said the use of motorbikes in busy urban parks like Lysterfield Park was dangerous and irresponsible.

“We’ve been able to build up a picture of when and where these illegal activities are occurring - we could be out there at any time, evenings and weekends - offenders should expect to be caught.”

Parks Victoria said they would work in partnership with the Conservation Regulator and Victoria Police for safety and compliance on public land. Details of those riding unregistered or unlicensed bikes will be shared with Victoria Police.

The areas are likely to see increased patrols over the coming months, targeting peak riding hours during the longer sunshine hours 2 STAR NEWS

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Thursday, 2 February, 2023

Operation Oxide: Parks Victoria Authorised Officers on trailbikes patrolling Lysterfield Park. ered motorbikes under the law - which can be checked on the VicRoads website.

Motorbikes must stay on formed roads or tracks where this activity is permitted.

Check details before heading out on your ride.

Comply with signage.

Be aware that there are other park users such as four wheel drivers, horse riders and cyclists that may also be using the approved road and track network.

There are no legal single trails for motorbike use on public land.

There are penalties for riding off road or in areas where this activity is not permitted.

“Parks Victoria encourages people to get out and enjoy parks, but it is important for the safety and enjoyment of all park visitors and the health of the environment that you stay within the law,” Mr Mercier said.

To report illegal trail bike riding, call Parks Victoria on 13 1963 or Victoria Police.

More information at exploreoutdoors.vic. gov.au/where-to-start/trail-bike-riding-instate-forests

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Parks Victoria Authorised Officers on trailbikes patrolling Lysterfield Park. Pictures: PARKS VICTORIA and on weekends.

However, Parks Victoria recognises that enjoying the Victorian bush from the seat of a motorbike is a unique experience, and have

some things to remember when planning to ride on public land: Motorbikes must be registered and riders must be licensed. Some ebikes are consid-

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berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

NEWS

Casey crowns first woman of the year

By Eleanor Wilson She may be a full-time teacher and mother of two, but Liesel Kippen’s influence stretches far beyond the classroom.

Working tirelessly over the last three years, the Berwick resident has worked to raise $17,850 for the homeless community - earning her the inaugural Casey Woman of the Year Award at last week’s 2023 Casey Community Awards.

From bringing bread rolls for her students each Wednesday, to volunteering at local opportunity shops and coordinating a sleep-out for the homeless fundraiser, Ms Kippen selflessly gives up her spare time for the greater good of the community’s most vulnerable.

“It was during Covid times, during lockdown and people needed food - we had a great need to support the homeless,” she explained.

“We had raffles, online fundraisers, sausage sizzles and a sleep out for the homeless at Akoonah Park.“ She even woke up before dawn every Sunday to raise money for the homeless by selling secondhand goods at Akoonah Park’s markets. The $2000 raised from that project went to purchasing sleeping bags for the National Homeless Collective.

But one of her proudest initiatives was a care day for the homeless during Christmas in 2021.

The day featured a variety of meals, a shower van, free massages, haircuts, manicures and pedicures and Christmas gifts.

For Ms Kippen, the root of her dedication to investing untold hours into helping those in need comes down to her day to day experiences.

“Coming from South Africa, a large proportion of the population are unemployed and live on the streets, so seeing all of that, it becomes part and parcel of life,“ she explained.

“In addition to that, being a teacher, I’m surrounded by kids from a variety of different walks of life and you see the impact of that every day.“ While praise is not what drives her in her volunteer work, she said being recognised as Casey Woman of the Year was a great honour.

“For me it means that all the effort has been recognised and acknowledged… if I can be a role model and keep positively impacting the community to make just a small difference, that’s what counts.

She said she was honoured to be the first recipient of Casey’s Woman of the Year award.

It’s not very often you get that recognition as a female, so its a proud moment that we are being recognised for our efforts and hard work,” she said.

Two allegedly stolen cars were seized

by Victoria Police at Hampton Park on Wednesday 25 January.

Hampton Park four charged Four teenagers have been arrested in Hampton Park over a series of burglaries and car thefts across Melbourne.

The four males face a total of 60 charges after being arrested at a home in James Wyman Place about 11.15am on Wednesday 25 January.

Two allegedly stolen cars were also seized by police.

Southern Metro Crime Team detectives allege the group were involved in 11 incidents in suburbs such as Sandhurst, Cranbourne and Mt Martha between 2025 January.

The teens gained access to unlocked vehicles and properties, police say. Seven vehicles were stolen, with six recovered by police.

The charges include aggravated home invasion, aggravated burglary, car theft and committing an indictable offence on bail.

A 18-year-old man was remanded to appear at Ringwood Magistrates’ Court on 31 January.

Two boys aged 16 and 17 were remanded to appear at a children’s court, and a 17-year-old bailed to appear at a children’s court.

FSA/DETS1330

Ms Kippen’s community work has seen her has raise over $17,000 for the homeless community in Casey. 317860

Find a Kinder Program near you.

There is still time to enrol for the 2023 kindergarten year.

Find services offering approved kindergarten programs by scanning the QR code.

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Find out more at vic.gov.au/kinder

berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

Thursday, 2 February, 2023

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STAR NEWS 3

THE LOWDOWN Q&A

with 2023 Casey Citizen of the Year Jo Ann Fritzgerald

Tell us a fun fact about yourself!

I was born at West Point Military Academy at West Point, New York.

What do you love about the work you do with Neighbourhood Watch Casey?

I like learning things. With Casey being so multicultural, as I’m out talking to people I get to learn new things all the time and I get to ask questions of people. I’ve found people’s joy in their faces as I ask questions or comment on what they say the most rewarding thing. It shows people you are listening to them.

What would your last meal be?

I’m a meat and potatoes girl, so it would probably be steak and masked potatoes.

What is your most memorable moment?

This would be the weeks and the day of my wedding. We had three fires and a wedding.

Last year we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary, and still going strong.

What event past or present would you like to witness?

I would have loved to see George Washington sworn in as the first President in New York.

Which three guests, dead or alive, would you invite to dinner?

This is a hard one as I have so many. I like history. I would have loved to have a chat with Alexander Hamilton, Tadeusz Ko?ciuszko, and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

What are you currently listening to, watching or reading?

I have a few books started Corps Justice Series by C.G. Cooper Reed Security Series by Giulia Lagomarsino Europe: A History by Norman Davies Ellis Island A People’s History by Malgorzata Szejnert If you had to compete on MasterChef, what dish would you cook?

Homemade chicken fettuccine Alfredo for main dish and profiteroles for dessert.

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Jo Ann Fitzgerald was recognised as the 2023 Casey Citizen of the Year for her work with Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS Neighbourhood Watch Casey. 317424 Where is your dream holiday destination?

To get to Europe to meet my cousins in France, Germany, Belgium and Poland. We would have to stop in Ireland to meet my husband’s relatives.

What were you like as a kid?

I loved to run, ride my bike, and be in the library with my nieces.

What was your first job?

Babysitting my nieces and nephews.

What are the three most used apps on your phone?

Mail, Facebook Messenger, and camera.

What’s one question that you have always wanted answered?

Why don’t all people treat others with kindness and respect they deserve. Everyone deserves to be treated with kindness no matter who they are.

THREE … community groups to volunteer with

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Hampton Park Progress Association Hampton Park Progress Association works to represent and benefit the Hampton Park community, providing a range of events for families to enjoy.

Get involved in a rewarding community initiative, meets the 2nd Monday of every month in Hampton Park at 7pm. Contact enquiriesHPPA@outlook.com to find out more.

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Neighbourhood Watch Casey Neighbourhood Watch Casey volunteers encourage City of Casey residents to participate with Police in the prevention of crime to ensure safe and secure neighbourhoods.The group meets at 7pm on the second Wednesday of every month. Contact admin@ nhwcasey.com

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Bk 2 Basics Melbourne - Narre Warren Bk 2 Basics is a family run notfor-profit providing emergency food relief for over 3000 families each week. Working on a volunteer basis, the charity always appreciates a helping hands with initiatives such as its Wednesday night meal service, which supports hundreds of families with hot dinners. Contact bk2basicsmelbourne@gmail.com

NEWS

Phillip tackles potato shortage for fellow businesses

By Eleanor Wilson A Cranbourne fish and chips shop owner is going the extra mile to ensure his customers don’t go without their beloved potato chips and dim sims, amid the potato and cabbage shortage currently afflicting the nation.

Flooding and wet weather has significantly impacted potato yield for Australian farmers in recent months, causing suppliers to impose limits on potato products.

Owner of Camms Rd Fish and Chips, Phillip Lim, said he began to face problems in December, with suppliers significantly decreasing their supply capabilities due to the ongoing shortage.

“A lot of businesses are struggling to find new suppliers, because suppliers can only take small orders and some aren’t taking on new clients at all,”he said.

“Every single business is just taking what they can get right now... some businesses have had to cut off large and medium sized chip orders and only giving small sized boxes.“ In an effort to fix the problem, Mr Lim began widening his supplier catch net, spending hours searching for new suppliers across Melbourne to satisfy his customer’s spud cravings.

He is currently purchasing stock from more than half a dozen different suppliers, one of which requires him to drive to 45 minutes each way to collect.

But the extra work is not a selfish feat for Mr Lim, who put a call out on Facebook notifying fellow businesses that he was willing to lend a helping hand to fill their freezers.

“I pretty much just explained that I don’t have an issue with supply, because I’m doing all of this extra work, and I’m happy to help out any businesses that are struggling with the shortages at the moment by providing them stock,“ he said.

“I’m more than happy to help, because I don’t want other businesses doing it tough, at the end of the day we all have to pay the bills.“ 4 STAR NEWS

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Thursday, 2 February, 2023

Phillip Lim took ownership of the Camms Road business four months ago. 317585 One of those business owners is Akanshka Prasher, who owns a kid’s play centre and cafe in Carrum Downs, where party food is a large part of her business.

Ms Prasher said she was recently almost forced to shut down her business, Lollipop Playland and Cafe, due to the lack of supply.

“We did get a warning that we might run out of supply but we weren’t expecting it to be this bad,” she said.

“I haven’t received anything from my two regular suppliers for two months.”

“It was terrible, I’m struggling and I have

to call so many people every morning to try to find chips.”

Ms Prasher said she reached out to Mr Lim for a helping hand after seeing his post on Facebook several weeks ago.

“He tries to organise chips for me and if he’s running out of dim sims, I check my supply to help him out,” she said.

“It was such a good gesture from his end. I really appreciate it because nobody wants to shut their business for such a reason, but we didn’t have any choice and it could have happened if we didn’t find a solution.“

Mr Lim’s stocked freezer is a product of hours of behind the scenes work to ensure he has enough supply for hungry customers. 317585 Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS Ms Prasher said her suppliers have intimated supply should improve between March to May. Until then, Mr Lim plans to continue chasing chip and dim sim supplies wherever he can find them.

“For local businesses right now, if you want to be fully supplied, you have to put in a lot of extra work,“ he said.

“It’s a lot of networking, talking to different suppliers, driving to get stock... and that’s on top of my normal workload. berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

Free Kinder is here!

Three- and Four-Year-Old Kinder is now free across Victoria at participating services — saving families up to $2,500 per year per child.

Over the decade, we’ll also transition Four-Year-Old Kinder into Pre-Prep to become a 30-hour a week program, and establish 50 Victorian Government-owned and affordable childcare centres.

FSA/DETS1330

Learn more at vic.gov.au/kinder

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berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

Thursday, 2 February, 2023

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STAR NEWS 5

NEWS

OPINION

Witness call Gang Crime Squad detectives are appealing for witnesses following the theft of two vehicles from a Brighton East house.

Investigators were told a number of people entered the Regent Street property about 2.30am on Monday 23 January.

Following the execution of a search warrant, Gang Crime Squad detectives arrested a 21-year-old Narre Warren man in Narre Warren on Wednesday morning.

He was charged with dangerous or negligent driving while pursued by police, theft of motor vehicle, drive in manner dangerous, drive at speed dangerous, reckless conduct endangering life, drive while disqualified and breach prescribed condition of parole.

He was remanded to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 20 April.

LENSCAPE

Merinda Park cricketer in a flock of birds at Donnelly Reserve, Lesdon Drive, Cranbourne. 317840

LANG LANG SHOW’n’SHINE & SWAP MEET Sun.12th FEB.

SOCIALLY SPEAKING Berwick shone a little brighter last week thanks to local country music star Andrew Swift who brought home a Golden Guitar from the 2023 Tamworth Country Music Festival. Proud Berwick locals had this to say: Lynneve Jane Clayton Congratulations Andrew!!! I just love your music and dancing to it in the kitchen. We can’t wait to hear you perform live again in March at the Nooj Pub Annual Charity Duck

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to excessively long trailer vehicles in drive thrus - the length of the vehicle blocks the payment window and the order point!

Funeral Director

Thumbs down

...the little things make a difference

I’m in hospital.

Pakenham

Thumbs up

190 Princes Highway Ph: 5941 4888

I’m being looked after really well.

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Drouin

starcommunity.com.au CONTACT US Phone: 5945 0666 ADVERTISING Visit starcommunity.com.au/advertise Email advertising@starnewsgroup.com.au Phone 5945 0666 EDITORIAL Email dailyeditor@starnewsgroup.com.au com.au

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REAL ESTATE Email seren@starnewsgroup.com.au

6 STAR NEWS

to the motorists that continue to drive in the x lane on the freeway.

Thumbs down to people who continuously blame truck drivers for everything when half the time it’s the car drivers that are the problem. Go out for a day with a truck driver and you’ll see what they have to put up with on a day to day basis.

Thumbs up

Thumbs down to people who put hard waste on their nature strip for months on end. A simple phone call is all it takes to have it collected. It doesn’t happen automatically.

Thumbs down to Covid weaseling its way into our office again.

Thumbs up to Aussie men’s doubles team Rinky Hijikata and Jason Kubler on their Australian Open win.

Speak up on Bunjil

By Tanya Faulkner

www.davidwbull.com.au

Published by Star News Group Pty Ltd ACN 005 848 108.

Publisher/Managing Director, Paul Thomas.

All material is copyright to Star News Group Pty Ltd. All significant errors will be corrected as soon as possible. Distribution PROUDLY numbers, areas and coverage are estimates AUSTRALIAN OWNED & only. For our terms and conditions please visit INDEPENDENT www.starcommunity.com.au

Two young tennis lovers from Cranbourne proved themselves on the world stage as ballkids for the Australian Open throughout January. Here’s what our Facebook readers thought: Jo Mooney Such a wonderful experience for them! Nothing like it for aspiring young tennis players.

Good luck to you both with your tennis!

NEWS

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Thumbs down

to the return of Australian Idol.

Cranbourne

Assuring personal attention and care at all times for our local community.

Race & Family Fun Day. Stanley Young Congratulations Andrew you have certainly come along way since you started playing a few tunes in the corner at Purvies.

Margaret Cooper Congratulations.

Marlene Lawrence Congratulations! Fabulous singer.

THUMBS UP THUMBS DOWN Thumbs down

LANG LANG SHOWGROUNDS

2 Porter Place Ph: 5625 2571

Picture: ROB CAREW

Thursday, 2 February, 2023

The time has come for the City of Casey residents and ratepayers to have their say on the proposed Bunjil Place Revitalisation project.

City of Casey Council is examining different opportunities to develop five hectares of under-utilised land adjoining Bunjil PLace and Fountain Gate Shopping Centre in Narre Warren - known as the Bunjil Place Precinct - to increase investment opportunities and meet the requirements of Casey’s community.

Council said the site could provide a unique opportunity to build on the strong cultural and social focus created by Bunjil Place, with a potential to support greater diversity of employment, tourism, economic and social activity.

As it currently stands, the masterplan for the project includes potential multi-rise residential apartments, a hotel, hospitality and leisure spaces, wellbeing facilities, a multideck car park and enhanced pedestrian access within the precinct.

Following a meeting held on December 13 last year, the time has come for residents to share their ideas on what they would like to see at the site via an online survey, to further shape the precincts’ vision and ensure its development meets the needs and desires of the community.

City of Casey Chair of Administrators Noelene Duff is encouraging all residents to share their thoughts and be part of the site’s development journey.

“The City of Casey is committed to creating public spaces where the community can thrive, while attracting investment opportunities and partnerships that deliver positive community outcomes now and into the future.”

Ms Duff said “The Bunjil Place Precinct provides our community with the potential opportunity to strengthen the area’s arts and

tourism culture that has been established by Bunjil Place”.

Residents and ratepayers can share their feedback via Council’s community consultation website by Friday 24 February: conversations.casey.vic.gov.au/bunjil-place-precinct Following the community’s consultation to finalise the site’s vision, Council will seek the community’s feedback on selling the five hectares of land for the development of the precinct.

The long-term project will take place over the next 10 or more years. berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

NEWS

Teacher’s child-porn buddy avoids jail

By Cam Lucadou-Wells A Noble Park man who swapped “depraved” child sex abuse images with a Narre Warren school teacher has been released on a four year supervision order.

Jarrod Lyons, 28, pleaded guilty at the Victorian County Court to transmitting, soliciting and possessing child abuse material.

He’d exchanged images and videos online with former Fountain Gate Secondary College teacher Benjamin Heels, who pleaded guilty last year to sexual assault of a child and sending child abuse material.

“It appears that real children were abused in order to create the videos and images,” sentencing judge Helen Syme said on 17 January.

“I accept that you weren’t an abuser of those children but the fact was that real children were abused by someone else.”

The pair communicated “extensively” and explicitly on messaging apps Telegram and Kik while swapping a “relatively small” amount of child abuse material.

Some of the “particularly depraved” images included “adult males penetrating young or very young children”.

Lyons was arrested after police raided his home and seized two phones on 14 September 2021.

He was on a community corrections order at the time but received a level of supervision that was of “little use to you”, Judge Syme noted.

Judge Syme said Lyons’s offending was linked to a “tragic” and “significantly” deprived, abused and disrupted childhood.

Berwick crash kills woman A woman has died following a collision in Berwick on Saturday 28 January.

Two vehicles collided head-on while travelling along O’Shea Road about 10.15am.

The 33-year-old female driver of one vehicle was declared deceased at the scene.

The four occupants in the second vehicle - the male driver, female passenger, a male child and a baby boy – were all taken to hospital with serious injuries.

Police are investigating to establish the cause of the collision and will prepare a report for the coroner.

Anyone who witnessed the collision, has dashcam/CCTV footage or information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at crimestoppersvic.com. au

His culpability was reduced by his “myriad” of intellectual, drug and mental health issues.

These included fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, depression and borderline personality.

His risk of reoffending was assessed as being linked to a relapse into substance abuse.

Judge Symes said the community’s protection was best served by Lyons being supervised and assisted under a “rigorous” treatment regime.

His cooperation with police and his early guilty plea entitled him to a 40 per cent sentencing discount, the judge said.

She also took into account Lyons’s 16 months in remand since his arrest.

Lyons was sentenced to 32 months’ jail but released immediately on a four-year recognisance release order.

Under the order, Lyons must attend treatment for drug, alcohol and mental health issues, as well as sexual offender therapy.

He was ordered to report as a sexual offender for life.

Meanwhile, Heels and boyfriend Tristan Cullinan-Smythe are in custody awaiting sentence.

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Thursday, 2 February, 2023

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STAR NEWS 7

NEWS

Choir of joy

By David Qian Thousands of Australians again marked January 26 in different ways in Lysterfield Park of Casey.

Edelweiss Casey Choir hit up this park for a live fellowship event to celebrate Australia Day with friends and family.

After more than three months of diligent preparation, Edelweiss Casey Choir had a more cheerful marking of the national day.

Earlier in the day, they illuminated the park with Australian flags, Aboriginal and national day flags, Australia Day logo banner and road signs.

Tents and pavilions were set up surrounded

by Edelweiss flags and banners, and different feather flags.

Picnic tables were covered with colourful national day tablecloths, and on the tables sat with different fruits, candies and prizes to be won. Every choir member dressed up with beautiful choir clothes and makeups. All this artwork was depicting and honouring stories of Australia.

“We hope our setting of this event provides an opportunity for us to reflect on and learn about the connection Indigenous Australians have always had with the land and waters,“ Edelweiss Casey Choir director Dr Emily Hu said.

The social event officially started at 1pm with a grand appearance of three hosts.

An Acknowledgement of Country was first delivered to show respect for Traditional Owners and the continuing connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

Joined by hundreds of other people, all the members of the Choir stood up and sang a solemn chorus of the Australian national anthem, Advance Australia Fair.

Dr David Qian then passionately recited the Story of Australia in both Chinese and English

Members of the Edelweiss Casey Choir brought entertainment to Australia Day festivities at Lysterfield Park.

Picture: SUPPLIED which attracted in a large number of tourists in the park.

In the following two hours, hundreds flocked to the event as the Choir started to give live performance which featured many different types of activities including chorus, duet singing, solo singing, instrument playing, crossword puzzle price winning, tongue twister-ing, and so on.

All of these items were warmly applauded by onlookers.

Sue was celebrating her first Australia Day with her family.

“It’s so exciting … we are coming from China and Australia’s National Day this year coincides with the fifth day of the Chinese Spring Festival” she said.

“I’m so grateful to the Edelweiss Casey Choir for giving me this opportunity to be part of the Australian society and to call myself Australian today.” associate director of Edelweiss Casey Choir, Lili Xu said.

The fellowship event came to its conclusion with the warm singing of the chorus “you are my sunshine“. *David Qian is a member of Edelweiss Casey Choir

Narrow escape from fire

By Eleanor Wilson A Narre Warren South man has had a lucky escape after he was awoken in the night to find his garage on fire.

CFA units were called to reports of a house fire around 1.10am on Wednesday 25 January.

Crews from Narre Warren CFA were on scene within six minutes to find a garage alight, with the fire beginning to spread to neighbouring properties.

With additional assistance from Hampton Park Fire Brigade, FRV Station 92 and FRV Station 87, the fire was brought under control within 30 minutes.

Crews utilised a ladder platform to ensure the fire had been completely extinguished.

The scene was also attended by Victoria Police as well as electrical and gas agencies.

An electrical fault is understood to have caused the fire, which completely destroyed the garage of the house, with structural damage also sustained to the main part of the townhouse.

The fire also claimed the occupant’s car, which was located in the garage, along with a number of belongings.

Narre Warren Fire Brigade Captain Travis Carter said the man’s escape sends a clear message.

“Smoke detectors save lives, it’s as simple as that,” he said.

“The smoke detectors were going off when crews arrived and it is probably what woke him up and allowed him to get out of the house on this occasion.”

Crews thanked fast-thinking locals, who were attempting to extinguish the fire with garden hoses when CFA crews arrived.

The occupant’s garage an vehicle were completely destroyed in the fire.

Picture: NARRE WARREN CFA

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Thursday, 2 February, 2023

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NEWS

‘Reform’ bail

By Cam Lucadou-Wells A South East community legal service says women and Aboriginal people have suffered disproportionately due to Victoria’s “punitive” bail laws.

South-East Monash Legal Service (SMLS) is among many calling for Bail Act reform, including State Coroner Simon McGregor who labelled the laws a “complete and unmitigated disaster”.

On 30 January, Coroner McGregor handed down damning findings into the “harrowing” and “preventable” death of 37-year-old Veronica Nelson in a prison cell after being arrested for alleged shoplifting.

“Veronica, while alone in her cell at the Dame Phyllis Frost centre, passed away after begging for assistance for several of the last hours of her life.”

In a statement SMLS said there had been “exceptional growth” in unsentenced women being held in prison since tougher bail laws in 2013 and 2018.

Many did not “pose a risk to the community” and more likely to have committed “lowlevel offences”.

Their incarceration also led to the “harmful consequences” of their children often being placed in child protection.

There had also been a “dramatic increase” in Aboriginal people in prison who had not been sentenced.

“This is the opposite of what the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody recommended, over thirty years ago”.

Aboriginal women are the fastest-growing demographic of being held in custody without sentence. “Many of these women are victimsurvivors of family violence and mothers.They need support, not a prison cell.”

Aboriginal children were also “disproportionately” impacted, with 69 per cent in youth custody being on remand.

Along with bodies such as Liberty Victoria, the SMLS has called for the removal of the Bail Act’s “reverse-onus” provisions.

This would reinstate the presumption in favour of bail subject to “specific and immediate risk to the safety of another person or demonstrable flight risk”.

SMLS also calls for a ban on remanding people facing charges unlikely to result in jail sentences. Liberty Victoria president Michael Stanton said “our broken bail laws have now had tragic consequences”.

“An applicant for bail should not be required to demonstrate that they do not pose a risk to community safety in order to avoid the impact of a reverse onus provision.

“That would be very difficult to prove, even for many low-level alleged offences.

“The onus should always remain on the State to demonstrate why a person being held in custody before hearing or trial is justified and necessary.”

The Government and Opposition have both declared support for bail reform.

Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes said “the death of Veronica Nelson was a tragedy – nothing less”.

“Our bail laws need to protect the community without having a disproportionate or unintended impact on those accused of low-level offending who do not present a risk to community safety.

“We know we need to do more in relation to criminal justice reform, including bail reform, and that work is continuing.”

Shadow Attorney-General Michael O’Brien said more than 4 in 10 prisoners were held on remand awaiting trial “while Victorian court backlogs are the worst in the nation”.

The Coalition was committed to “effective bail laws that protect the safety of the community whilst giving every opportunity to those in the criminal justice system to get on the right path.”

P1 drivers are restricted to driving with one passenger in Victoria. 253041

Police surprised by stowaway passenger It was an expensive lesson for a Narre Warren P-Plater who had his car impounded after a passenger was found in the boot during a routine intercept in McCrae.

Somerville Highway Patrol officers set up a breath test site on the Mornington Peninsula Freeway McCrae off-ramp when a Subaru Impreza hatch with red p-plates and four passengers drove through about 5.50pm.

Officers spoke to the driver who was the holder of a P1 licence and can only have a one passenger in the car.

Police made further checks and opened

the boot, finding a fifth passenger curled up in the cargo area under the privacy shade.

The driver, an 18-year-old Narre Warren man, had his car immediately impounded for 30 days at a cost of $1200.

He is expected to be charged on summons with driving with a passenger in part of the vehicle designed primarily for the carriage of goods, drive without rear p-plate and P1 Probationary driver drive with more than one peer passenger.

His stowaway passenger was also fined $370.

One Day only This Coming Tuesday 11am to 3pm | Berwick RSL (7th February 2023) Phone: 0481 290 411 berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

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Thursday, 2 February, 2023

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STAR NEWS 9

NEWS

New school opens doors

By Eleanor Wilson Staff, students and families were celebrating more than the start of the new school year at Quarters Primary School on Tuesday 31 January, as the school opened its doors for the first time ever.

A free coffee van, cakes and treats and a balloon arch in the school’s signature teal, black and white colours welcomed excited students to the Cranbourne West school, where parents took first day photos and wiped away happy tears.

For many parents, joining the Quarters Primary School community was an easy decision.

“We just live nearby, it’s walking distance, it’s a new school so we thought we’d try something different,” said parent Karishma Vilash.

“My daughter was very excited for the new school and everything and plus her sister is going with her so she is looking forward to it.“ The school’s location was also a plus for Tania Singh-Thind, who was present with her Prep and Grade 1 students.

“I think just the convenience of the location in relation to where our home is was the main thing for us,” she said.

“I work in the eastern suburbs so the stress of getting the kids to and from work on time was tough… I don’t have family here so I can’t rely on them.”

“My kids are half Punjabi and there’s a big Punjabi community here, so the families that live in this area are sending their kids here, so when you have a community of people it makes it a lot easier.”

Kristen Thomson said daughter Scarlett, who is starting Year 4, had been looking forward to making the move from a nearby school.

Axl (prep) is all smiles as he heads off to class for the first time. 317518 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS “We just live not far away and she’s been desperate to walk to school ever since she was in prep, but she hasn’t been able to because [her old school] is on a main road,” she said.

“She’s super excited to start here, she was

at [her old school] for four years, but this is a smaller school with less students, so it just gives her the opportunity to be concentrated on.”

School uniforms, sun safe hats and over-

sized backpacks in tow, 225 students piled in to the school’s brand new gym for the inaugural school assembly.

Quarter Primary School principal Elizabeth Davey said she was proud, honoured and privileged to be the school’s first principal.

After 33 years at Hampton Park Primary School, Ms Davey said the new role gave her the chance to “sit back and reset and consider what I stand for as an educator.”

“The world is changing and we know Covid changed that even more, but to have a chance to step back and look at that and then build a school for the new needs of the community has been really special,” she said.

“A lot of the time over the last seven months has just been watching and observing to see what the community needs are and what that looks like.

“We need to be very mindful of the community news and continue to work towards making those partnerships and making sure we are addressing those needs.”

The school itself is host to a diverse community of students, with a high percentage of Hindi and Punjabi students attending.

“We’re looking forward to the year ahead, it’s getting to know people…it’s building those connections…this day is going to be a big day to reflect on and look back on,” Ms Davey said.

According to the Victorian School Building Authority, the school has the capacity for a total of 715 students “I’m confident the school community will continue to grow and that’s part of my job, to make sure that it does grow and it doesn’t stay static.”

“But it’s about building those connections and making those friendships… that’s the crux of what makes it special.

New Preps take their first steps at Haileybury’s Excitement was in the air as the new intake of Preps at Haileybury’s Berwick campus on Monday braved their first day of school.

Haileybury’s Berwick campus saw 43 new Preps walk through the gates, with plenty of smiles, nerves and goodbye hugs with parents to start the new year.

The new arrivals spent their time getting familiar with their new school grounds, making new friends and exploring the playground during their recess and lunch breaks.

Prep student Aliya Ingham said the best part of her day was “seeing my whole class and going outside on the playground”.

Haileybury’s head of junior school in Berwick Michele McGill said the first day of prep was a big milestone for both the new students, staff and parents.

She said the Prep students looked all grown up in their uniforms, and they loved inviting the families to see their child’s locker and workspace for the upcoming school year.

“Later in the day each student has their photo taken with a first day of prep sign to

commemorate the occasion”.

The first day of school is an exciting time for the new Preps, with the day being spent enjoying some get to know you activities like making some decorative bunting for an All About Me display in the classroom.

Ms McGill said it was a good opportunity for teachers to get some insight into the children’s world, find out what they are interested in and what their home life looked like.

Preps were also given a guided tour around the school to remind them where the play areas and bathrooms are, and to remind them of the playground and classroom rules.

“The first day of Prep is something teachers look forward to,” said Ms McGill.

“It’s the start of a fresh new year with new students. It can be an exhausting day but it’s also incredibly rewarding when any first day tears are replaced with big, beautiful smiles”.

For new Prep Jack Mills, the highlight of his day was getting to see his friend, Shoben, while Allegra Di Giorgio said colouring in was the most fun for her.

New friends, Winter Jones, Evan Chendrimada , Poppy Jones, and Mason Ding taking their first steps on campus.

Picture: SUPPLIED

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Thursday, 2 February, 2023

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NEWS

Visa frustration mounts

By Cam Lucadou-Wells A Dandenong refugee advocate says there’s soaring frustration about the Federal Government’s still-dormant election pledge to upgrade thousands of temporary visas.

Wicki Wickiramasingham, a long-time ALP member and former deputy chair of Southern Migrant and Refugee Centre, said hundreds of asylum seekers in the South East had been expecting “good news” by the new year.

“Still after the election, nothing has been done. They have been disappointed.”

Ahead of the May 2022 election, Labor had promised to end Temporary Protection Visas (TPVs) and Safe Haven Enterprise Visas (SHEVs), and to transition holders onto permanent visas.

The government has since blamed holdups on an inherited 1 million visa application backlog. It says it has hired more than 400 extra staff and to have slashed the list to 600,000 by the end of 2022.

Asylum seekers who arrive by boat, otherwise called ‘unauthorised maritime arrivals’, can only apply for a TPV or SHEV. They must re-apply every three years (TPV) or five years (SHEV) to remain in Australia.

Some have been living in such limbo for up to 16 years, Mr Wickiramasingham says.

Without permanent visas, they find it harder to get work and eke out a living, and are barred from reuniting with loved ones left behind.

Mr Wickiramasingham tells of a Tamil man who has been on a bridging visa for more than a decade while awaiting for a decision on his refugee status.

In the meantime, his prime adult years have been wasted, still unable to reunite with his fiancee left behind in Sri Lanka.

“He’s lonely. He has no family, just other boat people who help each other”, Mr Wickiramsingham says.

In his early 20s, the man was arrested by the Sri Lankan military for supporting “pro-liberation forces”.

A relative paid for his release from the army’s detention camp and then he was “put on a boat” to Australia.

Now in his early 30s, he still dreams of bringing out his parents and fiancee who he left behind.

He has not spoken to them by phone for

Wicki Wickiramasingham says asylum seekers are anxiously awaiting for the Federal Government to fulfill its promise. 235665 several months. Family members are too afraid due to Sri Lankan authorities “tapping the calls” and detaining people seen as anti-government.

In Australia, he is hampered by his insecure visa status. Potential employers overlook him in favour of citizens and permanent residents.

Often he relies on low-paid, cash-in-hand jobs, and sometimes on friends and charity for food.

In the meantime, he and four other asylum seekers are crammed into an ‘affordable’ twobedroom rental, sharing the $2400-a-month rent.

Asylum Seeker Resource Centre has criticised the delay in ending a “cruel and inhumane” system.

Spokesperson Barat Ali Batoor said the system was introduced by the former Abbott Government to stop people arriving by sea from getting permanent residency.

“It was introduced to fail people. It was flawed and gave little opportunity for their claims.”

The wait has been a “very frustrating situation” for 31,000 asylum seekers across Australia and their wider communities.

“There is a lot of stress and anxiety about the delay in the announcement. It should have happened by now. There’s been nothing.”

Greater Dandenong Council’s asylum seeker advisory committee reported in December that TPV and SHEV holders were “experiencing fatigue from waiting”.

Mayor Eden Foster leads the Local Government Mayoral Taskforce Supporting People Seeking Asylum, which comprises mayors from across Australia.

She said the taskforce was continuing to press Federal MPs for an end to TPVs and SHEVs.

Picture: GARY SISSONS

While understanding the causes for the delays, she said it was “cold comfort” for temporary visa holders.

Bruce Labor MP Julian Hill said that “I share the community’s frustration at the delay to be frank, and have numerous friends and local constituents affected.”

“Details will be announced as soon as possible.

“Unfortunately it is not a simple matter to clean up 10 years of utter mess that the Liberals left in Home Affairs including a backlog over 1 million visa and citizenship applications but 500 new staff are now making progress.”

A Department of Home Affairs spokesperson said the Government “intends to meet this commitment as soon as possible”.

“The resolution of these visa holders needs to be carefully managed.”

Many are seeking refuge in Melbourne’s South East South East Melbourne is a hot spot for asylum seekers awaiting their fate on bridging visas.

The Dandenong postcode is home to the most asylum seekers on bridging visa E in Victoria, new official stats show.

The short-term visa is granted to ‘unau-

thorised maritime arrivals’ awaiting a decision on their refugee status.

As of June 2022, there were 591 BVE holders in the 3175 postcode – about one in eight of those living in Victoria.

Next highest in Victoria was Sunshine with 459.

Springvale ranked seventh with 138,

Doveton tenth with 132 and Noble Park 11th with 131.

Also in the South East, Cranbourne was home to 59 BVE holders, Endeavour Hills 52 and Hampton Park 49, Hallam and Narre Warren each with 32 and Pakenham 27.

The most common nationalities were Sri Lanka (1448), Iran (1423), Pakistan (502) and

Afghanistan (276). A further 468 were ‘stateless’.

Nearly two thirds of the BVE holders were aged between 26-45 years, and most commonly men. More than 750 were children.

Across Australia, there were 10,868 BVE holders. More than 80 per cent lived in Victoria or NSW.

Year 7 2025 Online Q & A Information Evening

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By Cam Lucadou-Wells

Thursday 16 March, 7.00pm – 8.00pm To register your interest, visit www.sfx.vic.edu.au 03 9707 3111 berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

A pathway for every child

info@sfx.vic.edu.au Thursday, 2 February, 2023

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STAR NEWS 11

NEWS

Tooardin Lions Club vice president Ian and Cranbourne Lions Club’s Elwood and Fred getting the barbie going.

Alexia and Leo enjoying a sweet treat at Hampton Park.

Friends Benyamin and Hana had a fun day together.

Family fun for one and all Citizens across the City of Casey gathered at two Australia Day events on Thursday 26 January, supported by the City of Casey.

The Hampton Park Progress Association welcomed locals to Arthur Wren Hall for a morning of fun activities, including a customary Australia Day sausage sizzle by the Lions Club of Hampton Park.

A rock climbing wall, soccer darts, jumping castle, large chess, giant Jenga and face painting provided hours of fun for the kids, who satisfied their hungry tummies with a slushie and fairy floss machine.

A visit from the Hampton Park Fire Brigade in their bright red trucks was another highlight for several hundred attendees.

Over at the Tooradin Foreshore, the Tooradin Lions Club and Cranbourne Lions Club united to provide an Australia Day movie night and free sausage sizzle.

A petting zoo, mini jumping castle and live music set the ambience as snags were lined up methodically on the barbecue and families flocked, picnic rugs in tow, for a movie showing of family adventure film Jungle Cruise.

The City of Casey did not host any 2023 Australia Day events, but chose to support the Hampton Park and Tooradin events with funding.

Heather and David - known professionally as The Hoffmans - serenaded the crowd with a range of classic Australian hits.

Hana waves an Aussie flag at Hampton Park Australia Day celebrations. Pictures: ELEANOR WILSON

Josh and Daniel get amongst it in the petting zoo at Tooradin.

The Tooradin Australia Day event was a joint effort by members of the Cranbourne Lions Club and Tooradin Lions Club.

Elly, Micah and Blair from Berwick made the trip to coastal Tooradin for the festivities.

Sisters McKinley and Akayla spent the evening at the Tooradin foreshore.

Siblings Jeremy and Sophie engage in a tense game of giant Jenga.

Chereene and Raiven line up for face painting.

Kids tested their bravery on the climbing wall.

Members of the Hampton Park Fire Brigade gave eager local kids a tour of their firetruck.

Eliza, Steph and Elizabeth enjoyed an array of activities inside Arthur Wren Hall.

Stephanie on the jumping castle outside Arthur Wren Hall.

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Thursday, 2 February, 2023

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NEWS

Tennis mum’s OAM honour

By Jonty Ralphsmith She’s known by those who play tennis in Narre Warren as the mother of the Narre Warren Tennis Club.

Now, club co-founder and president Betty Lukas has an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) to show for her service to tennis.

Ms Lukas does all the work at Sweeney Reserve that no-one wants to do but is necessary for members and players to enjoy their tennis: assorting equipment, allocating courts, communication within and from the club, and maintenance work.

Drawn to the club by a love of tennis, the former mid-week ladies’ competitor remained active around the club to assist where needed while her two daughters, Cara and Megan, played growing up.

That pair moved on from the club long ago, but Betty’s care for the club and love of the game has kept her there.

She’s since accumulated a party bag full of accolades and roles: life member, two stints as president, twice treasurer, secretary and record keeper.

Ms Lukas also had a 12-year stint as president of the Berwick and District Tennis Association which involved co-ordinating all competition tennis in the region.

“She’s kept the club together for my 20 years there,” said long-time club member Paul Kleverlaan.

“She’s the backbone of the club; committee’s come and go, Betty doesn’t.

“Occasionally she’ll go into the background but when the club needs her, she’s always there.”

She started her second stint as president in 2020, staying on until now to help sustain the club during the difficult period and subsequent recovery.

Ms Lukas has a reputation and integrity which is instilled into juniors, where her great passion lies: giving kids the opportunity to play and enjoy the sport.

Her impact has transcended generations given her 41-years-and-counting involvement with the club, putting her in a position to connect older folk with the mixture of members currently involved.

While Ms Lukas has an unassuming personality synonymous with many award recipients, those around the club were rapt to see her get just recognition.

“We’re very pleased for Betty because she never wants any credit but she is friendly, supportive and understanding, so she’s great asset for our club,” said vice-president Sheyenne Algama.

Betty Lukas with Paul Kleverlaan.

Picture: SUPPLIED

FOCUS ON … DANCE, MUSIC AND DRAMA

Karlie Grace Dancers celebrate year dents to thrive in.

Karlie Grace Dancers cater to all ages - toddlers to late teens and they’re leading the way with their popular pre-school KGD KIDZ program running classes that inspire and engage the natural tendencies that little ones have to dance. Offering a range of dance styles from classical ballet, jazz, tap, contemporary to hip hop and acrobatics, there is an endless opportunity to find a style that your child will love and the option to change and trial different styles on their dance journey.

KGD graduates either pave their way in full-time dance, with previous graduates securing places at Transit Dance, Spectrum Dance, Patrick Studios, Kelly Aykers Full-time Dance and Ministry of Dance to pursue careers as professional dancers, and others continue with the graduate program where they will take part in their Cecchetti Ballet Teachers’ Exams.

KGD proudly provides four professionally equipped dance studios plus a state of the art 12585681-JC05-23

Karlie Grace Dancers in Berwick has celebrated another successful year.

The KGD students thrived during the come-back after the previous tumultuous two years of lockdowns and displayed their attributes of resilience, determination, grit, and self-discipline. These values shine through all students and are ingrained in the curriculum at KGD. Throughout the year, the KGD team nurtured their students, guiding them to find their inner grace by encouraging students to pursue excellence in line with their mission which is creating dancers who are technical, versatile, and ready for the performing arts industry in an inviting atmosphere.

Students are encouraged to uphold the studio motto Aspire, Accelerate, Achieve.

Boasting an extremely high calibre of dance teachers, all of whom have extensive experience in professional dance and teaching. They provide a welcoming, nurturing, and encouraging environment for their stu-

Pilates reformer studio within the complex.

This allows students access to professional ballet studios with tarkett floors and a performing arts studio the size of the Bunjil Theatre stage, along with access to a Pilates mat, barre and reformer studio to enhance and compliment their existing training, resulting in strengthening and lengthening muscles, increasing flexibility and core strength, which will in turn further increase the existing high standard of training at KGD. In addition to this Karlie Grace Dancers offers nationally recognised and government accredited courses in Certificate II and III in dance for 2023, along with VCE VET dance.

These courses are open not only to the KGD students but also to the wider community.

If you’d like more information regarding the VCE VET dance courses or are interested in joining the KGD dance family in 2023, contact info@kgdancers.com and to find out more about what makes the KGD team standout from the crowd, visit kgdancers.com

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Thursday, 2 February, 2023

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STAR NEWS 13

NEWS

Listening to those in need

By Shelby Brooks Finding a silence and a lack of awareness surrounding deaf and hard of hearing youth in developing countries, the late Reverend Neville Muir spent over 40 years dedicated to education, opportunities and breaking poverty and discrimination.

Mr Muir, formerly of Beaconsfield, was posthumously appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for his significant service to the deaf community, and to the international Christian ministry, as part of the Australia Day Honours this year.

Mr Muir was the founder and international director of Deaf Ministries International, the founder and missionary for World Opportunities International and served as a teacher at the Victorian College for the Deaf.

He passed away in November of 2020.

His long-term project Deaf Action branched out to involve education and income-generating projects for deaf youth people across the world including in Korea, Taiwan, Japan, China, Myanmar, the Philippines and in Africa.

“There have been so many remote areas that we visit where parents didn’t even know there was such a thing as another deaf child,” Mr Muir told the Gazette in 2016.

“You see lots of sad cases of kids being misunderstood and just becoming kitchen slaves.

“There are many parents who don’t know how to communicate with their own kids because they’ve never learnt sign language.

“It means that they often give up on trying to communicate with their families.

“There is a complete ignorance of deafness.”

Neville was the founder of Deaf Action. 160294 Mr Muir’s involvement in the deaf and hard of hearing community began when he took part in a school holiday church club in Echuca during 1965 where he met a deaf boy.

“This boy became my inspiration for working with deaf children,” Mr Muir said.

“I got hooked and deafness became a real fascination.

“I became involved with different aspects of the deaf world and trained to become a teach-

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS er for the deaf.

“There tends to be a stigma that deaf people are stupid but most deaf people are very intelligent.”

Having worked at a university in Japan, Mr Muir used his overseas connections to launch his own churches for the deaf in Inchon, Korea, beginning with just four children in 1979.

Deaf Action has since expanded to education and employment transition programs and

assists deaf children in over 20 countries, some from kindergarten through to college.

Andrew Miller, International Operations Coordinator at Deaf Ministries International, said he wanted to nominate Mr Muir posthumously for the award for what he achieved and how he achieved it “I knew Neville for 30 years and was a supporter of his for 20 years before that,“ Mr Miller said.

“He spent his whole life building a NGO, he built 180 churches for the deaf, 10 schools and employment opportunities for the deaf, always with a humble and self-deprecating sense of humour.

“He was a very compassionate and wonderful man. We joked he should be dubbed St Neville of Beaconsfield but it was less of a joke from us because he was so deserving of an honour like that.“ Mr Miller said Mr Muir was always well supported by his wife Lill and his children.

Brent Muir, Neville’s son, said the family was chuffed by the award.

“We are thrilled. It was a long time coming,“ he said.

“We feel honoured to have him recognised.“ Brent said his father was able to offer hope to hundreds of deaf and hard of hearing people around the world.

“Some of them thought they didn’t have a chance in life,“ Brent said.

“People would call him up from around the world, he was hugely in demand from the deaf community.“

Pearcedale ambo honoured Rotary reflects, respects and celebrates together

By Eleanor Wilson

A Pearcedale paramedic is one of just eight Ambulance Victoria employees recognised in this year’s Australia Day Honours.

Carmel Rogers, who manages a team of paramedics on the Mornington Peninsula, was announced as a recipient of the Ambulance Service Medal (ASM)for two decades dedicated to the job.

Mrs Rogers was acknowledged for her work to increase education and services for cardiac arrest patients in isolated areas of the Peninsula.

This work has seen her lead community engagement CPR training sessions for the community and working with stakeholders for a donation of over 24 additional Automatic Extendable Defibrillators (AEDs) for the district.

“Some areas in the southern end of the Mornington Peninsula are really isolated, so to try to improve survival rates for of out of hospital cardiac arrest, we’ve tried to improve people’s CPR skills,” she said.

Mrs Rogers and her team engage with businesses and organisations in isolated areas of the Peninsula, such as Red Hill and Balnarring, to establish the Call-Push-Shock program.

“It’s a really simplified form of CPR that people feel comfortable engaging with and actually giving it a go if someone has a cardiac arrest,“ she said.

Mrs Rogers said AEDs are vital in the case of cardiac arrest.

“As much as calling Triple Zero and starting CPR helps … having access to an AED can significantly increase survival rates of out of hospital cardiac arrest,” she said.

“As paramedics, when we go to a cardiac arrest job, its often a case of, if someone had started CPR earlier or had access to an AED, it might’ve been a different result.

“It’’s really important to have access to that early intervention and its a big effort down on the Peninsula that my team have worked to pull off.“ The additional AEDS have been implements in areas such as community halls and sports complexes, including one at Pearcedale’s Bendigo Bank.

“The AEDs are also registered with Ambulance Victoria, so a Triple Zero call taker can identify where they are and guide the caller through the process of using it on a person who has suffered cardiac arrest,“ MRs Rogers said.

“That is what will increase survival rates in 14 STAR NEWS

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Thursday, 2 February, 2023

Carmel Rogers is one of a handful of Ambulance Victoria workers to be honoured in the Australia Day Honours. 317162 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS out of hospital cardiac arrest.“ Mrs Rogers commenced work with Ambulance Victoria as an advanced life support paramedic in 2001, after pivoting from a career as a state-enrolled nurse.

“I decided I wanted a change and a challenge and something different and I happened to see an ad in the Herald Sun advertising for ambulance paramedic positions and went for it,“ she said.

“It was a six-month process and I was extremely lucky to get through...It’s such a rewarding role and I feel so privileged everyday to put the uniform on and go out there and work.“ The grandmother of three said receiving the ASM, which she plans to wear proudly on her Ambulance Victoria uniform, came unexpectedly.

“It came as a huge surprise... there are so many people in our organisation that are deserving of that medal, so it’s very humbling to be awarded it today, its something very special,“she said.

The stress of the pandemic on front line workers makes the medal all the more worthwhile for Mrs Rogers.

“Paramedics in Victoria and across Australia have done it extremely hard over the last few years...the stress and the toll it has taken has been huge, so it’s a big privilege to be honoured with his award.“ “As much as anything, its a huge team effort. No one does any of this on their own and I’m really lucky to have an amazing team, they make my job as a manager so much better and easier.“

Rotary Club members gathered at Berwick’s Nossal High School on Thursday 26 January for a Rotary Central Event to reflect, respect and celebrate the occasion of Australia Day. Organised by the Rotary Club of Southbank, the event featured an Indigenous theme related to The Voice and platformed speakers, who reinforced the need to work with the Indigenous population to further develop and strengthen the Australian democracy.

That included Kaurareg Aboriginal and Kalkalgal, Erubamle Torres Strait Islander man Thomas Mayo, who is the National Indigenous Officer of the MUA. Mr Mayo is the national Indigenous Office of the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) and a leading advocate and signatory of the Uluru Statement from the Heart.

Professor Patrick McGorry - Professor of Youth Mental Health, Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne and landscape architect, environmental educator and Gardening Australia presenter Costa Georgiadis were other guest speakers, along with several Rotarians, who offered their voices to the audience, providing valuable information on the activities of Rotary locally and internationally.

Rotary Foundation Australia chair Maurie Stack outlined the work planned for the organisation in 2023, while past president of the Rotary Club of Berwick Tim Moore explained the purpose and opportunities that the regionalisation project, which he chairs, offered for the future of Rotary.

District Governor of Rotary District 9800 Amanda Wendt spoke about the work being done by clubs to assist communities in need, including victims of the recent floods, chair of WomenCAN Mikaela Strafrace provided an overview of the work of Rotary International and Rotary Passport Club Melbourne president Aviv Palti outlined the work being done in Cambodia to educate, empower and inspire local students to create future leaders.

Entertainment was provided during the event by the renowned soprano Alison Jones, who opened the event with the National Anthem and closed proceedings appropriately with a stirring rendition of I still call Australia home.

After the formal proceedings, the attendees were treated to an excellent barbecue provided by four members of the Rotary Club of Berwick.

Rotary Club of Berwick’s mobile barbecue van in action.

Picture: SUPPLIED

berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

NEWS

Kotara. 316389

Bracken Spray. 316389

Cafe au Lait. 316389

Aitara Picardy. 316389

Family’s dahlias delight When Pam and Les Albut moved back to Pearcedale after many years living in Port Macquarie, they decided on a whim to try growing some dahlias.

The idea was sparked by Pam’s daughter who was working as a market stall florist working mainly with succulents at the time.

“I said you need some flowers at your stall to draw people’s attention,” Pam said.

“That was early September, I racked my brain and I thought, it’s dahlia time.

“It was a whim.”

Pam had worked as a horticulturalist by profession and had sold up the plant nursery she and her husband operated in Port Macquarie to retire home in Pearcedale.

“We bought 125 tubers and now, seven years later we have 5000.”

The dahlia was discovered in Mexico in the 1700s and taken back to Europe and hybridised, Pam explained.

“From an innocuous little flower, all this evolved,” she said.

“20,000 would be a conservative guess of the number of dahlia varieties that exist.

“It has the genetics to have it be very varied and colourful. Dahlias have more chromosomes than other plants.”

Pam and Les’ daughters Sarah and Rebecca take the lead in the business- Floral and Stem.

They have about 200 varieties in Pam and Les’ 10 acre market garden and intend to double that next year.

Dahlias grow from tubers in the ground.

Each season, each plant populates about 10 new tubers underground.

They can then be dug up, separated and sold.

“You dig dahlias up each year because if you left it in the ground - two years in the ground you would have 20 tubers - you have a massive tangle of tubers which is hard to divide,” Pam said.

“The plant performs better on a single tuber than a massive clump. They are more invigorated because they are wanting to create more tubers.”

“They are such a rewarding plant, from a very ugly ordinary piece of vegetable matter you can get something so beautiful.”

Dahlias flower from about Christmastime through to April.

“In a garden they are so wonderful because they flower all through summer,” Pam said.

“Often we don’t have them for Mother’s Day which is a shame.”

On a good morning, the farm will pick around 500 dahlias which is then supplied to customers on the Mornington Peninsula.

In Pearcedale, the dahlias grow in sandy lime soil, the easiest to cultivate on because the earth is easy to dig, Pam said. But dahlias will perform as equally well on clay as well.

“Drainage is their biggest factor,” she said.

“They like water but too much rots the tuber.”

When Pam and Les first became involved with dahlias, they joined the Dahlia Society of Victoria to learn tricks from other passionate growers.

Pam now is president of the society and they hold various teaching events at their property for members.

“I think the best way to learn is to be amongst people who know all about it,” Pam said.

“The man who we bought [the original tubers from] was the president of the Australian Dahlia Society. He invited us to a conference and we met lots of lovely people and we were sort of hooked.”

The annual State Dahlia Show, run by the Dahlia Society of Victoria is being held on Saturday 25 February at Mount Waverley Community Centre from 1pm.

For more information head to dahliasocietyofvictoria.org.au

Willow and Eliza and Jager. 316389

Pam Albut is the president of the Dahlia Society of Victoria. 316389 Picture: ROB CAREW berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

Floral and Stem is a family operation: Les, Eliza (20 months), Rebecca, Willow and Pam. At front is Jager the dog. 316389

Pom Pon Pam. 316389

Eliza and Willow love looking at the flowers.

316389

Coir peat is used to keep moisture in the earth surrounding the plants. 316389

Les at work keeping the weeds at bay. 316389 Thursday, 2 February, 2023

|

STAR NEWS 15

NEWS

Jewellery and cash worth $2m- $2.5m was allegedly stolen from a Dandenong jewellery store.

Detective Sergeant Craig West.

Arrests in $2m robbery

By Sahar Foladi Three men have been arrested by police over a $2-million-plus jewellery heist in Dandenong.

Greater Dandenong CIU detectives allege two armed robbers entered a jewellery store in central Dandenong, assaulted a victim and threatened them at knifepoint about 6pm on Thursday 29 December.

They then fled with jewellery and cash.

Detectives executed search warrants on 1 February, arresting a 66-year-old Doncaster man, a 60-year-old Pakenham man and a 38-year-old Narre Warren man.

At the time of press, they were being questioned by police.

Police have alleged the two men dressed in tradie vests and clothes entered the store from the back entrance held the victim on a knife point, gagged, bounded the victim as they robbed the jewellery store.

Meanwhile the victim was left tied up in the store.

“His face was masked up and he managed to get out the back and alert some other people who assisted him and contacted the police,” Det Sgt West said.

He also said the incident was very well planned.

“They were quick, they were efficient and they got away without anybody noticing at the time.”

Detective Sergeant Craig West said the victim was left traumatised with no physical injuries.

“He’s not great. It’s obviously a terrible offence to happen at your workplace.”

The pair then fled the scene with 21 carat jewelleries worth between $2m- $2.5m and cash in the victim’s car.

The offenders drove a distance away before getting in a Toyota Camry which was caught on CCTV footage, police say.

Three teens arrested following Dandenong pursuit Three teens in an alleged stolen car were arrested by police after a pursuit in Dandenong.

The grey Mazda was followed by police units including the Air Wing after being ob-

served on Cleeland Street about 10am on Thursday 26 January. Police say the car had been stolen during an aggravated burglary in Cranbourne the night before. During the pursuit, police deployed stop sticks.

Peter Rabbit

A male driver and two passengers dumped the car on Boronia Road, Wantirna and jumped several backyard fences of adjoining homes.

Police cordoned off the area and arrested

the trio near a home in Bentley Street.

A 19-year-old Narre Warren woman, a 14-year-old Craigeburn boy and a 15-yearold Hastings boy were taken in for questioning.

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By Mitchell Clarke Almost one year since alleged corruption was exposed within the City of Casey, a former councillor is still fighting to clear his name.

Former Springfield Ward councillor Rex Flannery, who resigned as deputy mayor just days before the State Government sensationally sacked the entire council in February 2020, says the events of the past 12 months are still “eating” him up.

He has now officially requested that his name is removed from both a councillor honour board in the customer service centre and a wall plaque in Bunjil Place.

“I have never had any involvement into this alleged corruption scandal and therefore I do not wish to have my name associated with past or former councillors who may have brought our City of Casey into disrepute,” he told Star News.

“People look at your name and they see that you’re from Casey Council and immediately they put you in that same mould, which couldn’t be further than the truth.

“It’s just horrible to have been a councillor in that term. It gives you a sickening feeling in your gut and now I have to live with that.“ Mr Flannery argues his name should never have been placed on the plaque celebrating the $126 million Bunjil development because at the time he didn’t support the project.

“I guess I’ve eaten a little bit of humble pie with Bunjil Place. I’ve been able to see the value that place brings to the community but at the time I was against the development and I wasn’t once consulted (about having my name included),” he said.

He also claims former ex-ward partner, Sam Aziz, stated to him that he “wished he never had my name added to the plaque”.

“That was the only time I agreed with him,” Mr Flannery said.

While Mr Flannery hasn’t accused any former councillor of committing wrongdoing, he said anyone found guilty from the IBAC hearing should immediately have their honours stripped.

“They need to have their plaques removed

Rex name shame

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Rex Flannery, pictured in late 2015, wants his name stripped from council. 148005 from anywhere within the City of Casey ... whether it’s a plaque in the botanical gardens or in Bunjil Place, I want them removed so they have absolutely no recognition anymore,” he said.

“They’ve disgraced themselves and they’ve disgraced the council. They’ve taken something away from me that I totally enjoyed. I loved serving the Casey community. I just want some clarity as to what way it’s going to go.”

Since his resignation, Mr Flannery has been working in an operating theatre at a local hospital. He said he has every intention to run for council again in 2024.

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

“I want to get back into serving the community again. I want to run again and I want to get my name back on the honour board for the right reasons. At the moment it’s a dishonour board,” he said.

Star News understands Mr Flannery has put forward his request to be heard by the administrators at the next council meeting, slated for Tuesday 2 February.“It’s up to them now but a year later, this is still eating at me. I need closure and this is one way that I can get it,“ he said.

“I played no part in any downturn or sacking of the council and I feel it’s my duty to say that I don’t want to be a part of or in any way

Bunjil Place. associated with the 2016-20 term.”

Casey’s governance manager Rhys Matulis said: “Given the IBAC investigation, it would be inappropriate to comment on that matter. Council has received and will consider Mr Flannery’s request in due course.”

12481470-NG07-21

Almost one year since alleged corruption was exposed within the City of Casey, a former councillor is still fighting to clear his name.

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By Mitchell Clarke

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Thursday, 2 February, 2023

berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

WHAT’S ON Bumble Bee Baby and Children’s Markets - Berwick

Line Dancing at Wilson Botanic Park

With up to 65 stallholders, you are sure to snap up some bargains on new, handmade and preloved baby and children’s goods for all ages!

And of course, we have a coffee van on hand for all your caffeine needs! At only $2 entry for adults (children <12 yo free) and plenty of free parking it is the perfect Sunday morning outing!

Sunday 5 February 9am to 12pm at Berwick Fields Primary School - 35 Gwendoline Drive, Berwick.

Line dancing is a very social and fun way to get active. Cheyenne on Queue’s Darren and John will look after you as you dive into the joyful experience of Line Dancing with or without a partner. This event is suitable for the entire family, the young and young-at-heart. No experience necessary, suited to all ages and abilities.

Wilson Botanic Park, 668 Princes Hwy, Berwick. BYO picnic 5pm to 7pm and line dancing from 7pm to 9pm.

Bookings essential, trybooking. com/events/

·

CaseyGirlsCan: Bollywood Dance Sessions Get active and have some fun at our free Bollywood Dance sessions. Participants will learn four-to-five Bollywood songs and different dance moves, while connecting with other community members.

From 11am to 12pm every Thursday from 19 January to 16 March at Indoor Leisure Complex, Building 5, 65 Berwick-Cranbourne Rd, Cranbourne East.

·

Voices of Casey Voices of Casey is looking to recruit new members who love to sing. With mixed ability and experience, we aim to positively impact our community and participate in events.

2023 rehearsals commence again on 30 January at Fiddlers Green, 57 Gloucester Ave, Berwick at 7pm. Come check us out - first session is free.

·

Grow Mental Wellness Program GROW offers a unique mental wellbeing program to those suffering from stress, anxiety, depression and other emotional difficulties. Gold coin donation appreciated.

For further information, please contact GROW Community Centre on 1800 558 268. Website grow.org.au Cranbourne Group meets at the Balla Balla Community Centre, 7/9 Selandra Blvd,Clyde North VIC 3978, Thursday 10.30am –12.30pm, excluding school holidays.

·

Berwick Swap Meet 2023

The annual Berwick Swap Meet is on Saturday4 February 2023 hosted by the Dandenong Valley Historic Car Club at Akoonah Park Berwick. $5 entry and free off-street parking, gates open at 6am. Children under 14 free. Food and drink options available on the day.

Summer Sessions at the Orchard at Montague Enjoy an afternoon of live music, drinks and food on the lawn at The Orchard at Montague, with a fantastic line-up of talented local musicians performing live on Sunday afternoons. There will be some outdoor seating and picnic rugs available, however, you are encouraged to bring your own so you don’t miss out. This is a free event for the whole family so bring everyone along. Sorry, no BYO food or drinks. Come down from 2-5pm every Sunday from 22 January to 26 February at 18 Horswood Road, Narre Warren North.

Berwick Farmers Market at The Old Cheese Factory The Berwick Farmers Market at The Old Cheese

Factory is held every 2nd Saturday monthly.

You’ll find fresh fruit and vegetables, free range eggs and meats, olives and oil, honey, nuts and grains, dairy and cheeses, breads and pastries and much more! There’s coffee and tea, loads for brekkie or to take home for lunch.

Entry is by voluntary gold coin donation. Well behaved dogs on a leash are permitted at the market 34 Homestead Road, Berwick

·

Berwick and District Show The Berwick Show will be held on 25 - 26 February at Akoonah Park, with both days ending in fireworks for the family!

Come down for a range of activities for the family including agriculture and Horticulture shows and competitions, family and thrill rides, food trucks and market stalls, horse shows, arts and crafts, entertainment and much more!

Tickets available from 1 February.

Visit berwickshow.org.au for more information.

Multicultural Film Festival Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC) in association with Swinburne University of Technology presents the 2022 Multicultural Film Festival (MFF) Award Winners on the Outdoor Screen at Bunjil Place.

The night will feature a selection of shorts from recipients of the New Ground Commission, followed by a short welcome by VMC Chairperson Vivienne Nguyen AM, then a special Q&A with Vincent Giarrusso and award winning filmmakers and finally ending with the presentation of the MFF 2022 winners on the Outdoor Screen!

This is an outdoor cinematic event not to be missed.

·

Saturday 4 February 6pm to 9pm at Bunjil Place, 2 Patrick Northeast Drive, Narre Warren. $7.00 per person. Ticket includes complimentary glass of beer, wine or sparkling - book your spot at bit.ly/bp-multiculturalfilmfestival23

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Beaconsfield Beaconsfield Tattslotto 55 Old Princes Highway Beaconsfield Kaye Charles Real Estate Shop 2, 6-10 Old Princes Highway Beaconsfield Bendigo Bank Shop 6, 52-62 Old Princes Highway Beaconsfield Beaconsfield Neighbourhood Centre 8 O Neil Road Beaconsfield Woolworths Beaconsfield 28 Sylvia Road Berwick Brentwood Milkbar 24 Bemersyde Drive Berwick Bemersyde Bakery 6/84 Bemersyde Drive Berwick R and R Real Estate 1 Clyde Road Berwick Century 21 Real Estate 9 Clyde Road Berwick Eden Rise Shopping Village 1 Corner Oshea Rd & Clyde Rd Berwick Coles Supermarket Parkhill Plaza Shopping Centre 1 Corner Oshea Rd & Clyde Rd Berwick Berwick Springs Lucky Lotto Shop 10/1 Corner Oshea Rd & Clyde Rd Berwick Grants Estate Agents 3a Gloucester Avenue

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BERWICK

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Berwick Berwick Newsagency 29 High Street Berwick Ray White Real Estate 42 High Street Berwick Alex Scott and Staff Real Estate 49 High Street Berwick Harcourts Real Estate 20 High Street Berwick Neilson Partners 1st National 57 High Street Berwick Gluten Free and Chocolate 9/48 High Street Berwick O’Brien Real Estate 56-58 High Street Berwick St John of God Hospital 75 Kangan Drive Berwick Chris Peake Real Estate 18 Langmore Lane Berwick Woolworths Shopping Centre 1-9 Lyall Road Berwick Mansfield Street Foodmart 157-159 Mansfield Street Berwick Parkhill Plaza News and Lotto Shop 13, 215-225 Parkhill Drive Berwick Chemist Discount Centre Shop 2, 215-225 Parkhill Drive Berwick Coles Supermarket Parkhill Plaza Shopping Centre Shop 19, 215-225 Parkhill Drive Berwick Coles Berwick Central 2 Richardson Grove Berwick Hocking Stuart Real Estate Suite 2, 16 Langsmore Lane

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Hallam 7 Eleven Service Station 38-40 Hallam South Road Hallam Joes Mini Mart 117 Hinrichsen Drive Hallam Coles Hallam 2 Princes Domain Drive Hallam Raine and Horne Real Estate - Hallam 2 Spring Square Hallam Hallam Square News 42 Spring Square Narre Warren Ritchies IGA Shop 4/14 Webb Street Narre Warren Ritchies IGA Shop 4/14 Webb Street Narre Warren Narre Warren Newsagency 34 Webb Street Narre Warren Fleetwood MiniMart 94-96 Fleetwood Drive Narre Warren Casey Gardens Caravan Park 6 Fullard Road Narre Warren City of Casey 2 Patrick NE Drive Narre Warren Neilson Partners 1st National 418 Princes Highway Narre Warren The Good Food Emporium 15/430–440 Princes Highway Narre Warren Westfield Fountain Gate Shopping Centre 25-55 Princes Highway Narre Warren Coles 25-55 Princes Highway Narre Warren Woolworths 25-55 Princes Highway

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Narre Warren O’Brien Real Estate Narre Warren 25-55 Princes Highway Narre Warren Coles Express 2 Regency Drive & Princes Highway & Lauderdale Road Narre Warren Only Real Estate 13/3 Webb Street Narre Warren Donaldson Martin Real Estate 43-45 Webb Street Narre Warren Coles Express 155-171 Narre Warren North Road Narre Warren North Marcos IGA 2 Oakview Boulevard Narre Warren North Narre Warren North Newsagency 3/1E Oakview Boulevard Narre Warren South Casey Central Shopping Centre 400 Narre Warren - Cranbourne Road Narre Warren South Coles 400 Narre Warren - Cranbourne Road Narre Warren South Woolworths 400 Narre Warren - Cranbourne Road Narre Warren South Ray White Real Estate Shop 20, 400 Narre Warren Cranbourne Road Narre Warren South Casey News and Lotto Shop 156, 400 Narre Warren - Cranbourne Road Narre Warren South Ritchies Amberly Park 245 Ormond Road

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Thursday, 2 February, 2023

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STAR NEWS 19

NEWS

Breaking even in business TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS IAN ASH You will have heard the term breaking even when applied to a business but what does this really mean?

Simply put, it means that the business did not make a profit and it did not make a loss after all expenses and revenue have been taken into consideration.

Since the following is true: Gross Profit = Sales – Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) Net Profit = Gross profit – Overhead expenses then if a business is to break even, then Net Profit = 0 and hence Gross Profit = Overhead expenses There is no doubt that the retail and hospitality sectors have done it tough over the past few years and on the occasions when I have spoken to owners of smaller businesses in these sectors, sometimes I heard that their business has broken even.

However, when I then ask how much they were paying themselves, it was not unusual to be told that they received little or nothing.

Staff in the business received their regular payment and bills were paid, but the business owner took little or nothing for themselves or something only when they thought the business could afford it.

Worse still, on many occasions the business owner was working crazy hours in the business since there was more to do than people to do it and the view was that the business could not afford to put on more staff.

· · · ·

After Covid-19, some businesses were only able to break even.

When people start their own business, they usually hope that they will get more income and spend less time working, but unfortunately for the majority of small business owners the reverse is true.

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If you were engaging a professional to do some work for you, you would not expect them to do this for free would you? Assuming they were not a mate, you would probably be a little more than sceptical about the quality of the work if they charged you little or nothing for it as well.

If this is the case and you are a professional too, why would you not similarly apply the same rule for yourself and value your time accordingly? Some years ago, I worked with a highly capable marketing professional.

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AUTOMOTIVE & FLAT GLASS TINTER The Tint Joint Berwick is looking for a full-time automotive and flat glass tinter with experience - ability to cut and fit tint efficiently and with exceptional attention to detail. Team player, hard-working and reliable, good customer service skills, well presented, trustworthy and reliable.

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Thursday, 2 February, 2023

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QUICK CAT II (Dolphin) wooden 16' catamaran with registered galvanised trailer for best offer to $2,395. Boat is ready to sail and fair condition, including the rigging. Trailer is 15 years old. Has 13" wheels with 4 ply radial tyres. Not been in water.

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SPORT

Fantastic first for Forsyth

By Marcus Uhe The ‘nervous 90s’ are an uncomfortable time batters, let alone someone approaching their first ever hundred.

Just ask Springvale South’s Mitch Forsyth.

His DDCA Turf 1 season had contained plenty of starts (28, 16, 21, 10, 30, 36 and 19) but up until Saturday there was no big score yet to capitalise on those foundations.

So as the runs piled-up against St Mary’s at Carroll Reserve, the rollercoaster of emotions set off.

“I’d been struggling this season to get past 30 and 40, which is almost my role for the team, to hang around, see off the new ball,” Forsyth said.

“We’ve got a pretty powerful line-up so I don’t really have to hang around too often, but it’s been a bit of a frustration, so when I got 50, I was actually rapt.

“When I got to 99 they ran out a drink again and said that I’m on 99, and I started to get really nervous because I’d never got one and didn’t really know what to do.”

On 99 he calmly blocked the first delivery back to the bowler for a dot ball.

The second, a fuller ball on his pads, saw Forsyth drop to one knee and paddle the ball around the corner to a vacant square leg, and off he went.

Having taken a deflection off his pad on the way through, all that was left was for the umpire to award the stroke as runs, and not leg-byes.

But of course, umpires don’t signal for runs.

The batter knew, his teammates knew, and seemingly the umpire knew, but the moment of glory had to wait a few more agonising seconds.

“I kept calm and was almost showing him my bat, almost like saying ‘please don’t call a leg bye’. The boys went up, and it was such a special moment for me, I was rapt,” Forsyth said.

After removing his helmet and acknowledging him teammates, including his brother, Cam, he was swallowed in a hearty embrace by his opening partner Ryan Quirk, who appeared more excited with his teammate’s milestone than his own in the previous over.

“I’ve grown up with ‘Quirky’ and his fam-

Mitch Forsyth celebrates his first hundred on Saturday. ily and my family are really close, so even just as an opening partner we have a lot of fun out there,” Forsyth said.

“He said to me, ‘just try to hit 10 singles, opportunities like this to make 100 in Turf 1 don’t come around too often,’ so he was really good.

“I was thinking something silly, like, should I try and hit another boundary? But he said, ‘go for the 10 singles because the teams in a really good position and these opportunities don’t come around too often,’ so that was the biggest thing.’

Finishing not out on 149, the two shared in a flawless 248-run opening stand, a new club record at the Bloods, putting their side in a commanding position, before their bowlers rammed-home the advantage, dismissing St Mary’s for 94 to secure a 202-run victory.

Josh Dowling and the returning Matt Wetering took three wickets each, with Wetering also contributing a run out.

The crushing result means Buckley Ridges could barely gain any ground on their rivals, despite themselves recording a solid win over Berwick.

Picture: ROB CAREW

In similar scenes at Park Oval, Buckley too racked-up a mammoth total thanks to Daniel Watson and Jayson Hobbs’ contributions up top.

The two added 121 for the first wicket, as Watson (85) registered his second consecutive half-century and Hobbs (72) his second score of 50-plus for the season.

Watson in particular took to the Berwick bowlers, reaching 50 off 23 balls and bludgeoning 68 runs in boundaries as the fielders grew accustomed to the surrounds of Dandenong Park.

A sturdy 65 from skipper Ben Wright and contributions from their bevy of allrounders pushed their total to 7-297.

Riley Siwes, Lachlan Brown and Andrew Perrin all grabbed two wickets each for the visitors, and Perrin also striking Hobbs on the hand, who was forced to attend a medical clinic after the game.

Needing something big from their opening pair, Berwick could hardly have gotten off to a worse start, as Lachlan Brown was sent packing for a globe in the opening over.

Captain Jake Hancock and veteran Matt Chasemore added a valuable 67 runs for the third wicket, but Chasemore’s dismissal triggered a collapse of 8-97.

Watson’s contributions with the bat were matched by his efforts with the ball, grabbing 4-28 to make it seven wickets in his last two games and 12 for the year.

Left arm spinner Sanka Dinesh grabbed three, including the prized wicket of Hancock for 71.

At Hallam Rec Reserve, two wickets in the opening over from William Whyte put the Hawks on top early, and from there the men in brown and gold never looked back against Narre South.

The right-armer grabbed the crucial scalps of Lions captain Kyle Hardy and Jonty Jenner to have them reeling at 2-2, both gone without troubling the scorers.

Regular wickets, including Jeevan Mendis for only 24, kept the Lions to 6-177 from their 45, which was reached by the Hawks in the second-last over.

“Lethal” Leigh Booth anchored the chase with 91, picking gaps in the field with regularity, before he was bowled with his hundred in sight.

It leaves the Hawks continuing to jostle with Buckley Ridges for that crucial secondplace spot in the top four, which would grant them the crucial double-chance.

Muhammad Dawa Khan and Sushant Gupta ensured Parkmore’s miserable season continued, combining to take all 10 wickets in North Dandenong’s four-wicket win at Wachter Reserve.

Gupta (4-47) removed Chirath Uralagamage (one) Dulan Waduge (eight) and Johann Brohier (one) in quick succession to have the Pirates in trouble at 3-17, which saw Amal Athulathmudali join Mohomad Safras for an 80-run partnership.

Both passed 50 on their way to their side’s 207 as Khan cleaned-up the lower order and tail to grab career-best figures of 6-39.

Ramneet Dhindsa continued a consistent season for the Maroons with 56 at the top of the order, his second 50 of the season and fourth score above 40, to steer the chase home in the 39th over.

Semmler the stalwart paddles his way to 500 games

By Jonty Ralphsmith Danny Semmler will have to find the puff to extinguish 50 birthday candles later this year.

But, if his endurance with paddle in hand is anything to go by, he’ll blow them out easily and have plenty of reserves in the tank for his upcoming 500th game.

Semmler has been a staple of the SouthEast table tennis scene for more than three decades, a star performer in the Greater Dandenong Table Tennis Association.

Since starting out as a casual player in 1991, Semmler has won 50 leading player awards for Dandenong, bringing up the milestone late last year.

A leading player award is granted to the player with the greatest number of homeand-away singles wins in a season.

No-one has come close to that mark.

To put it in perspective, across his 32-year career, there have been three or four seasons per year.

Throw in a brief retirement for a couple of years leading into the pandemic, and then the pandemic-ruined seasons, plus occasional seasons missed along the journey for personal reasons, his class becomes apparent.

When eligible for the leading player award, he’s won it far more often than he’s lost it.

“That’s the achievement I hold dearest,” Semmler said ahead of game 500.

His response is telling of how much the club means to him. berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

Danny Semmler serving.

Also in the proverbial pool room is a senior nationals title and eight nationals veterans titles.

His best win came in 2005 over Brett Clarke, who won silver for Australia at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, while Semmler also hit frequently with another Australian representative, Heming Hu. During that time, Semmler was a top-five Victorian ranked player.

At his prime, Semmler was on the table for up to 25 hours per week, but that has whittled down to about eight recently as his age catches up with him, ‘only’ at the club for four days per week instead of up to six.

Nowadays, he enjoys playing with team members John Salem, a long-time Dandenong player, and Sam Palmer, also a coach at the club, while Semmler also assists the next generation of players.

“They stick together and they’re generally

Danny Semmler looks to launch a forehand. our top team,” Association secretary Terry Saundry said of the trio.

“Danny comes week-in week-out and as good a player as he is, that’s probably why he wins best player award as much as anything.

“He’s a heavy topspin (player) and his game is based around that.

“He’s not like modern players who attack from both wings, but he’s so good at it, if you look at him play you’d think he’d be hampered (because of his preference for his forehand).

“He’d rather win the point than protect himself,” Saundry added, referencing a thumb injury that knocked him about in 2022.

Picture: SUPPLIED And that competitive streak coupled with the class of his teammates has him primed to continue performing.

The first season of 2023 just kicked off for Dandenong, with Semmler’s team, called the ‘Hitmen’ taking a 9-2 win over La Otra - Brian Alvos, Cristian Cosea and Chris Dobrovic.

Ping Kombat - David Segal, Rafael Lay and Tom Tomasevic also won, defeating Medical Engineers - Paul Roy and Sergey Voronov 9-2.

Phoenix - Herman Pekel, Greg Robbins and Vay Yip defeated Sour Power - Parleen Kour, Connie Psihogios and Winuk Rathnasinghe, 7-4 in the other fixture.

Each player has three singles matches and the team plays in two doubles matches per tie.

Thursday, 2 February, 2023

|

STAR NEWS 21

SPORT

Big guns set DDCA on fire

By Jonty Ralphsmith It was a weekend for the big guns to shine with commanding individual performances in the Dandenong District Cricket Association (DDCA) Turf 2 competition.

Beaconsfield and Heinz Southern Districts emerged as the major beneficiaries, while wins to Cranbourne and Doveton kept their finals chances alive.

At Perc Allison, opening pair Tyler Clark and Mark Cooper were at their stylish best, putting on a 104-run opening stand to set up the match.

After a steady start, the right-hand, lefthand pairing upped the intent heading into the main drinks break, and rotated the strike with ease to frustrate spinners Rajika Fernando and Surien Silva.

The tweakers bowled an extended spell, with Silva finally claiming Cooper for 43 which led to a minor wobble for the hosts.

Underlining the importance of the partnership, the skipper’s departure started a run of 5/31 for Lyndale as the spinners, changing the pace and extracting natural variation, got on top.

Ashan Madushanka’s late flurry of 29, using his favoured cover and off drives - including one over deep cover for six - got Beaconsfield to 6/184, before his three wickets helped keep Lyndale at bay.

At Casey Fields, the Sweeney brothers combined for a match-winning 198-run stand, with Mick passing triple figures and Peter left stranded on 97 as Cranbourne’s innings finished on 2/247.

They manipulated the field well against the heavy spin they faced, seeing off all-rounder Dishan Malalasekara and targeting others in the attack.

They picked gaps and ran hard in sweltering conditions, in between some classical textbook cricket shots in what is arguably the best batting performance so far this season.

They went at seven an over for the last sev-

Peter Sweeney combined with his brother for a big stand.

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS en and were proactive at the crease, never letting the bowlers settle.

“I was really happy with the intent I went out with,“ said skipper Mick Sweeney.

“When you’re not winning games and not performing, last year I averaged (51) and this year I’m down, and when the team’s losing, it’s hard not to take responsibility on yourself and feel it, so to hit a few more balls during the week and think about what I wanted to do and go out and do it, I was really pleased.

“I think I’ve been stuck trying to overpower the field and up the run rate whereas on the weekend I wanted to bat better rather than hit; put the ball in the gaps rather than trying to blast it over.

“So if I saw a gap or opportunity, I backed

myself to put a ball there and in the first couple of balls the ball went where I wanted it to, which gave me some confidence.“ Parkfield’s gun all-rounder Travis D’Souza shone with a 61 that stuck the middle of the batting innings together, but he entered with the run-rate already approaching six.

D’Souza ultimately played a lone hand as the Bears fell 69 runs short, ending their finals hopes.

At Robinson Reserve, spinner Ryan Hendy got 5/31, including the wicket of the dangerous Zach Allen, off his 12 to help Doveton defend 160 and keep its season alive.

“Zach hit him for six second ball, and there was a bit of chatter, and when you engage Spanner like that, that brings out the best in him, so he had him out by the end of the third over which set us on our way,“ skipper Nanga Wilson said.

It continues a remarkable run for Hendy, who opens the bowling weekly for the Doves and has four or more wickets in five of his last six games.

Wilson also claimed four wickets as Narre Warren found it impossible to get rhythm into the innings, bowled out for 100 inside 32 overs.

The unorthodoxy of opening with a spinner and having so much pace-off has become synonymous with Doveton this season and Wilson revealed why he backs in Hendy with two outside the circle.

“He’s 41 years old and I’ve never seen him bowl as well as he has this year,“ Wilson said.

“He doesn’t bowl bad balls and sometimes with the field up when the ball is coming on, that’s what opening bats want to hit backward of square or drive hard but taking the pace off the ball using someone with the control of ’Span’, it works in our favour.

“He doesn’t bowl a bad ball and he knows where it will go if he gets hit, so he just doesn’t go for boundaries (and) he spins the ball “He makes a dent in the top order every week.

“Once we’re into the middle order, there often isn’t a lot of depth, we can get into the teeth of the innings straight away.

“He puts so much pressure on the innings so he’s more than handy to have.“ After four early wickets, Ben Swift and Bevan Radhakrishnan rebuilt with a 43-run partnership which looked like it could get Narre back into it, before the skipper’s dismissal started a collapse of 6/21.

Earlier, the Doves, too, played a rugged batting innings, sitting perilously at 7/111 before Stuart Johnson and Kenny Smart combined for 42 late runs to give the bowlers more to work with.

Smart is part of a much-loved family at Doveton, and the win on the weekend was an emotional one with Kenny’s Dad, Tommy, passing away last week.

“Kenny’s a heart and soul player every week and we wanted to walk off the field and know we had given our all for him and his family,“ Wilson said.

“It’s a little thing but for him to have a win emotionally, we felt we did the right thing by him so it was special in that way as well.“ The loss has weakened Narre’s grip on a top-four spot, with Cranbourne and the Doves just a game and a game-and-a-half respectively behind them in fourth position.

A four-wicket haul to veteran Glenn Hamilton helped Heinz Southern Districts (HSD) ease to a seven-wicket victory over bottomplaced Keysborough.

The fast-bowler-turned-off-spinning allrounder, who celebrated game 300 last week, bowled 8.3 overs in an outstanding spell of 4/10 which included the scalp of the dangerous Yohan Arumadura, dismissed for 63.

Kevin Seth top-scored for HSD with 38 as his team cruised home.

Playing a top-two team without skipper and all-rounder Christo Otto made it tough for Keysborough, but the loss ends the club’s finals hopes.

Underdog Doves ready to make their mark in T20 finals

By Jonty Ralphsmith The Dandenong District Cricket Association (DDCA) T20 competition will reach its climax this Sunday when the final four are whittled down to two, before the final takes place at Shepley Reserve.

The semis will take place at 11am, Berwick facing North Dandenong at Shepley and Doveton squaring off against Buckley Ridges at Wilson Reserve, before the final at 3pm.

Buckley Ridges and North Dandenong will go in to the semis as favourites, with Doveton the only remaining team not from the Turf 1 competition.

The Doves found a way past powerhouse Springvale South to reach the semis, as well as beating Parkmore in the round robin phase of the tournament.

Marquee player Dale Tormey has bolstered the batting throughout the tournament, with the Doves’ success giving captain Nathan Wilson optimism they won’t be overawed.

“There is absolutely no expectation on us, it’s all on them,” Wilson said.

“We were the David v Goliath against Springy South and it’s the same this week.

“You don’t know what’s going to happen in t20 cricket.

“We’re going there with no expectation, being the underdogs.

“We know how classy they are, we’ll do our best to restrict them with the bat and see what happens.

“We’ll take pace off and we might go for 26 off an over or we might find something.”

Further assisting Doveton is that coach and opening hitter Mitch Daley is expected to return from a calf injury, while spinner Ryan Hendy, who missed the quarterfinal will strengthen the bowling.

Reaching the semis is an outstanding achievement for Doveton which just three seasons ago was languishing in Turf 4.

“It’s a justification for the hard work the guys off field are going,” Wilson said.

“I think we’re at our right level now in Turf 2.

“No one is saying job done and patting ourselves on the back, we don’t want to flatline, the recent results are proof of that.

“We’ve got so much improvement left in us.

“The difference between good and bad is too great at the moment, we just need consistency of performance.”

Doveton’s bowling has been its one-wood this season, particularly in the Turf 2 one-day competition, and it will need to be on against Buckley, which has scores of 6/249, 5/239

and 4/310 under its belt in the three matches so far – albeit, all on the notoriously small Park Oval.

Ben Wright is a batter the Doves will need to dismiss early, having made scores of 122 and 97 not out so far in the competition, while Michael Davies has also passed 50 twice.

Underlining Buckley’s depth Mahela Udawatte also has a century in the tournament and Hadigallage Jayaratne has a halfcentury to his name, meaning they have four of the top 10 run-scorers in the tournament.

With Tormey and Simon Mackie, however, Doveton has two of the top three run-scorers.

In the other game, Berwick has found its way through to the semis with wins over three Turf 3 sides: Lynbrook and Silverton in the round robin stage and Springvale in the qualifying finals.

Jordan Cleeland and Riley Siwes are a couple of key players to keep an eye on.

The Wickers face North Dandenong, which has eliminated three Turf 2 clubs: Lyndale, Heinz Southern Districts and Beaconsfield.

North Dandy has had a couple of wobbles so far, setting a target of just 133 for Lyndale which was just enough, before losing four relatively early wickets last game against Beacy before asserting dominance.

Ryan Hendy will need to have a huge four overs if Doveton is to beat Buckley.

Picture: JONTY RALPHSMITH

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Soul searching begins for Berwick as finals beckon BERWICK BOWLS Some big results and some shock losses left the Wickers with some soul searching to do in the last couple of weeks before finals.

Some opposition clubs at this time of year have very little to play for, and others everything to play for.

For the Berwick sides, the games they should win they can’t afford to let slip and this week a couple of the sides saw first hand that taking any oppositions lightly will bring you undone.

•฀Berwick฀1฀def฀by฀Brunswick฀77-84.฀ Ladder฀Position:฀4th฀฀ The first of the shock losses this weekend came from the top side! Playing Brunswick, who are fighting relegation, the ones hit the road knowing it was a must win. On a reasonably good green the start was slow! Brunswick got the jump with Ellard’s rink down 11-0 after just two ends which saw us on the backfoot right from the start. Being 20 shots down overall early in the game the Berwick side knew they needed to dig and fight. Covering Ellard’s rink looked a possibility half way through, with Mills rink up and Rich’s rink nosing in front.

O’Donnell’s rink was in a good fight but Ellard’s rink continued to drop numbers and although Berwick hit the front on the big board with 10 ends to go they couldn’t hold on. Two rinks up, with Mills and Rich, and O’Donnell fighting all day to go down by one, but the 21shot loss on one rink just can’t be covered at this level. It means the ones stay in 4th spot, just hanging on as Heathmont defeated Whittlesea. But, with the double header for the top side this week against the top two in Heathmont (Saturday) and Flemington/Kensington (Sunday), they are going to have to be on top of their game to still be in the four on Sunday night.

•฀Berwick฀2฀def฀by฀Clayton฀3฀77-81.฀ Ladder฀Position:฀1st฀ Another shock loss this week was the second side against Clayton 3 at Clayton. It’s a tough green and most clubs find it difficult to conquer, but the margins across each of the rinks saw four very one-sided games. Charlie Azzopardi won by 15 shots, Graeme Manifold went down by 16 shots, Tony French went down by 17 shots and Dennis Griffin’s rink won by 14 shots! Strange results for the twos who have been the dominant side so far this season. Again, like the ones, they may have got a little ahead of themselves prior to this one but got a pretty quick reality check. The twos went down after beating Clayton 3 by 25 shots in round five and winning all five rinks.

They are still 33 points in front on top of the ladder and travel to Coatesville to take on their top side who they trounced at home in round six by 24 shots and all four rinks up. They’ll bounce back this week and bounce back hard.

•฀Berwick฀3฀def฀Keysborough฀2฀79-66.฀ Ladder฀Position:฀8th They’ve done it again! The threes have won their second game for the year on the weekend and are certainly proving that using the threes as a development side is becoming a great success with our newer, inexperienced bowlers gaining such valuable experience at Division 2 level. Bruce Anderson’s rink, with David Fitzpatrick and Annie and Chris Jones belted the Greg Kelly rink by 18 shots to set the win up with Ken Graeber and Andrew Bunnell’s rinks also getting up. The three wins covered the 12shot defeat on Roy Down’s rink comfortably and the threes sailed away with a 13-shot victory. The three’s take on Narre Warren 1 this week at home and we’d love to see them get up in this one after going down by a very respectable 20 shots in a much closer game at Narre Warren than the score suggests in round six.

•฀Berwick฀4฀def฀Cranbourne฀3฀90-64.฀ Ladder฀Position:฀Equal฀2nd฀฀ Another good win by the fours this week keeps them in the race to host a home final and finish in the top two. A massive rink-win by 19 shots from Jim Weir, Lois Adams, Doug Fisher and Rob Morley set the day up and they were backed up Marcus Zammit, Matt Nagle, Lynn berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

Jim Weir played a big role in Berwick’s big win over Cranbourne on Saturday.

McCurran and Alan Thompson. The fours are going well and with two games left against the bottom two sides their rink wins will be important. If they get all two points for each rink win, they will hopefully open up some separation from Mulgrave CC who sit with them in equal second. Mulgrave CC play top-of-the-ladder Pakenham and Cardinia Waters, so two big wins from the fours could see them finish second and host a home final.

•฀Berwick฀5฀def฀by฀Narre฀Warren฀4฀50-107.฀ Ladder฀Position:฀3rd฀฀ We predicted an upset for the fives to get over Narre Warren at home but it wasn’t to be!

They were comprehensively beaten with two rinks going down by 31 and 23 respectively.

That just can’t be covered and we aren’t sure about the details yet but you’d think with our fifth playing their fourth side, shot selection and performance just didn’t cut it for the fives.

They’ve stayed in equal third spot, but now on equal points with Edithvale 2 and Keysborough 3. The fives host Burden Park this week, probably under the dome, so they’ll need to be on fire to recover from the loss this week.

Results could go their way in other games too, so it’s a close watch on this one to see how the ladder ends up on Saturday night.

•฀Berwick฀6฀def฀by฀Cranbourne฀RSL฀60-95.฀ Ladder฀Position:฀2nd฀ It’s always a tough green to play on but the sixes really should have been on the winners list against a side out of the four and 55 points behind us on the ladder. Tom McDermott’s rink, including Leanne Kleverlaan, Martin Grindley and Helen D’Amelio, continue to keep doing their bit for the side, winning most

weeks, but have been let down by the other three rinks in recent weeks. The Steere’s being back will be a welcome addition before finals this week for the sixes, and with Pakenham and Cranbourne in the last two weeks they need two good wins for confidence and form and of course the home final. Away at Pakky on Saturday they need to get off to a good start and keep their rink scores close to allow the winning rinks a chance to get them over the line. Shot selection and positivity will keep them in it for a long time so we are expecting a big turn-around this weekend.

•฀Berwick฀7฀def฀Cranbourne฀58-52.฀ Ladder฀Position:฀1st฀ The sevens fell over the line this week in a close one against seventh-placed Cranbourne 5. Helen Mathieson, David Warner, Marg Jorgensen and Terry Wood got the sevens over the line this week with a great 13-shot win covering the Jim Young rink. The sevens would have been very nervous in the final few ends as Cranbourne kept pushing. Mulgrave CC 6 away and Vermont South 6 at home in the final round should see the sevens finish on top, but only if they are on the ball and don’t get too far ahead of themselves. It’s a long season and all players are getting tired but the sevens are one of the best chances to go all the way, along with the twos, so it will be interesting to see how it all finishes for the sevens in a few weeks’ time.

•฀Berwick฀8฀def฀Beaumaris฀5฀66-61.฀ Ladder฀Position฀5th฀฀ An awesome win by the eights who’ve now put themselves in a position to enter the four and play finals this year. A draw, a three-shot

Picture: ROB CAREW win by Peter Muir, Connie Garland, Herb Tinschert and Mike Ferey, and a two-shot win by Barry Richards rink got the eights over the line.

Now only four points behind, they have thirdplaced Clayton 5 at home and first-placed Brighton away. So too do Beaumaris, who sit fourth, so whichever of the Beaumaris and Berwick sides win over the next two weeks will probably see that team finish fourth. It’s a nailbiter and two big games ahead so no predictions but fingers crossed the eights get over the line.

•฀Summary The final two rounds for Div 2 to Div 8 are coming up over the next two weeks and we currently have five of the seven sides playing finals and the eights only four points out of the four.

It’s been a fantastic effort but the next two weeks is important to get form and confidence up prior to finals.

The ones have it all in front of them with two massive games this weekend at home.

On Sunday, the club will be open and we’d like to see as many members and supporters down to support.

Food and drinks will be available and we’ll need as many of the members down to support the ones to try and help them over the line against the top side.

The Australia Day Skins tournament was well supported with a full field and many laughs along the way in what was a great day.

Well done to Jeff Parker and his team of helpers for the day.

-John฀RichThursday, 2 February, 2023

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