News - Berwick Star News - 16th November 2023

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Thursday, 16 November, 2023

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Ducklings reunited with mother

Standing up for care

Garrett in green and gold

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SPORT

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Rare Mustang returned to owner

Bedrock of history

By Ethan Benedicto As the monthly Casey Council meeting draws nearer, former council heritage staff member David Westlake wants a greater emphasis on the area’s significant geological sites.

While Mr Westlake had already spoken about the sense of belonging these sites provide, their upkeep is more about “that understanding of country”.

“Regarding the SBI quarry in Cranbourne, you’ve got the older layers and then there’s a big gap where you can see the millions of years of soil that leads to Sandringham sandstone,” Mr Westlake said.

Neville Rosenberg, a geomorphologist with 40 years of experience, had identified the SBI quarry in 2018 to be of state significance.

The Sandringham sandstone dates as far back as five million years ago, one of the many instances where Mr Westlake states are an important part of history.

In addition, the former quarry in Wilson Botanic Park is also of state significance, namely for its preservation of fossil plants and basalt lava flows.

“It’s a legacy of the past that so many people cherish and look after, and it’s not a big ask to try and maintain it really.”

Casey Council houses a large array of heritage areas, with a big focus on structural sites.

“I think there’s more focus on structural heritage sites, it’s lacking in geological and geomorphological (heritage), and I would also add lacking in Aboriginal heritage as well,” Mr Westlake said.

However, one of the issues he added was that while a planning report might be filed, there’s a tendency for it to sit in the archive and be forgotten.

“I would advocate that since we know how to do a study and to revise it once or twice, we really should have something to protect the sites.”

Although not geological, Mr Westlake had previously worked on civic memorabilia with

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

David Westlake next to one of the three lakes in Wilson Botanic Park. 372493 the Bunjil Place arts team where they have managed to digitalise 124 out of roughly 800 documents, but has unfortunately come to a halt.

“It’s good to focus on the top 124 pieces, but there could be many more items which could be worth the public knowing about.”

One of the many things Mr Westlake would like to see in the council meeting is a proper timeline that outlines protection for all heritage sites, stating that the “council should

grasp the bullet and do justice to these heritage sites”.

Education and community outreach regarding geological heritage sites was another factor Mr Westlake said should be considered.

“Geo-heritage sites have scientific and educational values, scientific research is aided by finds like the fossil plants at Wilson Botanic Park.

“It is one of the easiest described assemblages of this type of flora in Victoria, thus add-

ing a key to the geological record.”

The educational value, Mr Westlake stated, is that people, especially young children are able to gain what he said is a “real sense of wonder and discovery”.

“When geo-heritage sites are preserved and protected in the local area, one’s backyard, so as to speak, they are easily accessible to local schools and families, especially when interpretative signage is added.”

Continued page 4

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Expressions of interest open for Youth Climate Action Committee

The City of Casey is inviting those who might be interested in running in the 2024 Council Elections to some upcoming information sessions to kick start their journey in making a difference in the community.

Information session details: • November in-person session: Tuesday 28 November, 6.00 pm – 8.00 pm Eliston Family and Community Centre, Clyde

Next year the City of Casey will return to elected councillors when the next local government elections take place across Victoria in October 2024.

• February virtual (online) session: Tuesday 27 February, 1.00 pm – 3.00 pm

To support community members who might be considering running for Council, we are hosting three Role of Council Candidate Information Sessions over the coming months.

• March in-person session: Tuesday 26 March, 6.00 pm – 8.00 pm Bunjil Place, Narre Warren

The sessions are designed to give community leaders and residents the chance to find out more about the diverse range of functions and services local government provides, the role of councillors and to provide the resources required for potential candidates for the election.

To find out more and to register, visit the ‘Council elections 2024’ page on our website.

Become a climate change leader and make a difference in the community by getting involved in projects aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, living sustainably, and acting against climate change.

Starting February 2024, the committee will meet twice a month in the evenings, with a mixture of in person and online meetings.

Anyone aged 15 to 25 who lives, works or studies in Casey are encouraged to apply.

Applications close 30 November.

Scan the QR to apply.

Have your say and help shape Casey’s future Provide feedback on a number of consultations currently open on our community engagement platform, Casey Conversations.

• Kindergarten and Early Years Survey • Bunjil Place Annual Community Survey • Planning Scheme Amendment C284case • Casey Electoral Structure Review • Notice of intention to lease property at Mick Morland Reserve

Council hosts Respecting Youth Voices to Enable Change event at Bunjil Place

In recognition of the United Nations’ 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign, we will be hosting the Respecting Youth Voices to Enable Change showcase event at Bunjil Place on Wednesday 6 December from 4.30 pm to 6.30 pm.

Head to the Casey Conversations website to find out more.

This free event will showcase 15 of Casey’s diverse multicultural and multilingual youth and what respect means to them through dance, photography and poetry.

Bookings are essential by Friday 1 December.

Scan the QR code to book your spot today or visit our website.

Christmas market and tree lighting The ever-popular twilight Christmas market is back from 3.00 pm to 9.00 pm on Saturday 2 December.

To be held at Bunjil Place, the market will have a variety of market stalls, food trucks, entertainment, children’s activities, local choirs, live music and free art workshops.

Our Christmas tree will also be lit at 8.00 pm.

To find out more, visit the Bunjil Place website.

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Casey ED’s tick on times

By Violet Li Emergency waiting times have reduced at Casey Hospital but non-urgent planned surgery waits are on the rise, according to the latest official stats.

The latest Victorian Health Service Performance report shows the 90th percentile emergency department (ED) waiting times in the July-September quarter has dropped by 78 per cent to 34 minutes, compared to last year.

It was also considerably lower than the state average of 96 minutes.

The 90th percentile waiting time is the amount of time in which 90 per cent of all patients presented to an emergency department were seen by a nurse or doctor.

Over 80 per cent of patients in need of emergency care were treated within the recommended time across all triage categories, which met the statewide target for the second consecutive quarter.

While the percentage of patient transfers from ambulance to the ED within 40 minutes has slightly increased by 14 per cent since last year, it fell short of the statewide 90 per cent target.

However, the average overdue waiting time for non-urgent patients was almost 40 per cent longer than the statewide figure and 35 per cent more than last year.

Patients at Casey Hospital need to wait an average of 15 additional months for their nonurgent planned surgeries on top of the benchmark 12 months waiting period.

Dandenong Hospital has averaged similar overdue waiting times for non-urgent surgeries, with patients waiting for an overall 28 months.

About 2000 residents are on Casey Hospital’s waiting list across all planned surgery categories, with the waiting list steadily declining over the past year.

About 2000 residents are on Casey Hospital’s waiting list across all planned surgery categories, with the waiting list steadily declining over the past year.

Victorian waiting lists for planned surgery, including at Casey Hospital, continued to be impacted from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and unprecedented demand from a growing and ageing population.

It’s understood that since the pandemic, Monash Health commenced a surgical recovery program to reduce the long waitlist for planned surgeries.

The program includes expanding day surgery and upgrading surgery theatres to create greater access for the community.

It’s understood the initiatives have seen Monash Health reduce the long waitlist for planned surgeries by more than 30 per cent this year.

Victoria Healthcare Association (VHA) – the peak body for the state’s public health services

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– chief executive officer Leigh Clarke said the latest report showed good indicators that hospital performance was trending in the right direction but there was more work to be done to ease long-standing system-wide pressures.

“Our hospitals have been working extremely hard to speed up elective surgeries, cut emergency wait times and reduce the number of patients staying longer than they need to, all while working in an increasingly challenging operating environment,” she said.

Ms Clarke said that increasing demand for emergency services meant we could not afford to be complacent about the future effect of this trend on patient care.

“It is really pleasing to see government initiatives like the Covid Catch Up Plan and Planned Surgery Recovery and Reform pro-

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gram continuing to have an impact on waiting lists for planned surgeries,” she said.

“Investments like the Victorian Virtual Emergency Departments also appear to be helping to divert people with non-critical conditions away from busy emergency departments.

“But we also know that many services are struggling in an increasingly complex operating environment with rising service delivery costs, ongoing workforce shortages and the need for investment in critical maintenance that meets community expectations.”

Ms Clarke added that the rising burden of chronic diseases, coupled with structural deficits in health budgets, posed significant challenges that required sustained investment and collaborative efforts.

“Victorian hospital performance is on the path to recovery and there are positive signs some areas are returning to pre-pandemic levels, but we need to be mindful of where the pressure points are,” she said.

“The VHA wants to see targeted initiatives to ensure our health system continues to meet the standard of care that Victorians expect,” she said.

Meanwhile, urgent ambulance responses have improved in Casey but are still well short of the benchmark, according to Ambulance Victoria’s latest statistics.

The body is required to respond to codeone emergencies within 15 minutes for 85 per cent of incidents statewide.

Casey had 64.7 per cent of responses up to the standard in the last quarter, marginally lower than the state average of 66 per cent.

This was a 6 per cent increase compared to the last quarter.

The average response time in Casey amounted to an average of 14.58 minutes which was 14 seconds shorter than the state level.

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Relief as rare car returns

By Ethan Benedicto A 37-year-old man from Narre Warren was arrested on Wednesday 8 November over the theft of a rare Mustang from Ferntree Gully in October.

The man was charged with theft of a motor vehicle, specifically a $400,000 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR, a car that is one of a kind in Australia and one of 24 across the globe. In addition, he was also charged with driving while disqualified and possessing drugs of dependence.

A search warrant was executed at a residential address in Carrum Downs on 1 November, where the vehicle was recovered with minor damages.

Craig Dean, owner of Mustang Motorsport, was relieved when he was informed by Detective Senior Constable Michael Gatt that the vehicle had been recovered.

“He rang me up and said ‘you’re going to have to bring your spare keys out to me’ and I said ‘oh, beauty, you found it?’”, Mr Dean said.

There were initial concerns that the vehicle had been broken down and stripped for parts, but detective senior constable Gatt assured that would be unlikely.

“Because of its value and rarity, I expected the car would be kept in some sort of good condition, which is mostly the case,” Mr Gatt said.

In the span of its absence, the car had been repainted black and the spoiler was removed, all of which proved to be an easy fix for

Craig Dean next to the rare Mustang GT500 KR.

Picture: ETHAN BENEDICTO

Mr Dean’s team.

“It was relatively easy to put it back to where it should be, “The boys looked at it and they were able to

peel the paint off, thanks to a sealant we use on our cars, and there was no major damage.”

As a car enthusiast himself, and a fellow Ford fan, Mr Gatt said he was “probably more

relieved than Craig”.

“This investigation took a lot of long days, especially as it went on but it’s good to see the car handed back to its owner and brought back to its former glory.”

These charges initially came as the report went through at 3.45pm on Wednesday 11 October, where two men were captured by CCTV entering the workshop and driving off with the vehicle.

Being on holiday at the time, Mr Dean was contacted by workshop manager James, who had informed him of the vehicle’s theft.

As for Mr Gatt, cases like these were rather common occurrences for him and his team.

“It’s not unusual to search for cars this rare, particularly because of the value, its rarity and its attention.

“It’s a big asset for a business, and a person, to lose,” Mr Gatt said.

As for Mr Dean and his team, he is grateful to authorities and the community for the help in finding the vehicle and having it returned home.

“I didn’t want to put too much pressure on anyone and make a big deal about it, that doesn’t solve anything.

“It was just a material thing, no one was hurt but it was of course a financial loss – I wasn’t crying but I was disappointed,” Mr Dean said.

The Narre Warren man appeared in the Magistrates Court on 9 November and another 32-year-old Carrum Downs man was interviewed and released without charge.

More work needed to ‘preserve our foundations’ From page 1 Wilson Botanic Park has multiple signs throughout its premises, providing people with information detailing the specific geographic outlay of the environment.

Mr Westlake also added that a specific way for the park to push further its educational value is to do guided walks, where an expert would speak to a group and elaborate on topics of geology.

Aside from demolition from neglect, some of the greatest challenges that Casey faces in heritage protection are increasing land values and pressure for urban development within heritage areas.

In addition, there is also the lack of funding, resources and expertise to care for heritage places during and after the process of urban development, according to a parliamentary inquiry into Casey’s protections within the Victorian planning framework.

City of Casey’s planning and building manager Tania Asper said the council is preparing a planning scheme amendment to update the current planning scheme.

It will “include reference to a new local heritage policy that will require due consideration be given to heritage conservation, in addition to current planning scheme requirements”, according to Ms Asper.

An informational sign that stands in front of the lake, detailing its history. 372493 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS One of the few things Mr Westlake said should be done is for the wider community to understand the value of geology.

Giving credit to his grandfather, David said that being exposed to the beauty of geology, the formation of the earth and its intricacies was the catalyst for his work

throughout the years.

“A greater emphasis on both staff and community education and participation is central in my view.

“I think a dedicated officer would enable justice to be done to our rich heritage, ensuring that the community have a sense of

belonging.” Mr Westlake’s former manager made a case five years ago to turn the heritage officer planner position into a full-time role but to no avail.

While there is no specific focus on geological sites, Ms Asper stated the council employs a heritage officer and a panel of consultants to help homeowners manage heritage places.

“Landowners are encouraged to take advantage of our free Heritage Advisory Service or apply for funding to assist with the conservation of their heritage places via the Victorian Heritage Restoration Fund,” she said.

Regarding the planning scheme update, Mr Westlake stated that it will require more desktop research and site visits in order to update the 2018 study by Mr Rosengren, and to also indulge in more staff education.

“I still encompass this with all heritages, and it’s about having a sense of place, of belonging, bringing you back to your roots if you like, to where you come from.

“It’s good to question something you don’t know, it’s part of science as well as heritage.”

The next council meeting is set to happen on Tuesday 21 November at 4pm and is open to public viewing.

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‘WE ARE WHAT WE REPEATEDLY DO. EXCELLENCE THEN, IS NOT AN ACT, BUT A HABIT.’

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Thursday, 16 November, 2023

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Rent simply ‘unaffordable’

By Cam Lucadou-Wells

For low-income earners, there were only two “affordable” two-bedroom rentals available in the entire Casey council area, two in Cardinia Shire and 23 in Greater Dandenong.

There was just one single-bedroom rental rated as “affordable” in Casey, one in Greater Dandenong and zero in Cardinia Shire.

Median rents for two-bedroom flats in Berwick soared $40 a week in the past year to $400 and two-bedroom houses up $63 a week to $423.

In Cranbourne, two-bedroom flats were up $25 a week to $365, and houses up $40 a week to $400.

In Narre Warren-Hampton Park, two-bedroom flats were up $30 a week to $380 and houses up $32 a week to $400.

In Pakenham, two-bedroom flats rose $30 a week to $360 and houses were up $50 a week to $390.

In September, the State Government launched its Housing Statement which sets a target of 800,000 new homes over the next decade with affordable housing quotas and fasttracked planning approvals.

“More housing supply means lower prices,” the then-Premier Daniel Andrews said at the time.

Under the Government’s Big Housing Build launched in 2020, 76 social housing dwellings have been built in Casey with 70 underway.

Opposition housing spokesperson Richard Riordan said the project had been a “big let down”.

Just 394 extra public housing dwellings had been built since 2018 at the cost of $5.3 billion – despite a pledge of 12,000 homes by 2024, he said.

“These numbers also make a mockery of the Premier (Jacinta Allan’s) claim that she will build 800,000 new homes over the next decade.”

Recently, homelessness support service Wayss said the South East growth corridor had been “neglected” – with its proportion of public and community housing well below the average of Greater Melbourne.

Ahead of the 2022 state election, City of Casey called for an “urgent investment” to stem the significant and growing shortfall of 6000 affordable and social housing dwellings.

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Casey rentals are at their most unaffordable since 2015 – severely so for pensioner couples, according to newly released statistics.

The Rental Affordability Index depicts a “fundamentally broken” rental market across Melbourne.

For pensioner couples, rental prices are rated as “severely unaffordable” across Casey – scoring as low as 71 in Berwick, 78 in Narre Warren, 79 in Cranbourne and 80 in Hampton Park.

A score of 101-120 is considered “moderately unaffordable”, 121-150 as “acceptable” and over 150 as “affordable”.

Meanwhile for minimum wage couples, rental affordability is deteriorating to “moderately unaffordable” in Berwick while still “acceptable” in other Casey suburbs.

The Rental Affordability Index is an analysis undertaken by National Shelter and SGS Economics and Planning.

National Shelter chief executive Emma Greenhalgh said low-income people were being priced out of “entire swathes” of Melbourne.

“The rental market is fundamentally broken.

“Melbourne’s rental market is in a crisis and it’s only getting worse. This disproportionately punishes people with the least.”

Overall, Berwick ranks the lowest for affordability with an “acceptable” index score of 127 (down 8 per cent from two years ago), followed

by Cranbourne (132, down 17 per cent), Narre Warren (134, down 7 per cent) and Hampton Park (148, down 7 per cent).

The suburbs are all rated less than “affordable”, based on Greater Melbourne median gross household incomes of $108,955.

Soaring rents are starkly shown in the State Government’s June Rental Report.

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STAR NEWS 5

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Jockey rides for a cause Star jockey Craig Williams has engaged with Kids with Cancer Foundation in this year’s Spring Racing Carnival.

His cap features the foundation logo to highlight the charity spirits and encourage fans to donate to the cause.

Mr Williams has just competed in this year’s Flemington Melbourne Cup Day with his Cranbourne-trained filly Apache Song in the 2023 Desirable Stakes.

On 21 October, Mr Williams rode Apache Song in the Group 2 Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield, calling out to Kids with Cancer Foundation through a social media video filmed from his cap.

Apache Song is a homebred for David Baker’s Kilmore Thoroughbred Services and is trained by Michael Trotter.

She won her Moe maiden prior the Caulfield race by 6.5 lengths.

She ran second in her second start in the Redoutes Choice Stakes, and is aiming for a run in the Caulfield Thousand Guineas.

Apache Song is the first foal of the accomplished Gonski mare For a Song, which won races at Caulfield, Pakenham, Moe and Seymour and placed a further eight times in a 23-start career.

This is not the first time a David Baker horse has raced for Kids with Cancer, with For a Song racing for Kids with Cancer Foundation in 2017.

Mr Williams has been passionate about helping kids with cancer and their families, through raising awareness of nearly 800 children diagnosed with cancer each year, and funds to support the important programs provided by Kids with Cancer Foundation – including direct financial support to families,

The 12 little ducklings were found huddled together in the storm drain. Pictures: SUPPLIED

Ducklings back with mum Craig Williams and his filly Apache Song are racing for Kids with Cancer in the 2023 Spring Carnival.

Picture: SUPPLIED Care Packs, Wigs4Kids, plus funding critical hospital salaries and infrastructure, cancer research and more.

This year, Kids with Cancer Foundation marks 25 years of supporting kids with cancer and their families and celebrated providing over $30 million in funding nationwide through its programs.

At Kids with Cancer Foundation, 100 per cent of direct donations and fundraising activities go directly to funding the charity’s assistance programs.

All operational expenses are paid through three $2 raffles that are run throughout the year.

To learn more, visit kidswithcancer.org.au

A group of local firies made rescued a flock of ducklings from a drain on Saturday 4 November thanks to a quick-thinking mother duck.

CFA crews from the Narre Warren CFA fire brigade rescued 12 ducklings after receiving reports that the ducklings had fallen into a drain behind Amberley Park Shopping Centre.

Responding to a call at 6.52pm on Saturday 4 November, the crew spent 10 minutes searching when the mother duck guided them to the right drain, anxiously circling the drain as she watched the firefighters remove the debris from the drain covering before lifting the drain cover.

Narre Warren fifth lieutenant Aaron Chitaranjan said when they managed to gain access to the drain, they found the ducklings huddled together.

“One by one we picked them up and put them in a box with the mother duck watching from a distance,” he said.

All ducklings were safely removed from the drain and reunited with their mother.

The Narre Warren crew kept the ducklings warm after the rescue.

OPINION SOCIALLY SPEAKING

LENSCAPE

Optus customers across the country were left frustrated last week as a nationwide outage affected millions of businesses and individuals, leaving them without access to key services. Here’s what our readers had to say about how it impacted them.

Janine Kay Definitely thinking of changing provider. It affected my banking, car servicing, shopping and my ability to be there to support family.

Ian Venables Imagine the consequences if this happened during a major disaster like fires or flood.

No warnings could be issued.. equals loss of lives.

Jude Newman-Tope When I needed to try and get my asthmatic

child into a doctor and couldn’t make calls or use the booking app, I wasn’t impressed.

Luckily, they saw me as a walk-in.

Lorraine Lindsay It can happen to any provider.

Pauline Stringer Being deaf, I had no way to communicate with anyone - text, Messenger, emails or any other way. I am a full-time carer of two adults and I couldn’t even contact anyone especially after one had a meltdown. Not happy and this should not be happening with such a huge telco.

Shaun Coe Only missed 20 business calls and 10 emails.

Tracey Matthies Not an Optus user, but couldn’t phone my doctor’s clinic because they are.

THUMBS UP THUMBS DOWN Thumbs up

Thumbs down

To the Coastal Village Art Group’s ‘Coastal Colours’ exhibition.

To the weather.

Thumbs up

To inconsiderate, selfish motorists, cyclists and pedestrians. Learn to get along or just stay at home.

Thumbs down To everyone who volunteers in Casey! You matter very much!

Thumbs down To Casey Council.

Arborist Jordan Wong competing in the Victorian Tree Climbing Competition in Lynbrook.

372879 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Thumbs down To insurance companies.

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Thursday, 16 November, 2023

Thumbs up To the great playlist at the Berwick Bowling Club on Saturday with some AC/DC, Guns N’ Roses ‘Welcome to the Jungle’ and ’Jessie’s Girl’ by Rick Springfield, just to name a few! berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

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Feds to pull back on spend

By Corey Everitt The Federal Government is preparing to pull back on infrastructure projects across the country, as the long-awaited findings of the infrastructure review, which put two local projects at risk, is set to be released “shortly”.

Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Catherine King has finally addressed the 90-day review into federally-funded projects, which began in May and has now extended to 190 days with no finding published yet and many projects still halted.

The review put hundreds of soon-to-be started infrastructure projects on hold, as the Federal Government infrastructure spending had reportedly blown-out by at least $33 billion.

Two local projects could get the axe from the review, the Clyde Road Upgrade and twothirds of the Pakenham Roads Upgrade package which would see upgrades to Racecourse Road and McGregor Road.

Ms King spoke to reporters on Monday 6 November confirming that the review had made suggestions to cancel yet-to-be named projects, as well as potentially delaying others.

“The review looked at around 250 projects overall and has made recommendations around cancelling some,” Ms King said.

“It’s made recommendations around making sure we’ve got planning money and we slow the process down so we know what the costs are before we commit to construction.”

The comments come before the Reserve Bank of Australia raised interest rates on Tuesday. The official cash rate is now at 4.35 per cent.

The rise has been blamed by some on the level of infrastructure spending driving inflation, as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) claimed in a report on Wednesday 1 November that inflation will continue at high levels in Australia over the next several years in part due to high infrastructure spending.

The rate rise and the IMF’s report may put more pressure on the Federal Government to make cuts.

Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Catherine King confirmed some infrastructure projects would be cancelled.

“We want to make sure we do everything we possibly can to get inflation down. We know that people need to have cost of living relief,” Ms King said.

The findings of the report are set to be announced in the coming weeks, as Ms King confirmed the Federal Government is in talks with

State Governments on the matter.

The discussion may have states jostling to keep their projects, as Queensland Treasurer took to X - formerly Twitter - to say Queensland was a “growth state” needing “more infrastructure” and cuts should go to “southern states” with “low growth and high debt”.

Picture: MICK TSIKAS/AAP

In October, La Trobe MP Jason Wood defended the Clyde Road and Pakenham Roads Upgrade saying the former was crucial for the area, something the Federal Government must “commit to and deliver”, while he said it was “disgraceful” that the Pakenham Roads Upgrade may not go ahead for a community which already “put up with such poor roads”.

Bullet fired in alleged attempted carjack

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Police are seeking a man over an attempted carjacking in Doveton in July.

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them.”

The SUV didn’t follow the victim. Instead it turned left and was found burnt out in Harkaway about an hour later.

It had been deliberately incinerated using petrol poured on the back seat. The SUV had been stolen from a Cranbourne driveway about four days earlier.

Police released a photo-fit image of a thickly-bearded man described as mid-20s, Middle Eastern appearance, medium build, wearing glasses, a grey Nike hoodie and black pants.

No arrests have been made.

Any information to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au

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Funeral Director

The bullet lodged in the “hump” in front of the victim’s steering wheel, Senior Constable Daniel Cousins from Southern Metro Regional Crime Squad said.

“Another couple of inches higher and it would have (hit him).”

The man - who had just dropped off his girlfriend at work - drove away without physical injuries but was distressed for several days.

Police are unsure what motivated the attack.

“It’s definitely scary for the public whenever there’s shots fired in a public setting. He’s never had anything happen like this before,” Cousins said.

“It’s pretty abhorrent. We’d love to catch

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Police are seeking a man over a “scary” attempted carjacking in which a bullet was fired through a windscreen, narrowly missing the victim in Doveton on 8 July.

A driver in a stolen white Toyota C-HR SUV tailgated a 22-year-old Doveton man in a white 2012 Volkswagen Passat on Princes Highway about 1am, police say.

The SUV pulled in front of the Passat, forcing its driver to stop on Power Road.

Four people got out of the SUV, with one of the passengers drawing a handgun, walking up to the victim’s door and demanding him to get out.

The victim reversed, sped off and the offender allegedly fired a shot through the windscreen.

berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

Summerset Cranbourne North selling off plans* Our first Australian retirement village with premium aged care is coming to Cranbourne North Summerset Cranbourne North# is a modern village with resort-style facilities that will redefine retirement living, with the reassurance that there will be a modern aged care home onsite.

Located just minutes away from the local golf club and the gorgeous Cranbourne Botanical Gardens, Summerset Cranbourne North is conveniently located with easy access to nearby shopping centres, public reserves and the freeway allowing for easy commuting to and from surrounding suburbs.

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berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

Thursday, 16 November, 2023

|

STAR NEWS 9

THE LOWDOWN with Merinda Park Learning & Community Centre manager Michelle Davidson

THREE … ways to protect your home

1

Enhance visibility to deter burglars Ensure your home is well-lit, especially at entrances and along pathways. Adequate lighting makes it easier for neighbours or passersby to spot suspicious activity, acting as a deterrent for potential burglars.

2

Fortify entry points for added security Reinforce external doors and windows with sturdy locks and security hardware. Consider installing deadbolt locks and reinforced strike plates to make it difficult for intruders to force entry.

3

Safeguard your valuables and make theft difficult Implement measures to protect your belongings inside the home.

Use safes to secure important documents, jewellery, and other valuables. Consider engraving or marking your possessions with unique identifiers, making it harder for thieves to sell or pawn stolen items.

Merinda Park Learning and Community Centre manager Michelle Davidson. 363670 Picture: ROB CAREW Which six dinner guests, dead or alive, would you invite to dinner?

Nagi Maehashi, Margaret Atwood, Michelle Obama, Pink, Emily Brontë and Sarah Millican.

What three words would your friends use to describe you?

Did a quick ring around for these - principled, vibrant and optimistic.

What would you do on your perfect ‘day off’?

The day would start with breakfast in bed. The morning would be spent at home, and then out for lunch. It would be a sunny 28 degrees,

On a Gorgeous 33 Acres (13.22 Ha) Approximately in the Coveted Harkaway Welcome to the epitome of country living! This sprawling 5-bedroom double-storey weatherboard home, nestled in the highly sought-after Harkaway location, seamlessly blends country charm with modern comfort on approximately 33 acres (13.22 Ha) of undulating terrain.

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The massive family room has vaulted ceilings, a cozy wood heater, and opens onto a large, decked patio with a paved inground pool. An enormous fully glassed enclosed sunroom provides stunning views, and there’s a kids’ family room adjoining two double bedrooms with robes.

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5

3

4

and I would spend the afternoon outside reading a book in the shade, and someone would bring me a couple of glasses of champagne.

Dinner would be cooked for me. I would go to bed around 10pm with a happy smile.

Where is your happy place?

A sunny place, maybe in Palm Cove.

If you had to compete on MasterChef, what dish would you cook?

Mussels in a pot with home-made fries and mayonnaise.

Where is your dream holiday destination?

COMO Cocoa Island in the Maldives.

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Tell us a fun fact about yourself!

I always order a double ice cream and one flavour has to be rum and rasin!

What do you love the most about your job?

That I am the boss! Working as the centre manager at Merinda Park Learning and Community Centre, every day is different. I enjoy working with the local North Cranbourne Community and offering programs and services to meet the local needs. I know all our students’ names and love a cheeky hello from the children in our before and after school care programs. One day I am writing a grant application or helping in the newly established community garden or working with volunteers and the next, preparing reports for our Committee of Management or helping to cook the barbecue as part of the Ageing Positively month.

If you were an animal, what animal would you be?

I have just come back from a visit to the Adelaide Zoo, and I want to be a fluffy black and white panda bear. They are so cute and adorable, and for the most part are peaceful, easy going and happily laze about and eat.

What was your most memorable moment?

I know it’s a bit of a cliche, however it was when the doctor put my newborn daughter on my chest. Almost 20 years on, I can still remember vividly those first moments when I met my daughter.

What were you like as a kid?

I like to think I was a likeable kid, smart but not too smart. I was part of a great social group of girls, and we still meet up for dinner three or four times a year, some 40 to 50 years on! I was a bit shy in new situations, which surprises people who know me now.

What event, past or present, would you like to witness?

To have been present in 1922, when Howard Carter opened the tomb of Tutankhamun.

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Q&A

Auction Date: Saturday 9th December at 3:30 pm Open for inspection Saturday 3.00pm Contact Agent for details L.J. Hooker Casey 03 5996 4777 Darren Saxon 0418 341 722

All information contained herein is gathered from sources we consider to be reliable. However, we cannot guarantee or give any warranty about the information provided. Interested parties must solely rely on their own enquiries.

10 STAR NEWS

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Thursday, 16 November, 2023

berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

NEWS

Championing better care

By Emma Xerri After three decades of tireless work in palliative care, Emeritus Professor, Margaret O’Connor, has been celebrated with an esteemed place on the Victorian Honour Roll of Women.

O’Connor is now among more than 700 women who have had their leadership achievements immortalised on the public record for excellence in their field and commitment to their community, which she has displayed in all aspects of her work locally, federally and internationally.

“I was thrilled to be recognised in this way, and it’s something I really didn’t expect,” O’Connor said.

“The Honour Roll is recognition of the roles of women in the Victorian community, and sometimes those roles might be a little overlooked or not acknowledged as much as they ought to be.

“I started my work in palliative care because I was frustrated with the organised health care that happens in institutions, where people don’t have a say over things like when they’d like to shower or exercise, and I was frustrated over having to conform.

“Caring for dying people has always been a challenge in institutions, particularly in hospitals where it’s not really set up for looking after people who are dying. And if we were to go back in history a little bit, everyone died at home, so I became very interested in home-based care and in making sure we were able to offer people that choice if that’s what they wanted.”

After a diverse and highly transformative career in palliative care, which has seen O’Connor drive the early development of palliative care services in Victoria and work extensively to expand Victoria’s palliative care research and training, this honour is by no means a first for the Palliative Care South East chair.

In 2005, O’Connor was made a member of the Order of Australia for service to the devel-

Emeritus Professor Margaret O’Connor is presented with her recognition by Minister for Women Natalie Hutchins at the Victorian Honour Roll of Women ceremony. opment and establishment of palliative care services in Victoria.

And after serving as foundation chair of Palliative Care Nursing at Monash University and founding three palliative care services across Melbourne, O’Connor was awarded the prestigious Winston Churchill Fellowship in 2018, enabling her to explore end-of-life issues in a number of countries.

Her tremendous work has been recognised internationally and she has spoken at numer-

ous overseas conferences and undergone expert visits to Singapore, United Kingdom, Timor L’Este, Vietnam and Saudi Arabia.

“Palliative care helps people to have a choice about all sorts of things at the end of their life, and the choice about where they receive their care is really important.

“A ward, where the emphasis is on people getting well and being discharged, is not the optimal place to die, and people who have a limited time left to live probably want some-

thing more comforting than that.

“While people do sometimes need to go to hospital to get their symptoms managed, for example, it’s really important that we’re able to support them in having a choice over where they receive most of their care.

“At Palliative Care South East we’re very proud of the work we’ve been doing this year, and we’re looking forward to all the challenges that having a different profile in a different area will bring.”

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Thursday, 16 November, 2023

|

STAR NEWS 11

THE GREAT

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12 STAR NEWS

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Thursday, 16 November, 2023

berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

FOCUS ON … CHRISTMAS CHEER

Attention to fine details Located in Blackburn Square Berwick, there exists a gem that transcends time, embracing a legacy of exquisite craftsmanship and unwavering dedication to its customers.

Berwick Village Jewellers, nestled in the quaint Blackburn Square, stands as a testament to a decades-long tradition that commenced with the visionary founders, James and Kay Drysdale who started the business in March 1984.

Next year, the business will mark its 40-year anniversary.

Today, under the caring stewardship of Anthony and Sylvia, the legacy continues, thriving as a family-owned business rooted in the same cherished values that its founders held dear.

With a combined experience of over 40 years in the jewellery and watch industry, Anthony and Sylvia bring unparalleled expertise to every piece they create and every repair they undertake.

Anthony, a fully qualified watchmaker and jeweller, ensures that all watch and jewellery repairs are meticulously executed on-site, guaranteeing precision and quality.

Alongside them, a dedicated team comprising Michelle, Jenny, and Rosanna, further enriches the customer experience with their wealth of knowledge and warm hospitality.

Berwick Village Jewellers distinguishes itself not only through its remarkable craftsmanship but also its commitment to personalised service. Specialising in handcrafted engagement rings, wedding rings, and Swiss watch repairs, the store stands as a beacon of expertise in the heart of Berwick.

The shop and its staff, often regarded as Berwick’s royalty, offer not just products but an

Jim, Kay, Michelle, Sylvia, Rosanna and Anthony. 370066 experience — a journey into the world of fine jewellery and horology.

For those seeking unparalleled expertise

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Thursday, 16 November, 2023

|

STAR NEWS 13

NEWS

People of all ages placed poppies within the Berwick cenotaph. 372978

Pictures: MATTHEW SIMS

Tribute to the fallen

By Matthew Sims

12647066-HC46-23

14 STAR NEWS

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Thursday, 16 November, 2023

The Berwick community paused at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month to commemorate the 105th anniversary of the end of the First World War and remember all of those Australians lost to the devastating effects of war.

Berwick’s Returned and Services League (RSL) sub-branch hosted the Remembrance Day service, with local community members, veterans and politicians among the gathering around the Berwick cenotaph.

Reverend Elwyn Sparks spoke about the profound grief faced by family members of those killed during service.

“We remember the families and loved ones who were and still are affected by their loss,” she said.

“We pray for an end to the pain and killing.”

In his address, Berwick RSL’s Peter Beams said out of the 416,809 men enlisted, more than 60,000 servicemen died during the First World War. “Too many had died,” he said.

“Today’s sombre association have never changed.

“Our thoughts now turn to war’s enormous cost.”

The commemoration included a recital of the poem In Flanders’ Fields, the Last Post and Reveille and the Ode. A minute’s silence was then observed by the crowd, before local politicians, veteran groups and community members laid a series of wreaths at the memorial.

The ceremony concluded with the playing of the Australian National Anthem.

Australian Commando Association’s Bill Peeler laid a wreath. 372978

Berwick RSL’s Peter Beams provided the address and recited the Ode. 372978 berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

NEWS

Taking action on climate

By Violet Li Casey Council has endorsed a new plan to change the way climate impacts are managed across the south east region.

South East Councils Climate Change Alliance (SECCCA), including Casey Council, officially launched the new blueprint - SECCCA 2024-28: Working Together for Stronger Climate Action - on Wednesday 8 November.

The action plan recognises the importance of a partnership approach to deliver stronger results for local communities.

The action plan identifies practical programs for delivery with the Australian and Victorian Government partners and nine local council members across the SECCCA region.

The priority projects include business energy support program, residential home resilience ratings tool, and small business climate adaptation toolkit.

The SECCCA region is home to one million Victorians with a diverse mix of metropolitan, periurban and rural communities, producing $85 billion in Gross Regional Product annually.

The 2019-2024 action plan identified the reduction targets to keep warming below 1.5 degrees in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, which means the south east region needs to reduce emissions 5.8 per cent every year until 2037.

It has also found the region would experience more frequent heat waves, decreased rainfall, and increased flooding by 2050 on the current trajectory of national action.

Casey sustainability and waste manager Michael Jansen said Casey recognised that climate change required action by all levels of society.

“The City of Casey Climate Action Plan 2022-2030 is aligned with the SECCCA fouryear Strategic Plan (2024-2028). Our Climate Action Plan supports the SECCCA target for

Casey joins other councils and groups at the launch of the South East Councils Climate Change Alliance’s (SECCCA) new action plan. Picture: SUPPLIED the community to achieve net zero emissions by 2040,” he said.

“While council is committed to educating, promoting, collaborating, and advocating for the community to achieve this goal, residents and businesses must be mindful of their own emissions. To become a net zero emissions community, we must work together towards efficient and low energy consuming lifestyles.

“In addition to reducing carbon emissions, a collective effort is also required to prepare for the impacts of the changing climate that will present itself through extreme weather events.

Work is underway to inform a robust Climate Adaptation Plan that will outline a clear pathway for Casey to become a climate resilient city.”

SECCCA chair Michael Whelan, who is also Bass Coast Shire mayor, said community sur-

veys suggested that more than three quarters of residents were very concerned about the impacts of climate change in our region.

“SECCCA has taken a whole of community view, to work together and come up with practical steps to help mitigate and manage climate risk in our region,” he said.

“This strategy charts the path for our members to work together and with our community to address climate change in our region.”

The action plan was launched to an audience of Federal and State Members of Parliament, industry and business groups, peak bodies and councillors from across the nine SECCCA councils.

The draft action plan is set to be finalised soon and scheduled for delivery from July 2024.

The plan also includes transitioning council fleets to electric or hydrogen heavy-duty vehicles, reviewing the vulnerability of council assets, expanding the environmentally sustainable design Brief Ezy tool, a climate risk mitigation program for councils, advocacy on climate action, and purchasing carbon offsets.

Climate Action Minister the Hon Lily D’Ambrosio joined local leaders for the official launch as well as secretary of the Victorian Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action John Bradley, Footy for Climate Alliance co-founder Tom Campbell and net zero lead for the Insurance Council of Australia Ange Nichols.

Other SECCCA councils are Bass Coast, Cardinia Shire, Greater Dandenong, Kingston, Mornington Peninsula Shire, Frankston, Bayside and Port Phillip.

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berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

Thursday, 16 November, 2023

|

STAR NEWS 15

NEWS

Allan opens $23m works Clyde Primary School’s multi-million-dollar upgrade is now complete, with Premier Jacinta Allan and Deputy Premier Ben Carroll visiting the school to formally open the expansive works.

The state-of-the-art buildings will provide more spaces for local students in the expanding township of Clyde.

The State Government invested almost $23 million in the upgrade.

New classrooms will cater for specialised art, STEM and music facilities.

The flagship piece is the school’s new fullsized gymnasium coming with a competitiongrade basketball court. Works were also completed to create new library and staff areas.

The school now has space for 50 more students, creating more space for the rapidly growing South East.

Premier Allan attended the official opening, accompanied by Deputy Premier and Minister for Education Ben Carroll, Bass MP Jordan Crugnale and Cranbourne MP Pauline Richards.

“These are fabulous new school buildings, built on a site that’s been delivering government education since 1910,” Premier Allan said.

“These new buildings are an example of the way the community has obviously grown and we want to make sure we continue to provide the facilities for government education.

“It’s credit to Michelle Mackenlay and the team here for the way they have overseen the building project and ensured teaching has continued during the building works.”

Clyde Primary School’s official opening of their newly upgraded facilities.

Picture: COREY EVERITT

Premier Jacinta Allan attended the official opening.

‘Where grassroots democracy begins’: Elections near Casey is inviting residents interested in running in the 2024 council elections to upcoming information sessions to kick start their journey in making a difference in the community.

Casey has been governed by administrators for the past few years since the dismissal of all Casey councillors in February 2020 by the State Government.

Next year Casey will return to elected councillors when the next local government elections take place across Victoria in October 2024.

To support community members who might be considering running for council, Casey is hosting three Role of Council Candidate information sessions over the coming months.

The sessions are designed to give community leaders and residents the chance to find out more about the diverse range of functions and services local government provides, the role of councillors, and to provide the resources required for potential candidates for the election.

City of Casey chair of administrators Noelene Duff encouraged anyone who was interested in taking an active role in shaping their

community to attend one of the sessions.

“Local government is where grassroots democracy begins, and Casey is seeking individuals from diverse backgrounds, with various skill sets and experiences, to step forward and take part in the electoral process,” Ms Duff said.

“Anyone who intends to run for council should be passionate about their community, be keen to learn and willing to contribute to strategic decisions.

“By running as a candidate, you can help ensure that the voices and concerns of your community are heard and that your local government represents the diverse perspectives and needs of its residents.

“If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, I encourage you to register for an upcoming information session so you can explore the possibility further.”

The information sessions will give an overview of the City of Casey, council functions and services and provide key details on how to run for council including formal training requirements for candidates.

The sessions will also cover topics including good governance practices, social media awareness and the Local Government

Act 2020.

Council will be hosting three information sessions, two in-person events and one online.

November in-person session Date: Tuesday 28 November 2023 Time: 6pm – 8pm Venue: Eliston Family and Community Centre, Clyde Bookings: trybooking.com/events/landing/1128893 February virtual (online) session Date: Tuesday 27 February 2024 Time: 1pm - 3pm Venue: Online session Bookings: trybooking.com/events/landing/1122762 March in-person session Date: Tuesday 26 March 2024 Time: 6pm – 8pm Venue: Bunjil Place, Narre Warren Bookings: trybooking.com/events/landing/1122765 To find out more and register to attend, visit casey.vic.gov.au/council-elections-2024

· · · ·

· · · · · · · ·

Casey has been governed by administrators for the past few years since the dismissal of all Casey councillors in February 2020 by the State Government.

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16 STAR NEWS

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Thursday, 16 November, 2023

berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

NEWS

Level crossing works begin

By Emma Xerri Major works have officially kicked off at Beaconsfield’s level crossing, making it the latest in a long list of level crossings being removed across the South East.

Following necessary preparations undertaken earlier this year, including the installation of fencing and temporary pavements, digging will now commence at Station Street, with crews working 24/7 on the 193 piles that will form the new road bridge.

The road bridge, which is set to be completed in 2025, will allow for vehicles to travel over the rail line, improving efficiency and safety for the 5200 vehicles that currently cross the rail line daily, and allowing for improved connections and possible future transport upgrades to the Beaconsfield Station Precinct.

While the construction of the new bridge will require the acquisition of the station master’s house, the bridge will impact only the extension at the rear of the house, ensuring most of the property and key historical elements are protected.

The nearby Bunya Bunya Pine tree will also be retained.

However, as only a small part of a vast Level Crossing Removal Project, the Station Street crossing removal will work together with all other works throughout the Cardinia Shire Council, and the broader Pakenham and Cranbourne lines, to promote improved experiences beyond just Beaconsfield.

Once level crossing free, the Pakenham and Cranbourne lines will boost safety and ease congestion for all road users, allowing for safer journeys and eliminating 3.4 hours of dreaded boom gate down time in the morning peak across the whole South East.

Setting up site at the Beaconsfield Station car park.

View of the new site shed in the Beaconsfield Station car park.

Pictures: SUPPLIED

Piling rig delivered to site.

Pat Cronin Foundation and YMCA join to tackle violence

By Emma Xerri Violence-prevention charity, the Pat Cronin Foundation, is partnering with YMCA Victoria in a new initiative working to address and educate against violence on and off the sporting field.

The foundation is taking their popular Violence is Never OK seminar online, hoping to equip players 13 years and above with the tools needed to manage anger and aggression, and raise awareness of the broad, highly-impactful effects of senseless violence.

Foundation director Matt Cronin, whose son Pat Cronin lost his life to a senseless coward punch attack, has worked tirelessly with the foundation to deliver anti-violence presentations nation-wide.

“We give people an understanding of Pat’s story as well as a wealth of practical tips and strategies to deal with anger and aggression – which are life-changing skills just as relevant off the field as well as on,” he said.

The seminar is just one portion of the

Pat Cronin. partnership being backed by a City of Casey grant, as part of the Victorian Government’s Empowering Communities initiative within

Picture: SUPPLIED the Building Safer Communities Program.

The partnership will also see the foundation deliver a series of violence-prevention

education measures at Casey Stadium, and centre manager Josh Sadler urges all players, coaches and officials from the 300 clubs involved with the facility to partake in the seminar, which is also available to those participating in entry-level sports across the wider community.

“This is such a crucial initiative and underscores our commitment to making a lasting, positive change in thousands of lives,” he said.

“As part of our partnership with the foundation, we’re aiming to convey to a millionplus visitors to the stadium this year the importance of empowering people with the tools to say no to violence.”

The free seminar will take place online on Tuesday 21 November at 7pm.

Bookings are necessary and can be made at ViolenceisneverOK.eventbrite.com For more information about the Pat Cronin Foundation, visit patcroninfoundation. org.au

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berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

Thursday, 16 November, 2023

|

STAR NEWS 17

NEWS

Arborist Barton Allen-Hall from Upwey is the world champion in tree climbing. 372431 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Alana Murray won the first place in the Women’s Master. 372431

Narre Warren resident Oliver Moore at 2023 VTCC. 372431

John Petrie presents Mat Holland (Chirnside Park) with The Spirit of the Compitition Award.

372431

Competing from the trees

By Violet Li Watching arborists perform stunts could easily trick you into an illusion that tree climbing is effortless.

The just-finished 2023 Victorian Tree Climbing Championships (VTCC) certainly pushed the false belief to the side when tree artists were seen to ascend, put the lines in, get into the spready red gums, and walk in the clouds.

Held at Banjo Paterson Reserve in Lynbrook from 11 to 12 November, more than 30 arborists convened and competed for the awards.

The championship started with five different events for preliminary rounds where the participants showcased their abilities to professionally and safely manoeuvre in a tree while performing work-related tree-care tasks in a timely manner.

The highest scoring participants went to the Masters’ Challenge - the championship round of the competition in which they fight for the male and female titles.

The Masters’ Challenge is designed to judge in a single challenge event the competitor’s overall poise, techniques, and mastery of the combined skills tested in preliminary events.

Two-time and 2023 ITCC champion Barton Allen-Hall won the men’s master and 2023 ITCC 4th place Alana Murray won the women’s. Jack Lewis who won the second place in the 2023 ITCC came second in the men’s.

Mr Allen-Hall and Ms Murray did a ‘shoey’, drinking a beer from a shoe, as a celebratory tradition.

Mr Allen-Hall believed being an arborist was a very interesting job and he had philosophical reasons.

“Every tree is different, so makes it more stimulating. You’re not just applying the same formula to every tree. You got to think each time,” he said.

“When you’re working, you’re working on a living thing. But, working on a living thing presents interesting challenges as opposed to building a building where they’re all the same.

“Trees are such three-dimensional things.

You don’t really get a sense of how they are until you are actually in the canopy. Climbing definitely gives you another perspective, a way to know trees and to connect with trees.”

Ms Murray, an arborist for seven years, said she truly enjoyed working for one of the most dangerous industries in Australia.

“I still found it daunting all the time,” she said.

“I come in with a load of nerves, but it’s just something that you gotta push through because the community is amazing and the sup-

Arborist Barton Allen-Hall. 372431

VTCC first-time competitor Nikita Anderson

Judges. 372431

Arborist Jordan Wong. 372431

work,” he said.

“Because we’re living around these organisms, so that’s why our jobs exist.”

He said it was nice to have events like VTCC. “It’s a big problem-solving exercise, really, and this competition sort of demonstrates problems of getting from this side of the tree to the other,” he continued.

“Maybe we can remove some branches where they might fall on someone or whether we could deal with a branch that might be snapped and hung. That’s the problem-solving aspect that I really like.”

VTCC first-time competitor Nikita Anderson, who has been in the industry for four

years, said it was a good atmosphere at the competition.

“Everybody’s so friendly and encouraging.

And it’s really good to meet other people that do the same work as you, and everybody’s interested in the same thing,” she said.

“You learn a lot of different things from a lot of different people, and everyone has their own unique way. So it’s good to hear what everybody else.”

The adrenaline and the rush she got from actually bringing down some big goals kept Ms Anderson in the industry.

“Everything’s different all the time too. It’s a different challenge every day,” she said.

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port’s amazing.

“Once you’re done, the feeling you get is brilliant.”

Apart from regulars in the ITCC, other arborists also shined their expertise, creativity, and most importantly their love for the lives on the trees.

Narre Warren resident Oliver Moore, who competed in the preliminary rounds has engaged with trees for about 18 years.

He started the tree climbing as way of keeping fit and he initially saw it very much a game.

“As I got a bit older and matured a little bit, I started to be more and more interested in the trees themselves and why we were doing this

Casey Council appoints new mowing contractors Following community feedback of last year’s mowing performance, Casey Council has conducted a thorough review of its mowing services model and has committed to providing an improved service to its community.

In line with this commitment, the council has awarded seven new mowing contracts to help maintain parks and open spaces.

According to the council, the contract 18 STAR NEWS

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expansion would allow for a more effective mowing service for the community and address the backlog of grass growth through the spring months.

The new contractors commenced their mowing services on Monday 13 November.

During the transition to the new service model, the council said it would make every effort to address long grass at existing sites.

Thursday, 16 November, 2023

Picture: PETAR TONCHEV/UNSPLASH berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

FOCUS ON … DISABILITY

Choir a boost for kids MYC’s Flying Free Choir is a quality music education program for primary-aged children with additional needs. The Flying Free Choir enables children to explore communication and socialisation skills through music, games and singing. Children learn to work as a team and develop self-confidence.

MYC is super excited to welcome Joey Cho to the teaching team! Joey is a graduating music therapist who is teaching in MYC’s Flying Free Choir for children with additional needs. Joey brings with her a strong passion for enabling children to become the best they can be through music.

During October the Flying Free choristers joined MYC’s Heffernan Choir for two rehearsals. This was a fabulous integration opportunity, enabling all the children to get to know each other. The Flying Free choristers were supported by some of the Heffernan choristers at MYC’s Showcase Concert in September, and it was great to be able to develop more understanding between choristers. This experience will become a regular part of MYC’s Flying Free program in the future.

For more information about MYC’s Flying Free choir, please contact Kerry at manager.myc@gmail.com

SEC eagerly anticipates embracing the future together, committed to fostering a supportive and enriching community.

Spring into the outdoors mitment to enhancing the quality of support and services we provide. As the year progresses towards the festive season, our anticipation grows for the upcoming participant Christmas get-together - an event that embodies the warmth and togetherness of our SEC family.

Looking back on the year, we celebrate the remarkable progress of our participants.

Through nurturing relationships, fostering emotional growth, celebrating achievements, and empowering individuals to enhance their independence and capabilities, we have witnessed inspiring transformations.

As 2023 draws to a close, we eagerly anticipate the opportunities and challenges that 2024 will bring. With hearts full of excitement and gratitude, we embark on this journey with our participants and their families, embracing the promise of new experiences, growth, and shared accomplishments. Together, we look forward to embracing the future, united in our mission to create a supportive and enriching community at SEC.

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As the weather transitions and the seasons evolve, so does the spirit of community at SEC. With the arrival of warm, sunny days, our focus has shifted to engaging outdoor activities, giving birth to exciting new groups centered around Pokemon adventures and refreshing Walk and Talk sessions.

These initiatives have breathed life into our community, fostering connections and encouraging exploration of our surroundings.

The picturesque locales of Springers Park, the enchanting Dandenong Creek Walk, the serene Frankston Pier, and the expansive Casey Fields have become the backdrop for our newfound outdoor camaraderie, marking a return to these activities after a hiatus during the cooler, wetter months.

Amidst this vibrant atmosphere, SEC has undergone significant transformations, from relocating to a new office in Beaconsfield to expanding our support staff and diversifying the areas where we offer assistance to our Participants. These changes reflect our com-

Through music, games, and singing, the Flying Free Choir empowers children to develop communication and socialisation skills.

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STAR NEWS 19

NEWS

Australian Air League-Berwick Squadron members.

Hampton Park Fire Brigade members at the service.

Over 50 people attended the service.

We will remember them Hampton Park Progress Association ran a service at 11am on Saturday 11 November to honour Australians who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

More than 50 people attended the service, including Hampton Park Fire Brigade, Hampton Park Men’s Shed, the principal and students from Hampton Park Secondary College, Neighbourhood Watch Casey, 2023 Casey Citizen of the Year Jo-Ann Fitzgerald, Australian Air League-Berwick Squadron, former Casey councillor Wayne Smith, and MP Gary Maas.

Chair of Neighbourhood Watch Casey Damien Rosario hosted the ceremony and read the commemorative address.

Hampton Park Progress Association’s Luke DeLutis said it was important that we learnt from the past and never took for granted what we had today because of their ultimate sacrifice.

“Every year, we honour the sacrifice of those who have fallen to protect our freedoms,” he said.

“We thank our community partners for their unwavering support of our event as we unite to commemorate this solemn occasion.”

Hampton Park Secondary College students lay a wreath during the Remembrance Day service.

Pictures: SUPPLIED

Post-event tea.

BUSINESS IN FOCUS

New community will keep buyers young at heart Halcyon Evergreen’s first home buyers, Paul and Diana Abel, are excited to immerse themselves in community living when they move into their new home next year.

Originally hailing from the United Kingdom, Paul and Diana have lived in Australia for more than 36 years and are currently residing in Frankston, Victoria.

Paul runs his own carpentry business and Diana is working from home, assisting with the business’ administration.

“I’m semi-retired and Paul is aiming to retire next year,” Diana said.

“Being in our mid-60s, we’re looking forward to making the most of our move to Halcyon Evergreen.”

The couple had been considering a move to a lifestyle community for some time, but still did a lot of research before purchasing at Halcyon Evergreen.

“We’d looked around at all the options and weren’t interested in retirement villages,” Diana said.

“But then we came across Halcyon Communities on Facebook and signed up for a tour of Halcyon Berwick. We were very impressed by the quality of the homes, which is a huge compliment given Paul’s background in carpentry!”

“The decision was made for us, but we still consulted our children, who were very excited. They said we’ve worked hard all our lives and now it was time to enjoy it.”

The couple were also very impressed with the expansive facilities that Halcyon Evergreen will offer.

“We’re both quite social, so we’re really looking forward to meeting lots of people and trying new things,” Paul said.

“At our age, you need to respect where you’re at physically, so the health and wellness facilities will be important for us as we get older.”

“We want to make the most of everything 20 STAR NEWS

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Halcyon Evergreen’s first home buyers, Paul and Diana Abel. on offer to keep us young at heart.”

Diana agreed and said they are excited to try something new.

Thursday, 16 November, 2023

“We’ve never played pickleball, but we’ve

been watching videos and it looks so fun,” she said. “There’s so much on offer, right on our doorstep.”

Halcyon Evergreen will feature 295 homes and state-of-the-art leisure and lifestyle fa-

cilities including a gold-class style cinema, games room, social kitchen/dining/bar, enclosed pool, spa and health and wellness precinct. berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

New homes from $535K* Image is artist’s impression only. Subject to change.

A lifestyle community with natural charm Located in Clyde and designed for over 55s, Halcyon Evergreen has no deferred management or exit fees.

Downsize in space while upsizing in living by moving into Halcyon Evergreen, Victoria's largest Halcyon community. Discover the benefits of living in a low maintenance home in a secure gated community while having resort-quality facilities at your doorstep.

Image is artist’s impression only. Subject to change.

With prices starting from $535K*, Halcyon Evergreen features 11 new two- and three-bedroom floorplan designs that can suit a variety of lifestyles.

If you’d like to arrange a private appointment to learn more or to visit our display homes, visit our website today or call 1800 050 050.

Image is artist’s impression only. Subject to change.

*Price correct as at November 2023. Subject to change. Price is based on the standard plans and speci ications and standard inclusions under the home purchase agreement. Price does not include additional costs that may be incurred under the home purchase agreement. Applies to selected home only. Subject to availability.

Scan the QR code to find out more or call us on 1800 050 050

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Thursday, 16 November, 2023

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STAR NEWS 21

NEWS

Beacy boys on the brink

By Jonty Ralphsmith DUO HAPPY AT HOLM For Beaconsfield’s Kobe Shipp and Kade De La Rue, Holm Park Reserve was a happy outlet during the pandemic.

With local under-19s teammate Jamie Roberts, the pair spent hundreds of hours across that period at the Beaconsfield oval.

During the 18-month period, the pair finetuned touch, kicking, fundamentals, and oneon-one work and spent hundreds of collective hours playing marker’s up.

Now, the phrase that’s always on people’s lips when discussing De La Rue is his cleanliness.

“Some respect definitely has to go to those days,“ De La Rue said.

“We would hold ourselves liable to train down here after school and having others makes it more fun and competitive.

“We’ve all got our strengths in different areas so it’s great to challenge each other.

“I’m probably the stronger aerobic athlete, but they’ve got me in speed and power so it’s something to have a bit of fun with when we have races down here but also better ourselves.“ For Shipp, that long period devoid of official matches coerced him to lift his training standards.

“At the start of 2020, I probably wasn’t the best trainer,” Shipp conceded.

“I think going into that year, I didn’t really understand what hard work was because, being a junior, you never really had to work as hard, a lot of it was natural talent.

“Across those two years in lockdown, I learnt so much about myself and my footy so I’m really grateful for that because I don’t think I would be where I am now otherwise as a footballer or person.

“It was hard missing out on playing but the resilience that I’ll take from it is so important.”

During and since the pandemic, coach Steve Paterson has noted the frequency the boys have spent down at the oval.

Having coached Shipp – and De La Rue - either side of the pandemic, he saw the lift – something which has continued to incline since the start of his journey with the Stingrays.

“That was maybe a turning point for Koby,“ Paterson said.

Kade De La Rue (left) and Kobe Shipp (right) are ready for the next chapter in their footy Picture: ROB CAREW journeys. 371170 “Through his early days, he was very talented on game day but it took him a while to grasp on to and realise that ’I’ve actually got to train hard to perform even better.’

“I think that helped him realise he can make something of this.

“When games needed to be won, Kobe was first on it.

“Whether it’s putting himself into the midfield, so that he could have the greatest impact to help the team, or putting his head over the footy, he was there.“ The AFL draft will take place from November 20-22 with De La Rue and Shipp both expected to be late pickups.

SHIPP FINDS SUCCESSFUL RECIPE In 2022, it was in the Under-17 All Stars game.

In 2023, it was in the last Coates League home and away game against Tasmania.

A 22 touch, nine mark effort on Tasmanian goal-sneak Jack Dolliver, kept to four touches and no scores, having averaged more than two majors per game ahead of the clash, was a statement game for Dandenong defender Kobe Shipp.

He handled the assignment of Zane Duursma well in the following week’s loss to Gippsland.

“I think it would be hard to find a small back

that’s played a better all-round game ever than him that day,” said Stingrays coach Nick Cox. “His stuff on the ground, his marking in the air, his ability defensively was all fantastic.”

At his best, 187cm Shipp has proven he has a complete skillset to match it with forwards in the modern game.

After a late call up for that Under-17 All Stars game - an annual fixture played on the MCG to raise the curtain for the AFL grand final - Shipp left his mark.

Playing with his trademark 2022 dreadlocks, he started with a bang, taking four intercept marks in the first quarter and finishing the day as one of the prominent play-makers.

Last season was Shipp’s first in the backline, and his read of the play and strength over the footy were assets he built on.

When given a similar role this season, he thrived, mixing his shutdown capacity with his understanding of when to fly and drive.

“Having a match-up is good because it keeps me accountable and in line with the footy,” Shipp said.

“I still have the licence to peel off and intercept, but there’s a fine line between doing that too much and playing on your man too much and I found that balance throughout the season.”

In between playing his natural footy off halfback, he spent a reasonable portion of 2023 on the wing, including the national championships due to Vic Country’s long list of rebounding halfbacks.

Shipp accumulated plenty of possession in Vic Country’s first game, giving him a strong foundation to launch off, and as well as the Vic Country and Rays coaching staff, he had an excellent asset in his corner.

The son of 35-game Fremantle Docker Andrew, Shipp also spent time down near his Dad’s house at Inverloch, and picked the former AFL tough nut’s brain about what was required to reach the top level.

“He doesn’t say as much as what other Dads do but he keeps it really simple,” Shipp said.

“After every game I’ll talk to him about how I played and he knows what to say.

“He knows if I’ve had a sh*t game and he’ll tell me, but has a way of doing it where he keeps me on track and humble and he’ll give me good pointers as well.”

“WORKHORSE” ON THE RIGHT PATH At first, Kade De La Rue targeted one week.

Soon, it took him only a night.

A relentless worker who runs hard and acted as Dandenong’s forward half link for much of 2023, he set himself the task of doing 1000 ground-balls at home outside of training week-to-week.

It soon became a no-fuss 20-minute weeknight matter of formality for Kade, a prospect for next week’s AFL draft, and Dad, Ben, a former Springvale Demons VFA player.

“His repeat efforts and ability to get up and down the ground is sensational and he’s clean around the footy,” Coach Cox says of his footy.

“He’s strong at the contest and he stands up and he’s got some real attributes that can hopefully give himself an opportunity.”

The extra touch is one example of the extra work the teenager commits to ready himself for life at the next level.

During a 2021 on the sidelines due to a ruptured ACL, De La Rue remained processoriented.

He put on more than 15 kilograms, sat in the Beaconsfield coaching box every week to strengthen his understanding of the game and tapped into the networks and resources his Dad was able to provide him.

Prior to the injury, junior coach Steve Paterson recalls De La Rue’s diligence.

“I’d be forever driving past Holm Park and he’d always be down there,” Paterson said.

“People would always ask why he got lots of the footy and I always said ‘well he works harder’.

“Kade was such a consistent performer, a workhorse who accumulated the footy.”

Having grown into the half-forward position since arriving at the Rays, De La Rue comfortably led all Victorian players in hard acceleration efforts at the national championships.

He has recently looked to couple that increased pace.

A Stingrays mainstay in the last two seasons, De La Rue reached out to the club’s highperformance coach Ben Benson in 2021, just prior to being listed.

“I feel I’ve got a bit more time now that gives me an extra split-second to make a good decision which is probably due to being clean and multiple factors,” he said.

Don’t do your own dentistry: When it’s time to call in help TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS IAN ASH Warren Buffet says: “Price is what you pay.

Value is what you get.”

Seems like a pretty obvious statement to make, but when it comes to making sensible business decisions, I am frequently surprised by the number of business leaders who opt to save a few bucks in the short term, but end up paying more in the long term.

The thinking is along the lines of ‘looks like a pretty simple task to me, how hard can it be?’

I recall thinking the same myself many years ago when it came to laying carpet and I soon found out to my own cost the difference between my poor, cheap attempt versus the result that using a professional can achieve.

I am sure you can think of many professions where this rule applies, but I am going to pick on just three where business owners tend to believe that they don’t need to pay for the service since they believe they can do it themselves and why this thinking is usually flawed: Recruitment of staff I inherently believe that “hiring the right staff is the most important decision a business can make, bar none”. Why? Because great staff make your life easier, keep your customers satisfied, and enable your business to 22 STAR NEWS

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Hiring the right staff is the most important decision a business can make, bar none, Ian Ash says.

Picture: TIM GOUW/UNSPLASH grow. Bad staff can be toxic to your organisation, cost a fortune to release, and damage staff and customer relationships irrevocably.

But how many businesses actually train their staff in recruitment?

Sadly this is rare, so when a candidate attends an interview, there is often little understanding of how to verify a candidate’s suitability, technical competency or even portray a professional image of the business itself (even unsuitable candidates should leave wishing

Thursday, 16 November, 2023

that they could have got the role).

There is an innate skill here, not only in candidate selection, but also in how to attract the right staff in the first place.

With an almost universal shortage of good skills today, getting the right people through your door for an interview can be a significant challenge in itself. Now I am not going to pretend that all recruitment companies are necessarily great, but when you find one that is, you will really notice the difference.

Bookkeeping services According to LinkedIn, “The Global Bookkeeping Services market is anticipated to rise at a considerable rate during the forecast period, between 2023 and 2030. In 2022, the market is growing at a steady rate and with the rising adoption of strategies by key players, the market is expected to rise over the projected horizon” primarily driven by increasing demand from the SME market which makes up 98 per cent of Australian businesses. Demand is due in part to bookkeepers not just entering in your financial data, they can produce your BAS and IAS returns as well as provide adjacent services such as payroll, bank and credit card reconciliation and records management.

Business mentoring/coaching This is also an area of increasing growth since as market sectors become increasingly competitive, business leaders are realising that they typically do not have all the skills necessary to excel in their market space.

Price changes and Google rankings alone do not result in automatic business performance increase, these need to be considered as part of an overall business strategy which enables greater focus, operational efficiency and clarity of objectives.

Today, it is clear that great leadership skills are now a key differentiator between those businesses that succeed and those that don’t, so engaging external expertise to help build these capabilities can prove invaluable.

Ian Ash ACC, AInstIB Managing director OrgMent Business Solutions - ombs.com.au berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

NEWS

Handmade gifts galore The Beaconsfield Baptist Church transformed into a treasure trove of craft creations and brica-brac over the weekend, as part of its annual Make and Mingles Craft Fair.

Initially starting in 1999, the craft fair was a way for the members of the Make and Mingle group to sell the craft items they had made during the year and has now evolved into a large-scale community event.

The event showcased a number of local businesses, including Bunyip Bears, and a wide variety of craft items for sale, including wooden toys, handmade greeting cards, quilts, jewellery, knitted toys, crocheted rugs, scrap booking supplies and baby clothing.

Make and Mingle is a friendship and craft group for people in Beaconsfield and the surrounding community which meets from 10am to noon each Wednesday during school terms.

For more information, contact makeandmingle@beaconsfieldbaptist.com.au

Stallholder Christine Bride from Bunyip Bears with Make and Mingles Craft Fair coordinator Bev Griffiths. 370806

People from far and wide came together to take a look at the goods on offer.

Iris and Linda from Beaconsfield checking out some Christmas craft items. 370806

Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS

Mathie Chandrananth, Lyla Blew and Yvonne Pascall. 370806

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Stallholder Carole Young with Make and Mingles Craft Fair coordinator Bev Griffiths. 370806

Thursday, 28 January, 2021

Stallholders Helen Visscher and Doreen Robertson. 370806

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Rex name shame

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

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

EXPERTS IN FAMILY LAW

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.”

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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

Scan this QR code to subscribe Stallholders Tracey and Megan Young with laser cut wooden designs. 370806 berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

Tegan, Joel and Ella from Narre Warren checking out the different stalls. 370806

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STAR NEWS 23

WHAT’S ON Pakenham/Berwick Women’s Friendship Cafe luncheon

Gethsemane’s Annual Clyde Carols By Candlelight

The Pakenham/Berwick Women’s Friendship Cafe end of year luncheon will be held at Living and Learning Pakenham from noon to 2pm on Thursday 14 December.

Vegan and halal food options available.

Each year the cake is a ‘tour de force’ featuring an artwork drawn by Rana Sadeghian and made

by Pam Archibald.

There is a giant raffle that will enable the Women’s Friendship Cafe to continue into its 7th year.

To RSVP, contact Living and Learning Pakenham at 5941 2389 before Monday 11 December.

Thursday 14 December.

Saturday 16 December, 5pm to 9pm, Hillcrest Christian College Oval, 500 Soldiers Road, Clyde North.

Presented by Gethsemane Church and Charity for the seventh consecutive year.

The event is back live and on-site and online as the television presentations and radio broadcasts continue.

Hosted by Pastor Kerrigan La-Brooy, the event will include festive cheer, a carnival atmosphere, gifts, giveways, prizes, live performances, television appearances, food vendors, a hydration station, children’s rides, amusements and a special visit from Santa Claus.

The event is launching Gethsemane’s ‘Christmas Miracle’ with gifts for every registered child present at the event’s registration desk.

For more information, email kerriganlabrooy@bigpond.com or contact 0404 875 647 or register your interest at facebook.com/events/1817253545397267

·Casey Cardinia Life Activities Club

Are you newly retired or new to the area or just wanting to enjoy your freedom or expand your social life?

Casey Cardinia Life Activities Club can offer you stimulating activities such as weekly social/ chat activities with low-key in line dancing if you want to tap your feet and enjoy an afternoon tea.

Day, short and long trips away via coach and flights, a weekly morning coffee club, monthly Saturday country pub lunches, monthly evening dineouts, weekly table tennis club, walking groups, seasonal daytime musical theatre outings and more.

The club is also hosting a formal Christmas lunch on Tuesday 5 December at Dandenong Club. Come along and get to know us by visiting us on a Thursday at 2pm at Brentwood Park Neighbourhood House or join us on a Wednesday at 10 am for a Coffee at Little Sparrow Fountaingate. For more information, contact enquiry officer Gloria on 0468 363 616.

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Cranbourne U3A Cranbourne U3A has commenced Term 4 with lots of fun activities planned for its members.

The club recently had a busy Open Day and have welcomed some new friends to its Tai Chi and Art classes.

New members are welcome to come along from 10am to 2.30pm on weekdays for lots of fun and laughter.

Gethsemane Church Inc’s Gail Kavanagh is excited for the upcoming Christmas carols event. 201137 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS Classes in calligraphy, art, chess, sewing, knitting and card making are also running.

Members and tutors will be available to show attendees through the rooms and assist you.

Light refreshments, tea and coffee will be served.

Cranbourne U3A’s rooms are in the admin building of the Cranbourne Library, entering from the Casey Radio entrance.

·

Merinda Park Learning and Community Centre Merinda Park Learning and Community Centre is

a not-for-profit community managed centre, with a volunteer Committee of Management that provides strategic direction and oversight.

For more than 30 years, the centre has provided a range of high-quality childcare, community services, educational classes and spaces for hire.

Explore diverse activities and engage with fellow community members at their open day this weekend. Lots of free family fun, sausage sizzle, animal nursery, popcorn, and fairy floss.

For more details, visit merindapark.com.au or facebook.com/MPLandCC

·

Seated Movement Sessions (Chair Dancing) Would you enjoy exercising from the comfort of your chair? Join the Berwick Activities Group for some seated movement sessions including fun and uplifting songs and different styles and eras of music. An opportunity to get moving and enjoy the company of others. Timbarra Community Centre, 20-26 Parkhill Drive, Timbarra Way, Berwick. $8 per session.

Contact admin@berwicknc.com.au or phone 9704 1863.

Wednesdays from 10.45am to 11.30am.

·

N I W LY FAMISES PAS

Get ready for the most exciting event of the year.

Christmas Under the Big Top is coming to Burnley Oval, Richmond from November 24th to December 24th.

With over 2 and a half hours of unlimited festive fun, this extraordinary event has something for everyone!

Star News has 10 x Family passes to giveaway to readers for the 7pm Friday 24th November performance!

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Thursday, 16 November, 2023

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NEWS

Batteries a burning risk

By Matthew Sims Casey Council has urged residents not to put batteries in kerbside bins to help keep the community safe.

Batteries consist of toxic substances and can pose risks to your property and the people who empty your bins.

When batteries are placed in household bins, they can cause fires both in the bins and in the trucks that collect them.

So far this year, there have been five ’hot loads’ or in-truck battery fires across Casey.

Casey Council sustainability and waste manager Michael Jansen said Victoria Police, the State Emergency Service and Country Fire Authority were required to assist at the scene of the fires.

“The hot loads were tipped out in a safe space and foam was applied,” he said.

“In the most serious case, the truck was offroad for a fortnight due to damage that had been done to the wiring that runs through the top of the truck.”

Mr Jansen said residents should be careful not to put batteries in kerbside bins.

“If you need to dispose of batteries of any size, please take these to a battery drop-off so they can be recycled,” he said.

“This includes AA, button and rechargeable batteries, as well as batteries from cars, laptops, mobile phones, cameras, power tools and electronic toys.”

Tips to store your batteries safely at home before taking them to a drop-off include: Cover the ends of used batteries with duct

·

Pace Live Entertainment will present A Celtic Christmas at Bunjil Place.

Picture: SUPPLIED

A Celtic Christmas show tape or clear sticky tape, to prevent sparking and reduce the risk of fire; Store them in a glass container and make sure the container is not airtight; Don’t keep them in metal containers or with other metal objects; Store them in a cool, dry place away from heat sources; and Keep them away from children and pets.

Local battery drop-off locations are at the Hampton Park Recycling Centre and Transfer Station, Pakenham Waste Transfer Station (Future Recycling), Frankston Regional Recycling and Recovery Centre, Lysterfield Transfer Station, local Officeworks locations and Ecoactiv.

For more information on the disposal of various items, visit casey.vic.gov.au/how-getrid-waste-unwanted-items

· · · ·

An Australian-Irish dancing company is bringing the Celtic Christmas spirit on their latest tour to Bunjil Place on 30 November.

Pace Live Entertainment will present its tour called A Celtic Christmas through an arsenal of exceptional Irish dancers and world-class musicians, blending song and dance that embodies the heart of the festive season.

Director and producer of the show, Brent Pace said that they have “curated a spectacular line-up, featuring unparalleled talents from across the globe”.

“From world-class musicians to the most skilled Irish dancers, our stage is graced by the very best in the industry.”

The cast will feature Sean Michael McHugh, the company’s dance director with 15 years of experience in another popular musical Lord of The Dance.

Joining Sean will be Ciara Loughran, 2022’s senior ladies’ world champion in

Irish Dance, both with the goal of showing audiences the festivities of Irish Christmas.

Ceili Moore, a producer for the show said that it is “a tapestry woven with the rich threads of Irish influence”.

“With brand new music that captures the essence of our heritage and talents that echo through every note, we invite our audience to immerse themselves in a truly authentic Irish experience.”

Both Brent Pace and Ceili Moore have made a name for themselves on the world stage of Irish dancing, winning world championships and dancing alongside other talents such as Michael Flatley, Riverdance and Gaelforce.

With both director and producer from lineages of well-known Irish dancing families in Australia, Pace Live Entertainment Group aims to make the show not just a performance but a journey into the soul of Ireland.

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STAR NEWS 25

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• After your advertisement has run for 13 weeks you must call us each fortnight to renew it for a further 2 week period AND reduce the price of your item by a minimum 5% for items in the “For Sale” section or 3% for items in the “Motoring” section. This process may continue until you have sold your item. If we do not hear from you we will assume you have sold your item and your advertisement will not appear.

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STAR NEWS 27

General Notices

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2 Cardinia St. Berwick Sat 18 Nov 8am-1pm.

Akoonah Park Men's Shed. Huge Sale. Tools, electrical goods, etc.

Public Notice NOTICE OF AN APPLICATION FOR A PLANNING PERMIT The land affected by the application is located at:

33 Plateau Crescent HAMPTON PARK VIC 3976 Lot 19 LP 219332

The application is for a permit to:

Variation of Restrictive Covenant (PS219332U)

The applicant for the permit is:

GrayKinnane

The application reference number is:

PA23-0458 - (Tram Huynh)

V Massage Therapists ADVERTISERS, in this section are qualified practitioners and offer nonsexual services.

Anyone advertising a puppy, dog, kitten or cat in Victoria for sale or re-homing will need a source number from the Pet Exchange Register and a microchip identification number.

It is now an offence to advertise unless the source number and microchip identification number is included in the advertisement or notice.

For further information, call 136 186 or visit animalwelfare.vic.gov.au

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Officer Lifestyle Estate at Officer has invited local bowls clubs to participate in the inaugural Officer Lawn Bowls Tournament, competing for the Officer Cup.

Fill your position online

30 November 2023

If you object, the Responsible Authority will advise you of its decision.

Ladies Welcome.

NEW STAFF?

12565959-HC35-22

Any person who may be affected by the granting of the permit may object or make other submissions to the Responsible Authority.

An objection must: • be made to the Responsible Authority in writing to, Manager Planning, P.O. Box 1000, Narre Warren 3805 or emailed to caseycc@casey.vic.gov.au • include the application number and site address • include the reasons for the objection, and • state how the objector would be affected.

12649703-AV46-23

https://www.casey.vic.gov.au/viewplanning-applications

Thursday, 16 November, 2023

Join in the fun of bowls Officer Lifestyle Estate at Officer has invited local bowls clubs to participate in the inaugural Officer Lawn Bowls Tournament, competing for the Officer Cup. On Friday 24 November 2023 from 10am, Berwick Bowling Club and Pakenham Bowling Club will compete against the residents’ team in the friendly competition. Residents of Officer Lifestyle Estate will host the event including morning tea, sausage sizzle and a craft stall. Everyone is welcome and for those not playing bowls, there will be other leisure activities to enjoy.

Officer Lifestyle Estate is an established over 55s land lease community on McMullen Street, Officer. The Estate is being developed and managed by Lincoln Place and is currently home to more than 100 happy residents enjoying a range of lifestyle facilities including a Homeowners Lodge, indoor swimming pool, spa and sauna, gym, cinema, library, bowling green and a thriving community garden.

New homes are available for sale and display homes will be open for inspection.

The friendly bowling competition is to recognise that the Estate residents are very much part of the broader Officer community, using local services, shopping, and enjoying recreational activities.

According to Development Manager, Will Stirling, local connections beyond Officer Lifestyle Estate are important.

“Some of our residents have moved to Officer from other areas and establishing local connections is important. The bowling competition is a great opportunity for residents to meet other likeminded locals and widen their social networks.”

Officer Lifestyle Estate, 34 McMullen Road, Officer.

Phone 1300 844 492.

Website: lincolnplace.com.au/officerlifestyleestate berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

SPORT

Wyatt gives Bears a whack

By Marcus Uhe Jordan Wyatt began the final over before the tea break in Springvale South’s DDCA Turf 1 clash with Berwick on 88.

The second ball of Toby Wills’ over dropped short, and he was onto it in a flash, creaming it over the fence for six at Cow Corner.

His fellow Bloods were enthralled by what their charismatic number four was producing, urging him to continue, but he knocked the third ball of the over calmly into the gap for a single.

Unbeknownst to him, Wyatt’s teammates had the benefit of PlayCricket on their phones and knew exactly how close he was to saluting.

Back on strike for the final delivery, he left it alone, and headed for the sheds to replenish after a huge morning.

Not only had he smoked his way to just shy of a hundred in typically belligerent, eyecatching and destructive fashion, but he spent the early hours of sun light at Warragul’s Geoff Watt Memorial Athletics Track for a team fun run to raise vital money for Mindfull Aus, a charity organisation based in his home town of Drouin tackling mental health issues.

Upon finding a seat and his fuel for a big afternoon, he found a familiar, yet mischievous face for company.

“The old man came in and said ‘Do you remember when I was on 95 at tea and you were annoying the shit out of me?’ and I said ‘No, I don’t remember, I was three,’” Wyatt laughed.

“He said “I’m going to annoy you now,’ so I told him to get out of here and leave me alone.

“If I had have known I was on 94 when I hit that single three balls before tea, I would have tried to hit a six. I would have tried to bring it up before tea.”

He didn’t have to wait long to reach the milestone, smacking another delivery to the midwicket boundary, this time on the bounce, to the delight of his teammates, and proud father, Neil, as he raised his bat to recognise his second Turf 1 hundred.

His wife and two daughters, meanwhile, watched from home on the live stream with equal excitement.

“I didn’t want to hang around in the nineties for too long,“ Wyatt explained.

“It was good that it was there for the sweep, and they had the fielder quite straight, so I was able to put it into the gap, which was nice.

“I said to Blade (Baxter, batting partner) at the time, ‘about time, I needed that.’

“My kids and my wife were at home watching on the FrogBox and I think, as a generation, we’re so lucky to be able to do that.

“I got messages from home saying ‘well done, we were able to watch it,’ which I thought was really exciting.”

Wyatt hit 118 from 90 deliveries that included six sixes and 11 fours with a particu-

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Jordan Wyatt was at his attacking best for Springvale South on Saturday. 267270 lar liking to the straight boundary, hitting a handful of deliveries into the Alex Wilkie Nature Reserve.

Bears skipper Jarrod Goodes set attacking fields with four slips at times and no men on the boundary as they looked to make life uncomfortable for the batters and maximise the overcast conditions with the new ball early in the afternoon.

Opener Mitch Forsyth added 61 for the first wicket with his captain Ryan Quirk before Goodes’ introduction at first change ended Forsyth’s stay, and soon after, Quirk joined him in the sheds for 20, the second ball after a drinks break, bringing two new batters to the crease in Wyatt and Jordan Mackenzie.

Mackenzie made 22 before the incision of Elliot Mathews made an immediate impact, removing the number three in his opening over.

Wyatt then begun to free his arms and raced to 95 by the tea break, ably supported by Baxter at the other end who was happy to absorb deliveries and rotate the strike for Wyatt to attack.

Bears spinner Lachlan Brown, who had enjoyed an excellent season to date, bore the brunt of Wyatt’s assault, hit out of the attack with four wicketless overs for 30.

“I said to ‘Stocky’ (Mackenzie) at the time ‘let’s just try to build a partnership here and if there’s anything in your zone, go for it,’” Wyatt said.

“We were able to put on 50 and counterattacked there.

“They got two pretty quick wickets and they probably felt like they were on top, and we were able to take the game away from them in that partnership I feel.

“Early on I felt like I was watching the ball really well and playing the ball late.

“I said to myself, ‘Anything pitched up I’m going to go pretty hard at’.

“Generally I do that at Springvale because it’s short straight, but even more so, I thought the wicket would be a bit dead.

“I guess on the weekend it was my turn to get a hundred which was really nice.”

Momentum swung throughout the afternoon back and forth between the two sides,

with Wyatt’s dismissal triggering a collapse of 5/38.

3/230 became 8/268 as the Bears clawed back the ascendency with the chance to make inroads late in the day in the offing.

But a counter-attacking 60-run stand for the eighth wicket between Jackson Sketcher and Jarryd Straker eschewed the danger, with Sketcher clearing the boundary on a number of occasions.

Springvale South finished the afternoon on 9/337, setting Berwick a monster chase next week in order to bank an unlikely victory.

“Hilly (coach, Paul Hill) and I were speaking at 8/270 and thought ‘if we can get to 300, the three at the front of that number makes it more intimidating for anyone,’” Wyatt said.

“For ‘Sketch’ and ‘Strakes’ to do what they did, it fully took momentum away from them.

“We were able to walk off with 340 on the board and you walk so much taller with the three in front of it.”

Goodes’ return to cricket continues to reap rewards for the Bears, taking 4/86 as the standout bowler of the afternoon.

Shining Diamond delivers great things in green and gold

By Marcus Uhe Matilda Garrett’s incredible year on the netball court continued over the weekend when she led Australia as captain to a second-consecutive championship at the Fast5 Netball World Series in Christchurch.

The Australian team lost the opening match of the tournament to Jamaica, but won its remaining four of the round-robin series to qualify for the final against New Zealand - which finished 35-23 in Garrett’s team’s favour.

Australia took a five-goal lead into the first break and maintained it in the second half, but stretched the gap even further as the contest continued.

The Australian team allowed only two goals in the final quarter, with Garrett awarded Player of the Final.

The captaincy and result adds to a dream 2023 for the Cranbourne and Narre Warren product, on the back of a Super Netball championship with the Adelaide Thunderberwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

Matilda Garrett has capped off a memorable year by captaining Australia to victory in the Fast5 Picture: LINDA HIGGINSON/AAP PHOTOS Netball World Series in Christchurch. 373166 birds in July and an Australian Diamonds debut against South Africa last month, when she became the 191st player to wear the na-

tional colours.

Garrett was a reserve player at last year’s event but did not take the court.

Head coach of the Australian Fast5 program Nicole Richardson said Garrett earned the opportunity on the back of a huge year.

“Matilda has demonstrated immense growth over the last year, and we feel her exposure to the Diamonds environment will be a strong asset in this captaincy role,” Richardson told Netball Australia.

“Both Matilda and Hannah (Petty, vice captain) were outstanding from a leadership perspective during camp and I look forward to seeing them lead this amazing group of athletes.”

Fast5 Netball has been likened to the sport’s equivalent of T20 cricket with adjusted rules for a fast-paced game.

Only five players per team take the court at once, compared to seven for a normal match, and rolling substitutions mid-game are permitted.

Goals scored from outside the goal circle are worth three points, with the circle split into one and two-point scoring zones.

Thursday, 16 November, 2023

|

STAR NEWS 29

SPORT

Southside’s on fire

By Marcus Uhe A pair of round two wins has kick-started the Southside Flyers’ new WNBL season and vanquished demons of the 2022/23 campaign in the process.

Most significant was a thrilling 75-74 defeat of Townsville Fire in Queensland on Saturday night in a rematch of last season’s one-sided grand final series.

The Flyers trailed at every interval in the contest but clawed their way back into the game from an eight-point deficit at the beginning of the final term, thanks in large part to young star wing Nyadiew Puoch.

Puoch scored eight of Southside’s final 10 points in the come-from-behind win, including a crucial free throw to edge her side ahead with 10 seconds remaining, in what was her side’s first lead since the opening minutes of the contest.

With 3.36 remaining on the clock, Carley Ernst nailed a three-point shot to cut the lead to six, before Puoch took over down the stretch.

She made a layup with just under three minutes remaining as the lead fell to four and cleaned up her own miss with another layup a minute later, earning a foul in the process and nailing the resulting free throw to make it a one-point game.

Courtney Woods answered for the Fire with a three, to restore a four-point buffer, which was brought back to two points thanks to a pair of foul shots from Mercedes Russell.

A Puoch interception on the next Townsville possession was converted on the other end, tying the scores at 74 with just shy of a minute remaining.

A frantic final minute saw missed and blocked shots, timeouts and a jump ball, eventually resulting in Puoch heading to the free throw line once more.

She made the critical first to give her side the lead and missed the second, but the Fire was unable to make her pay on the other end, missing a mid-range jump shot with three seconds remaining that would have given them the lead.

Russell led the Flyers in scoring with 22 points on an efficient 64 per cent shooting and secured six rebounds in the win as five players

A late spell from Ryan Patterson kept HSD in the game against Cranbourne.

371011 Picture: ROB CAREW

Cranbourne with the slight edge

By Jonty Ralphsmith

Nyadiew Puoch dragged Southside back from a 10-point deficit during the final quarter against Townsville.

Picture: PICS BY TRE scored in double figures.

Southside made the most of its opportunities all game, winning the second-chance points count 14-6 and points off turnovers battle 18-7.

Earlier in the week, a brief stopover in Canberra saw the Flyers notch their first win of the new campaign, downing the Capitals 104-79 on Wednesday night.

Southside extended its lead at every break in the contest, hammering its ascendency in the third term with a 28-15 period to grow the nine-point advantage to 22.

It was the Russell and Maddison Rocci show in the nation’s capital as both filled the stat

sheet with substantial performances.

Russell is making her presence felt upon her return to the competition, registering a 20-point, 11-rebound double-double to go with four assists.

Rocci, meanwhile, did a bit of everything in her 35 minutes, scoring 28 points, grabbing seven rebounds and dishing seven assists.

Through the rounds the Flyers have been one of the best shooting teams in the competition, leading the league in three-point shooting percentage and a close second for overall field goal percentage.

Southside next takes to the court on Saturday night to face Adelaide.

Chandrasinghe and Kannan class acts

By Marcus Uhe There were no issues with the bat for Casey South Melbourne on Saturday hitting 301 for the loss of only two wickets on a bumper batting day at Casey Fields against Kingston Hawthorn.

Ashley Chandrasinghe sent a reminder of his class to Victorian selectors with 113 in a 180-run partnership with Harrish Kannan, who raised the bat himself with 124.

The two began their union in the ninth over when Yash Pednekar was bowled for just five and batted for 66 overs together to take the score from 1/14 to 2/194.

Former Swans captain Michael Wallace added a quick half-century late in the day off only 54 deliveries to heap the pressure on the Hawks, whose bowlers were fresh off a tough day in the field just seven days prior against Dandenong.

It’s two 300-plus scores in consecutive rounds for the Swans after blitzing Camberwell for 355 in round three.

They’ll begin the day next week with the option of continuing on with the bat, but the sparkling form of Nathan Lambden, the competition’s second-highest wicket taker, will be

hard to ignore, should they choose to take the new ball.

Meanwhile, Dandenong’s bowling attack will need to be at the top of its game next week after the batting group’s glittering run in Victorian Premier Cricket came to an end against Frankston Peninsula on Saturday.

The Panthers finished the day at 9/218 from 96 overs at Jubilee Park as the top order failed to convert its starts.

Dhanusha Gamage was dismissed for the first time in his short tenure at the top level, equal top-scoring with Josh Slater on 52.

Gamage and captain Brett Forsyth’s 58-run stand for the second wicket was the largest partnership of the day, as regular wickets from the Heat consistently disrupted batting momentum.

Where Gamage, Forsyth and Slater all made starts, the remainder of the top seven in Andrey Fernando (4), Max Marinic (6), Matthew Wilson (8) and Sam Newell (3) all failed to reach double figures.

Right-arm quick Brodie Symons was the pick of the Heat’s bowlers taking 4/58, with former Australian Test spinner Jon Holland claiming 2/51.

Harrish Kannan topscored for Casey South Melbourne on Saturday with 124. 262690 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

Cranbourne’s clash with Heinz Southern Districts (HSD) remains in the balance with the hosts 31 runs adrift with four wickets in the shed at Casey Fields.

HSD batted first and was never able to inject momentum into its innings, routed for 126 as gun-recruit Mackenzie Gardner skippered the side in the absence of Craig Hookey and again missed out.

After a 65-run opening partnership, an inspired late-afternoon spell from first-change seamer Ryan Patterson saw the Eagles lose 6/30 to keep the Cobras in the hunt.

The club’s two leading runscorers this season, Harsaroup Singh and Sajana De Silva are currently at the crease, giving Cranbourne the edge, but Patterson’s 4/33 has given the visitors a sniff.

Having already played two important cameos this season, Cam Kelly passed 50 for Cranbourne off just 45 balls in a knock that suddenly carries great significance in the context of the match.

Two early wickets for Cranbourne gave it momentum in this crunch match against HSD. The Cobras then lost Brent Patterson just as they got the game back in the balance, with Cranbourne able to easily run through the HSD middle-order.

Triyan De Silva made a quickfire 45 amid the carnage, while Liam Jansen and Jordan Margenberg dug in and briefly frustrated, but did little scoreboard damage, their team bowled out for a modest total.

The winless Narre Warren, meanwhile, is well-positioned to get off the mark against Keysborough, after opener Luke Clarke’s 68 propelled the Magpies to 9/267.

Narre’s middle-order all got starts, with eight players reaching at least 14, with Sahan Jayawardana’s 70 capitalising on a fatiguing attack thanks to Clarke’s foundation.

Dandenong West’s clash with Lyndale will be played as a two-day game across Saturday and Sunday due to the Dandenong Show impacting the availability of Greaves Reserve this weekend.

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Thursday, 16 November, 2023

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SPORT

Blowouts bad for Berwick BERWICK BOWLS SIDE 1 – Division 1 Section 4 Def by Clayton 2 (Home) 67-91 (2 points) After a fantastic win away against Mulgrave 1 last week, the ones were up and about taking on the winless Clayton 2 at home! Early wins are paramount this season, with many departures from the top side, the pressure to bank wins early is going to be the difference. Clayton 2 hadn’t won a game but their personnel does not match the win/loss record, with seasoned Premier Division bowlers in their second side this was always going to be a tough game. At the break, the away side had all the momentum across all four rinks. The ones needed to come out firing and although they tried hard to add the pressure it was only the rink of John Horwood, Andrew Bunnell, Jeff Parker and John Rich that added points to the ladder with a 21-18 win. Ed Wilson’s rink fought out an 18-21 loss all day and Hodgson and Manifold couldn’t narrow their deficits of 14 and 10 respectively. It may be time for some movement by the selectors as the current make up sees the top side with only the one win from four starts. As we said, early wins are the key and at the moment the ones aren’t playing well enough, so changes need to occur! It could be a long night for the selectors this week. Pakenham away, on their quick back green, doesn’t get any easier either so no predictions and fingers crossed the ones can lift their game, and fast.

SIDE 2 – Division 2 Section 8 Def by Narre Warren 1 (Away) 125-54 (0 points) Ummm! I’m not really sure what to say about this one other than the favourites for the section belted our twos on Saturday by a whopping and ridiculous 71 shots! Like the ones, the twos are only one win from four starts and 71 shots is one of the biggest losing margins we’ve seen at the club for a long time! Edithvale at home this week; who has two wins to date but similar percentage, so the twos need a miraculous turn around in form. Take nothing away from the favourites Narre Warren who’ve been pushing Division 1 for a few years and are always the best home and away team in Division 2. They’re a strong team but 71-shot loss is not acceptable and we hope to see many of the clubs top 32 on the greens practicing this week.

SIDE 3 – Division 3 Section 8 Def Beaumaris 2 (Home) 102-47 (18 points) Thank heavens the threes gave us something to smile about on Saturday night! A resounding 55-shot win against a strong Beaumaris 2 at home. Ron Lake’s rink (19 shot win) and Bill Stilo’s rink (18 shot win) were the picks of the side but getting all four rinks up now puts the threes in a great position. They now sit second on the ladder and take on Mulgrave 2 who has yet to drop a game in the top of the table clash at Mulgrave next week. The ladder is cluttered from second to sixth so it’s important the threes compete well and give themselves a big chance.

SIDE 4 – Division 4 Section 8 Def by Cranbourne 3 (Home) 69- 85 (3 points) The fours actually battled this one out all day with a win and draw on two of the rinks. Paul Hunt’s rink unfortunately lost some key ends

The rink of John Rich provided the only winning highlight for Berwick 1 against Clayton on Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS Saturday. 372554

Berwick 1’s Jeff Parker was up and about after delivering a perfectly executed bowl. 372554

at -82 which is the worst in the club at this point. Lots of practice is needed this week for the fives to get back to being competitive this week.

SIDE 6 – Division 6 Section 8 Def Parkdale 3 (Home) 88-80 (14 points) Well done to the sixes this week. Taking on the third side from Parkdale and getting the win is a fantastic result and, along with the threes, gave us something to stay positive about this week. A huge 25-shot win by Terry Wood, Kevin Fewster, John Stoker and Helen Adair’s rink set the win up for the day and we managed to take away 14 points and jump into fourth spot on the ladder. They are only two points behind Cheltenham 4 who they take on away this week, which should suit our Wickers on the nice, fast-paced grass of Cheltenham. Well done again sixes and keep up the good work.

SIDE 7 – Division 8 Section 4 Def by Glen Waverley 4 (Away) 37-72 (0 points) Yet another big loss for the weekend, this time by the sevens! Only three rinks are played in Division 8 so an average loss of 12 on each rink saw us walk away from Glen Waverley

with zero points. With one win from four outings so far the sevens need some confidence to get back up the table and on the winners’ list.

Could this week be the week? Hosting Keysborough 5 at home who is yet to have a win; this is the best chance for the sevens to creep up the ladder and gain some confidence. Percentages are ok for the sevens at the moment so a few wins will see them right in the mix but they can’t afford the big losses across any of the rinks and again, more practice may see some more pleasant results.

SUMMARY A pretty harsh but fair write up this week. Like any sport, the more we work on our strengths and weaknesses, the better we become at them. Walking out on a Saturday without it will not see improvement, nor will it provide confidence, so it’s important that we see many and all out on the greens practicing their craft this week so we can stay positive and competitive throughout the season. We are a proud club and need to display that on a Saturday out on the greens.

-John Rich

when the whips were cracking, but overall an encouraging performance albeit at home with the home green advantage. This week coming, with two wins each and the same shot differential, the fours take on Cardinia Waters 1 away which is a must win to put a gap in the bottom half of the table.

SIDE 5 – Division 5 Section 8 Def by Pakenham 3 (Away) 120- 52 (2 points) Well this one doesn’t read well either this week with another massive loss of 68 shots against the arch rival Pakenham 3! Congratulations to John Kleverlaan’s rink including Darcy Guest, Marg Jorgensen and Vyvian Fisher who managed a win on their rink! Shot selection, experience and communication is the key when having a tough day and the fives need to work on this during the week to ensure these types of results are not a habit. 68 shots across three rinks is an average losing margin of 23 shots!

Sometimes, you may get away with one rink going down by that much, but not three. Luckily for the fives they still stay in touch with the top four, sitting fifth, equal with Keysborough, who they take on this week at home but their shot differential has now taken a massive hit

Cracking contests setting the scene in Casey Softball Round six of the Casey Softball Association produced some cracker games.

The Social Women’s competition saw Penguins White take on Cobras on Diamond One. Penguins took control early jumping to a 10-1 lead.

Cobras fought back well with an eight-run third innings but the Penguins ultimately held on for a thrilling 10-9 win, with Ros Cook taking three catches to go with two groundouts in a masterclass at short-stop.

Berwick Geronimo was too good for Chickasaw, winning 11-3 in a fun game, while consistency with the bat saw Cranbourne Comets ease past MVP 9-2. berwicknews.starcommunity.com.au

A 15-run innings for Cobras was the highlight of B Grade, as they ultimately ran away with a 21-13 win over Cranbourne Gold, while Kyla McGuire’s pitching helped Penguin Black to 7-4 win over MVP. In Open Men, Cobras men started strong to lead 10-3 after the second innings, ultimately beating MVP 12-9 in a tense final innings.

Strong pitching in Berwick Apache’s clash with Cobras Grey made for a low-scoring contest, but Josh Dallas’ triple and Ethan Chavasse’s double got Apache over the line.

On Saturday 25 November, Casey All Stars will host the Victoria Womens Titans team, in a warm up game before they head off to play in the Open Nationals at 7.30pm.

There was some great action in the Casey Softball Association on the weekend. 373492 Picture: SUPPLIED Thursday, 16 November, 2023

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STAR NEWS 31

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Thursday, 16 November, 2023

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