Oakgrove Community Centre held its Biggest Morning Tea event in support of the Cancer Council onWednesday 19 June. Held from 10.30am to 12.30pm, the focus revolved around support and advocating for those impacted by cancer, with the event marking the first step in the centre’s $1800 goal for research, support services and prevention programs.
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Dr Michelle Kenney has been granted a stay with conditions on her recent suspension, the state tribunal heard.
The conditions stipulate that she may only practise medicine in roles providing direct clinical care to patients, and must not practise in any role and/or position which includes responsibility for clinical governance, or management or supervision of other health practitioners or students.
Dr Kenney was suspended as a medical practitioner on 17 May by the Medical Board of Australia.
According to the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), the board took immediate action after noting that the Department of Health suspended the clinic’s registration as a day procedure centre on 29 February following two days of inspection.
The Department of Health stated that the clinic’s day procedure service was operating in a way that posed serious risks to patient health
or safety and the clinic had also failed to comply with the relevant regulations.
The clinic was found to fail to assess the credentials of medical practitioners appropriately.
The anesthetist Dr Tony Chow, apparently hired by others when Dr Kenney was awaythe VCAT report said - had a condition on his registration that only allowed him to practise at Knox Hospital.
Other non-compliance included infection control, failure to ensure adequate training of
staff involved in surgery and anesthesia and inadequate review of events.
VCAT noted that before the suspension of the clinic, Dr Kenney had contacted the Department of Health in November 2023 to report the compliance issues she discovered on her return from health and personal reasons.
It appeared she had begun to take steps to address issues, but the department’s inspection recorded some issues had not been rectified,VCAT documents said.
Continued page 10
Dozens of customers at a self-storage facility at Hallam have again been targeted by thieves who have stolen thousands of dollars of items over several months.
Victoria Police is continuing to investigate a series of alleged burglaries between February and April at the StoreLocal business on Hallam South Road despite recently charging a 37-year-old Dandenong man.
It comes after Star News reported 20 units at the site were burgled last September.
Police recently seized more than 150 items allegedly stolen from the storage facility during raids at five properties in Hallam, Dandenong and Clyde.
Some of the stolen items were returned to their rightful owners, a police spokesperson said.
However, a victim Ben Norman told Star News he was not so lucky, with his collection of 1400 Funko Pop boxed figurines worth upwards of $25,000 still missing.
He believes more than 70 other storage units have been broken into this year.
The first he heard of something amiss was an email from StoreLocal warning of break-ins in April. Mr Norman later discovered his hired storage unit’s padlock had been replaced by another padlock. The offenders presumably cut the original padlocks and replaced them with their own, he says.
The “sophisticated” operation must have involved large trucks to transport the loot.
“It took me six trips in a one-tonne van to fill the unit.
“I was p***ed off. A lot of (the figures) can’t be replaced because they’re no longer in production.
“At least it wasn’t family photos, it’s simply money.”
Mr Norman blames StoreLocal for not providing security patrols and on-site staff, despite a wave of break-ins since September.
He is making enquiries about sueing for compensation.
“When I was there on Sunday morning, the gates were wide open and people could just drive in. We’re meant to use a keypad to gain entry. They’ve done nothing to improve the site. I don’t think it’s fair, I don’t think it’s right.”
StoreLocal does not provide insurance for customers. Its website suggests customers to contact their home and contents insurance provider.
Mr Norman said he didn’t insure his goods. “I should be able to assume that putting them in secure storage will be safe”.
Other customers have detailed their losses on Google reviews for StoreLocal Hallam.
StoreLocal responded to one of the complainant’s claims of the site being unmanned and without security patrols and working CCTV by saying it “doesn’t sound like our site at Hallam”.
StoreLocal was contacted by Star News for comment.
The arrested man was charged with possessing an imitation firearm, burglary, car theft, theft and handling stolen goods.
He was bailed to appear at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 28 August.
Federation University has confirmed that 163 positions across the university are proposed to be made redundant as part of the Future Fed initiative announced in March.
According to the university, the total number of redundancies includes 42 voluntary redundancies and achieves the $20M in annualised cost savings required to bring the university back to an operating surplus by 2026.
Federation University vice-chancellor and president, Professor Duncan Bentley, said the job losses were regrettable but necessary for the university to return to an operating surplus, and continue its mission to raise aspirations and lift tertiary attainment in rural, regional and outer metropolitan Victoria.
“These difficult decisions are necessary to ensure that we can continue as a strong and sustainable university. After careful consultation with our staff, it means we can reposition and strengthen investment in the initiatives that help us serve our local communities - the student experience, high-quality teaching and research, and an expansion of regional industry partnerships,” he said.
“Making these decisions now means we can ensure we can continue to work with our communities across Ballarat, Berwick, Gippsland, and theWimmera, to lift tertiary attainment, empower transformation and address skills shortages.”
The Universities Accord Final Report released by the Commonwealth Government recognised public funding for regional universities has historically been inadequate.
In this context, significant changes to university income caused by policy changes on international migration will require a reduction in costs to ensure the sustainable delivery of education and training across Federation’s campuses.
The proposed redundancies are predominantly in professional and administrative support areas, with little or no impact expected on teaching and delivery of courses across the University.
Federation has extended counselling to affected employees and will continue supporting them as they transition out of their roles with Federation.
Future Fed is a response to heightened challenges in the university sector brought about by the after-effects of COVID-19 disruption and changes to student visa arrangements that resulted in a 49 per cent decrease in international student numbers between 2019 and 2023.
With the Commonwealth Government’s announced intention to consider a regional equitable funding model in 2026 and the introduction of legislation to reshape the Australian international education sector, Federation will carefully assess the impact of these new announcements on its ability to deliver post-secondary education domestically.
A Berwick resident has raised concerns over the lack of a proper crossing in Melville Park Drive, which splits Homestyle Melville Grange Aged Care and Fiddlers Green RetirementVillage.
Tucked in the nook just behind Berwick Station, the area itself seldom sees heavy traffic, but its positioning next to a station car park doesn’t dismiss its availability for access to peak hour motorists.
For Marcus Herman, the non-existence of proper crossing facilities is “not good enough”.
“I really do think it’s ridiculous that [council] hasn’t put a crossing in the entire time.
“It seems that they’re putting the public at risk in an extreme way because they’re encouraging them to use the [other] crossing at grave risk to the pedestrians,” Mr Herman said.
Melville Park Drive is a roughly one-kilometre-long road that has both ends covered by Gloucester Avenue and Princes Highway - High Street, with the nearest zebra crossing coming just after the roundabout on Gloucester Avenue.
A proper zebra crossing sits at the end of the roundabout, marking the Gloucester Avenue entrance to Melville Park Drive; complete with signs and flashing lights on both sides of the nature strip, as well as an island.
Mr Herman’s concern is 170 metres from said roundabout, where a small, shoulder-level sign on the nature strip states‘pedestrians cross here: give way to vehicles’.
“That one there actually makes it more dangerous for a pedestrian than not, because it says that they have to give way, so they think they’re going to get in trouble if they don’t stop,” Mr Herman said.
The City of Casey’s manager of city asset and planning, Keri New said that footpaths, pram crossingsandpedestriancrossingsaredesigned to be “accessible for everybody, including older pedestrians and people with disabilities”.
“In 2015, a flashing light zebra crossing was installed at the intersection of Melville Park Road and Gloucester Ave, there is direct pedestrian access from Fiddlers Green at this location, and it is 100 metres from the main entrances to both Fiddlers Green Retirement Village and Melville Grange,” Ms New said.
The main issue for Mr Herman however, is “it’stoofarfortheelderlytocoverthatdistance”.
“Some of them have trouble even just crossing this road, it’s much too far of a journey.”
Other signs on the road are 120 metres from the Gloucester Avenue roundabout, where there is a speed hump and another few metres after, two signs on either side of the road that display the word ‘aged’, and two figures crossing.
“As far as I know a pedestrian crossing has lines in it, and what else is missing? There’s no sign that can be seen by motorists, no illuminated sign and at night you can’t see that.
“If that small one could be changed to a proper crossing, that would be much better,” Mr Herman said.
Ms New added that the existing zebra crossing at Gloucester Avenue “provides priority pedestrian access between Fiddlers Green Retirement Village and Melville Grange; to Berwick
train station and the bus stop from Fiddlers Green; and to Berwick shopping precinct and the bus stop from Melville Grange”.
“There is also an existing pram link approximately 30 metres out east of the entrance to the Melville Grange to assist all pedestrians.
“Pedestrians are encouraged to use the existing priority crossing facility near Gloucester Avenue during times of higher traffic volumes, at other times, pedestrians may choose to use the pram closer to the facility entrances,” she said.
Mr Herman first took action in early 2023, when he was issued a $138 fine in February for obstructing access to a footpath, which is the same footpath that the small crossing sign sits next to.
While he initially contested the grounds of which he was fined due to the size of the sign, it was then his bigger worry about its visibility brewed, especially concerning motorists travelling through Melville Park Drive, which in turn could endanger elderly pedestrians in the area.
In a letter to a senior infringement review officer in August 2023, Mr Herman wrote that the sign “puts pedestrians at grave risk of cross-
ing between cars” and that “tall illuminated signs and reflective marked road crossing lines should be installed as a matter of urgency”.
“Quite often in the dark, especially in winter like now, you wouldn’t have a clue, especially with the sun setting soon,” he said.
At 93, Mr Herman has been visiting his wife with Alzheimer’s at Melville Grange, ever since she moved from his care in 2019.
With the frequency of his visits, he has noticed that vehicles park around the small sign, essentially obstructing motorists’ view of its warning.
He had also noticed that residents from the aged care have taken to using the lined speed hump as a crossing on multiple occasions.
“A lot of elderly people think that that’s a crossing and I have seen people [get] really trapped in the middle of the road.
Chief executive officer of Homestyle Aged Care, Tim Humphries said that “enabling residents of Melville Grange to safely access the neighbouring retirement village, local shops and surrounding area is important to us”.
“Whilst we would be supportive of the
construction of a pedestrian crossing to assist residents and family members safely accessing Melville Grange and its surrounds, Casey Council would be better placed to advise process and rationale for the positioning,” Mr Humphries said.
In November 2023 the State Government, in partnership with Transport Accident Commission announced that they were investing $23 million to make pedestrians safer at locations and on routes where there are high pedestrian numbers and a high risk of crashes.
Ms New further added that since Melville Park Drive is a collector road and “does not carry the traffic volumes expected on the arterial road network, council has no current plans to provide additional crossing facilities”.
“However, we will investigate whether pedestrian and traffic flows have increased to a level that would support the construction of an additional pedestrian facility in the future,” she said.
Moving forward, Mr Herman is hoping for some action and changes in the near future and stands by the notion that an additional crossing should have been considered to begin with.
A judge has raised concerns about a “harmful” teenage online sub-culture as he jailed a Lynbrook predator over luring a 13-year-old into a park and sexually assaulting her in a public toilet cubicle.
Shivnesh Jagroop, 34, pleaded guilty at the Victorian County Court to eight charges including procuring three girls aged under 16 online in 2020 and 2021.
He also pleaded guilty to using the internet for sexual activity with a 15-year-old, paying her $330 to perform sex acts online over a period of three weeks.
A year after being questioned by police over this, Jagroop re-offended with two 13-year-old girls.
Sentencing judge Simon Moglia said on 17 June that it was “deliberate” and “persistent” conduct including “highly sexualised” content. Jagroop had offered inducements to engage in sex acts even when he knew of their young ages.
“Your conduct escalated over time and it seems only the intervention of police stopped what you were doing.”
In what the judge described as a “certain sub-culture”, the victims were introduced by their friends to Jagroop’s Snapchat profile.
He said it was a “matter of great concern” that the girls’ online conduct contributed to their own exposure to harm.
It may have contributed to the market for the online exploitation of children, he said.
“This conduct by the girls seemed to have been cooperative either between them or others.
“(It) seems to have arisen in a certain subculture featuring a willingness by the girls to engage in harmful activity online by someone such as yourself (Jagroop).
“These are serious matters that must be investigated and I accept that they already are by the authorities and those in ... supervisory roles with the children online.”
The girls’ conduct did not make Jagroop’s offending any less grave, the judge said.
Judge Moglia named the online apps and services Snapchat, Skype and Discord as “bearing responsibility for their users’ safety”.
“These matters must be taken seriously by those with power to regulate those online services ... used by people such as you to take advantage of the vulnerability of children.”
In October 2021, a 13-year-old girl refused his online sexual requests as well as to meet him in a park to collect money from him.
She instead told him to leave the cash in the park, which she later collected and then reported him to police.
In December, she introduced another 13-year-old girl to Jagroop on Snapchat.
They arranged via Discord to meet in a park
at night for payment.
In the park, Jagroop grabbed her and locked them both in a public toilet cubicle.
He handed her $150, sexually assaulted her, and gave her another $100 before unlocking the door.
A covert police officer later assumed the girl’s Snapchat identity and chatted with Jagroop, who offered up to $500 to meet at the girl’s home.
He was arrested the next day.
Judge Moglia noted the girls eloquently told of the psychological harm inflicted on them.
Their parents also told of the “horror of not knowing what their children are subjected to online” and “not being able to protect them”.
“The harm that dynamic causes both to those families and our community as a whole are tragically significant,” he said.
Judge Moglia noted Jagroop’s guilty pleas, his lack of priors, his remorse and shame, and “a degree of insight ... and victim empathy”.
However, a psychologist reported Jagroop’s problematic belief that girls were able to appropriately consent to sexual interactions.
He was assessed as being a moderate risk of reoffending.
Migrating from Fiji, Jagroop struggled to adjust to high school and had difficulty fitting in. He’d had superficial, brief relationships but nothing serious.
He’d gone onto social media platforms to seek out sexual contact, and conceded he should have instead sought help.
Jagroop was jailed for up to nine years and two months, with a non-parole period. He had served 920 days in pre-sentence remand.
TheFederalGovernmenthasannounced $33.3 million in funding to improve 56 known crash sites in Victoria under the 2024-25 Black Spot Program.
Two projects in the City of Casey will receive funds; one of them is Wedgewood Road - Abbott Road Hallam, with a $246,816 contribution from the Federal Government.
The proposed treatment will see the installation of road safety platforms on Wedgewood Road, and in the north and south of Abbott Road, as well as signage and improved delineation treatments.
The second project is on Power Road - Kidds Road in Doveton, with the proposed treatment looking to install multiple road cushions at approaches to the existing roundabout, with the improvement of delineation/line markings and signage; the Federal Government will be contributing $121,027.
Bruce MP Julian Hill said the funding “is terrific news for our community”.
The Black Spot Program is a nationwide initiative aimed at reducing crashes on roads by identifying and funding the improvement of high-risk locations, according to the Federal Government’s Infrastructure Investment Program.
“Every death on Australian roads is a tragedy which could have been avoided.
“I encourage anyone who knows of a dangerous road location near them to consider submitting a nomination for future funding rounds,” Mr Hill said.
Edrington Park Retirement Living is a welcoming and supportive community set on prestigious gardens and a heritage-listed community centre - Mason House. Residents enjoy a lowmaintenance lifestyle and an active social calendar catering to all interests such as a garden club, a craft group and trips on the community bus.
Modern two bedroom villas are now available, with 24/7 emergency call system, well-suited for a range of lifestyles and budgets.
The Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road Upgrade is set to complete major works in August, a year ahead of schedule.
Originally scheduled for completion in mid-2025, the project has charged ahead with expanding this vital arterial road in Melbourne’s ever-growing South East.
The newly upgraded Camms Road/Rochester Parade intersection was opened on Monday 3 June and crews are set to reopen the Berwick-Cranbourne Road intersection in July, the ninth and final upgraded intersection on the Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road Upgrade.
Works are also continuing to place the top
A pedestrian was fighting for life after being struck by a car in Eumemmerring on Friday 14 June.
The male was struck while crossing Princes Highway about 7pm, police say. He was taken to hospital with lifethreatening injuries and remained in a critical condition the next day.
The driver, a 21-year-old Chadstone woman, stopped at the scene.
Greater Dandenong Highway Patrol officers are investigating.
Any information or dashcam/CCTV footage to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au
Echo Taskforce detectives are investigating a suspicious fire that caused “significant damage” to a Hallam gym allegedly attended by outlaw motorcycle gang members.
Six fire-brigade pumpers, a ladder platform and 28 firefighters were called to Nitro Gym on Princes Highway just before 4.30am on Thursday 13 June.
A passer-by had called emergency services, reporting a glow inside the building.
“A number of windows had been smashed and it’s believed an accelerant had been poured inside the premises and set alight,” a Victoria Police spokesperson said.
“Nobody was inside at the time, but the building sustained significant damage.”
“Echo Taskforce detectives will look at whether the business was targeted due to a number of outlaw motorcycle gang members attending the gym.”
The building was“well alight” when fire brigades arrived, according to FRV.
The fire was deemed under control by 4.57am.
An arson chemist was set to attend the scene that morning, police say.
The gym, previously owned by Comancheros bikie-gang boss Mick Murray, has been the target of police raids and drive-by shootings in the past.
Any information, CCTV or dashcam footage to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestoppersvic.com.au
layer of asphalt across the project, install centre medians and guardrails, and complete the new shared walking and cycling path.
After major works are complete in August, there’ll be some lane closures and speed reductions in place at times while crews finish minor works including landscaping and turning on the new permanent streetlights.
With 33,000 vehicles using Narre WarrenCranbourne Road each day, this upgrade will improve traffic flow and travel times while reducing traffic pressure on surrounding roads and the South Gippsland Highway.
This project aims to make it easier and
safer to travel in and around Cranbourne and the booming sporting and education precinct off Berwick-Cranbourne Road.
With more than nine kilometres of shared walking and cycling paths, the project is also creating better access for everyone who uses the area and encouraging more walking and cycling throughout the suburb.
Cranbourne MP Pauline Richards said it was such a wonderful feeling to see the Narre Warren-Cranbourne Road Upgrade ahead of schedule and ready to complete major works in August.
“This project is already dramatically changing the way people navigate Cranbourne and
surrounding suburbs as it provides easier, less-congested travel to the Cranbourne main street, local schools and the sporting precinct,” she said.
“We appreciate everyone’s patience as we got on with delivering this important project alongside many other fantastic upgrades for Cranbourne including Hall Road, Thompsons Road, Cranbourne-Frankston Road and Western Port Highway.”
For further information on the project, please visit the Big Build website: bigbuild. vic.gov.au/projects/roads/narre-warren-cranbourne-road-upgrade
Casey Hospital has received beautiful handmade blankets and sensory mats from the craft group at the Balla Balla Community Centre in Clyde North.
Sue Taylor and Sue Frederick, who are passionate about giving back to people in need, made the colourful creations for patients at Casey Hospital with community program organiser Lauren McCarthy.
Acting director clinical operations (DCO) of general medicine at Casey Hospital Michele Evans said the hospital was grateful for the beautiful gifts.
“One of the main ladies had heard through a friend that there was a palliative care ward at Casey. They were really inclined to donate to us, and she reached out to me by email, and then we started the conversation from there,” Ms Evans recalled.
“The original plan was just for the blanket, and then she had mentioned that she’d made
sensory mats in the past. I said, oh, well, when I come to pick up the blankets, I’d love to have a chat about the sensory mats.
And when I arrived, she’d already made a large selection for me.”
The hospital received about 10 blankets and 15 sensory mats.
Ms Evans said the sensory mats would help patients suffering from delirium or dementia.
“Quite often, patients will be pulling at their dressings or their intravenous lines. And if they’ve got something else to fiddle with, it just makes their treatment easier and also keeps them occupied and less agitated, because it’s just something to do with their hands,” she said.
“It helps keep them safe.
“I think it’s wonderful. I really like that we can give something to the patients.
“I love that it shows community involvement. I know that the ladies themselves really enjoyed being able to do something that made life a little bit nicer for someone else.”
A decade ago, a small non-profit organisation called Aiding Casey Education (ACE Foundation) was formed. Its vision was to assist students in the City of Casey to overcome challenges in their educational pursuits.
ACE’s approach to providing assistance is a unique one. Unlike many other organisations, ACE operates with no administration costs. This means that every dollar donated goes directly towards supporting their programs and initiatives, ensuring maximum impact for every contribution.
Aiding Casey Education was founded by local GP Dr Leon Shapero in 2014.
It has grown substantially with the support of the local community and the ACE Foundation Board.
It provides glasses to vision-impaired students, meal replacements to those arriving at school without a prepared meal, hardcover readers to all prep students (5000 each year) and offers encouragement awards in the form of bursaries to deserving students at all public schools in the City of Casey. The ACE Foundation truly makes a difference to the lives of students here.
Many students in this City of Casey community come from low-income households and struggle with food insecurity. By providing 4000 nutritious meal items every four weeks to these students, Aiding Casey Education is helping to alleviate hunger and ensure that
Thumbs up
To the repair of the rotunda in the park on McGregor Road. It looks great.
Thumbs down
To how much rubbish gets dumped on
Thumbs up
To free TAFE. Thumbs up To Garfield Picture Theatre - a
venue and magnificent
Thumbs down To people who stop in the middle of the roundabout and don’t let the rest of the traffic flow through, people like that block all the cars in every direction.
Thumbs down
To the price of rentals.
every student is able to focus on their studies without worrying about where their next meal will come from. Over 56,000 meal replacement items were delivered to the high school students in 2023/2024 alone.
The Glasses program caters for both Primary (all students) and Secondary (meanstested) students. It ensures students who are vision impaired will be provided with the required prescription funded by the ACE Foundation. The message sent to these students and families is that they themselves and their education are important. The smiling faces of the students who have benefited from their programs are a testament to the joy and fulfilment that comes from receiving a helping hand when it’s needed the most.
The community comes together every Oc-
tober in a show of solidarity and support for ACE Foundation’s annual fundraising Gala. Every year it is heart-warming to see people from all walks of life coming forward to donate for the silent auction and various prizes. Once again, the support and love from local businesses is requested to ensure the fundraiser is a success and we can continue to support as many students as possible.
Here’s to many more years of assisting children in overcoming challenges in their education. Congratulations to the Aiding Casey Education.
To join the volunteer team, sponsor or donate please email Ailsa at admin@acefoundation.org
Ailsa de Kunder, ACE Foundation
With over 26 years of experience, 38 villages under our belt and over 8,000 residents across the ditch, we’ve become pretty good at creating the kind of retirement community you want to live in.
Our first Australian retirement village with premium aged care,# Summerset Cranbourne North is a modern village, which once complete will offer resort-style facilities, a full range of living options to suit your level of independence with the reassurance that there will be a modern aged care home onsite. With homes priced from $599,000 and flexible pricing options to suit your budget, that next step could be closer than you think.*
The village is conveniently located with easy access to nearby shopping centres, public reserves, the freeway, and is just minutes away from the local golf club and the gorgeous Cranbourne Botanical Gardens.
Pop along to our upcoming Open Days, enjoy some refreshments, tour the brand-new homes, and get a taste of the Summerset life that our residents love so much.
Love the life you choose.
Open Days
Friday 21 and Saturday 22 June, 10am - 2pm
Summerset Cranbourne North 98 Mannavue Boulevard, Cranbourne North 03 7068 5642 | cranbourne.sales@summerset.com.au
In exciting news for local audiences, Dandenong is the first stop for Opera Australia’s latest national tour.
Experience the original bohemian love story that inspired Rent and Moulin Rouge when Puccini’s beloved La Bohème graces the Drum Theatre stage this July, preceding a series of performances across Victoria, New South Wales, and Tasmania in 2024. When Mimi meets Rodolfo, it’s love at first touch. They head out to bustling Cafe Momus, where the feisty Musetta and Marcello rekindle their relationship. For our bohemians, everything is possible and the future can’t come quickly enough.
Rodolfo and his friends are determined to make their mark on the world and experience everything it has to offer – but right now they’d settle for something warm to eat. Some emotions are too big for words alone, and for that, we have music. La Boheme exposes your soul to the feelings that only music can express.
Puccini’s score has always captured the soaring spirit of young love and this new production breathes fresh life into one of the world’s favourite operas.
Award-winning director Dean Bryant (Anything Goes, Sweet Charity) brings his trademark wit and vivacity to this new staging, which captures that giddy moment where you and your friends feel you’ll live forever. Opera Australia is one of the world’s most celebrated performing arts companies with an ambition to place an Australia stamp on great stories.
The company is committed to developing and nurturing new generations of Australian talent and making opera more accessible.
La Boheme is on at DrumTheatre on Friday 12 July and Saturday 13 July at 7.30 pm.
Tickets start at $25 for Under 30s, and $50 for Drum Members. Drum Theatre is a great theatre in your own backyard.
Visit drum.greaterdandenong.vic.gov.au or phone the Box Office on 8571 1666 to secure your seats.
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With tax time on the horizon, we’re being urged to remain cautious over the coming months as various tax-specific scams begin to emerge.
The warning comes as new consumer data from cyber safety brand Norton revealed that 14 per cent of Australians said they had personally experienced cybercrime in the past 12 months, with the average amount lost to cybercrime being $863.79.
Of those who have experienced cybercrime in the last 12 months, 35 per cent had detected unauthorised access to an online banking or financial account.
Tax time can bring stress and confusion to individuals and businesses as they prepare to file their returns with the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).
It is the perfect environment for cybercriminals who seek to take advantage of the time and try to obtain sensitive information to cause financial harm to unsuspecting victims.
Mark Gorrie, APAC managing director for Norton, said there were certain times each year that pique cybercriminals’ interest and tax time continued to be one of them.
“With the amount of personal and financial information that is being stored and shared at this time, coupled with the stress that comes with filing tax returns, it is the perfect storm for scammers to target Australians,” Mr Gorrie said.
“It can be easy to fall into the trap of a scammer offering to ease this burden. However, it is important to understand that cyber safety practices should never be sacrificed in exchange for convenience.
“AI is aiding cybercriminals in evolving and developing their devious tactics, it is more important than ever that Australians are continuing to educate themselves on the warning signs.”
Mr Gorrie has shared three examples of prevalent tax scams to look out for, plus ways to avoid them.
Tax-related identity theft
This scam occurs when cybercriminals access a victim’s account, impersonate them, and fraudulently lodge refunds from the ATO using your stolen personal information, including your tax file number (TFN).
This can be dangerous, as in this instance, the cybercriminal who filed a return with your information may still have your data – leaving you vulnerable to other identity-related crimes.
To avoid this scam, keep your tax file number safe.
Shred any documents that contain personal information before you throw them away, and ensure that your online accounts containing sensitive information, like myGov, are protected with strong passwords and two factor authentication.
If you suspect your TFN and identity has been compromised, immediately report the incident to the ATO.
Be cautious of ATO impersonation scams
Cybercriminals will pose as ATO representatives to convince victims to provide their bank details, tax file number, or other personal information via SMS, email, or social media accounts.
Additionally, in January this year, the ATO issued a warning about scammers posing as ATO workers on Twitter, Facebook, TikTok and other popular social media platforms.
These phony accounts prey on social media users who have made public comments addressing the ATO with a question or complaint.
The scammer sends their victim a direct message, offering to assist in resolving the issue. After gaining trust, the scammer attempts to obtain personal information.
To avoid this scam, look out for tell-tale signs of a scam. The ATO won’t use urgent threats, such as arrest, payment, or suspension of your TFN.
If contacted via social media by a newly created unverified account with a small follower account, delete the message. The ATO only has official accounts on Facebook,Twitter, and LinkedIn – legitimised with verification ticks and over 10 years of activity.
If you receive a suspected scam email or SMS, do not click on any links, provide any payments, account log in information, or other personal information.
To help people navigate the online world
safely with digital tools, Norton Genie is a free app that detects scams by reviewing suspicious texts, emails, and web and lets you know if it is legit.
Occasionally, the ATO will contact you by phone, email, SMS, and post. If you are not sure about the validity of any communication, the best thing to do is to call the ATO directly. You can obtain a phone number from their official website, or a previous letter you have received, and validate the request.
Dodgy tax preparers offering to complete your tax refund
Scammers capitalising on the desire for maximum tax refunds will promise substantial returns and a speedier process, which can appear to be an enticing offer in an otherwise confusing and stressful time.
The fraudsters will ask for access to the myGov accounts of their victims and lodge tax returns through the ATO’s myTax web portal or take personal details and payment before disappearing.
If someone approaches you claiming to be a tax preparer, you can check that they are registered on theTax Practitioners Board (TPB) by visiting their website to verify the legitimacy of their claims.
Never share your myGov password with anyone. Sharing your information (such as your myGov password) with an unregistered practitioner puts your personal and financial affairs at risk.
Enable two factor authentication on myGov. You can use either the myGov Code Generator app or receive a code by SMS when logging in.
This will further protect you from unauthorised access to your myGov account.
Prepare for EOFY with stress free professional bookkeeping and BAS Services! Don’t be overwhelmed by paperwork and the ATO regulations and deadlines
Casey Grammar student Jannatpreet won gold in the recent Victorian State Wrestling Championships.
The 13-year-old came first in the U14 Girls 44kg competition.
Jannatpreet began the sport when she was 10 after being introduced to a wrestling coach at a family gathering.
Curious about what the sport involved, she decided to go to a few training sessions and was hooked. She now trains twice a week at a wrestling gym.
“I stick to a regular training schedule where I practise wrestling techniques, but my training also includes lifting weights, running and exercises like push-ups and sit-ups,” she said.
Jannatpreet won gold in only 43 seconds at the state championships, pinning her oppo-
nent to the ground to secure the win.
Organised by the Victorian Wrestling Association Inc., competitors had to follow strict United World Wrestling Freestyle and GrecoRoman wrestling rules as they battled it out at the event that attracted talented wrestlers from across the state.
“I picked up one of my opponent’s legs and then put my leg behind her leg that was still on the floor. I then fell back on her and kept pushing until both her shoulders and back were on the floor,” Jannatpreet said, explaining her winning wrestle.
“Winning gold is definitely a highlight. I remember hearing the whistle blow that indicated I’d successfully pinned my opponent and I was really happy. There was a big build-up to that moment and my hard work has paid off.”
Jannatpreet balances her weekly training and medal-winning ways with school and homework.
“I particularly like Sport, PDT, Drama and Art and I’m looking forward to studying Forensic Science next year. I’m not sure what I want to do when I leave school – I just want to be successful and independent,” she said.
Casey Grammar School principal Fiona Williams said the whole school was proud of Jannatpreet’s state championship win.
“Our students take part in a multitude of sports inside and outside of school and it’s wonderful to see students like Jannatpreet working hard and then enjoying the success that their commitment brings,” she said.
“We’re interested to see where Jannatpreet’s determination and talents take her next.”
Striving for community growth and togetherness has always been at the forefront of Bassir Qadiri’s mind, and his efforts have since been rewarded after he was ordained with The Medal of the Order of Australia earlier this month.
Announced on 10 June, Bassir was acknowledged for his longstanding efforts and contributions towards Victoria’s multicultural community, and for him, receiving the award was “overwhelming”.
“I mean it was a surprise, I did receive some notification but I didn’t know that I would make it.
“I was overseas when I heard the news, and this was overwhelming for me, my family, my friends, my colleagues as well as the community organisation,” he said.
Chief executive and founder of Bakhtar Community Organisation, Bassir’s drive for his contributions is innate, saying that due to his mother’s position as a female activist, her traits were passed on to him.
“Giving back to the community was something I inherited from my mum, as far as I remember, I have always been involved in the community.
“When I moved to Australia in 2009 I saw the opportunity, especially since it’s a multicultural country which was [and is] something that I’m very interested in,” Bassir said.
Other notable achievements by Bassir include the Inclusive Volunteering Award throughVolunteeringVictoria in 2022; he was also the City of Casey’s Citizen of the Year in 2020 and in the same year was given the Australia Day Award in the Holt electorate.
He is a member of the South Metropolitan Regional Advisory Council and was a member of Casey’s Access and Inclusion Committee from 2018-2022.
While these paths, in one way or another contributed to his eventual OAM awarding, and though he is more than grateful, asterisks were never his goal.
“I’ve been committed since then, I started with poetry nights and cultural activities, and then I saw the need in other areas of
the community.
“I would advise anyone to give back to this beautiful country, we don’t know [just] how privileged we are living in Australia.
“Giving back is our responsibility, whether it’s at an individual level, a group level or being part of a union, give back to this country,” Bassir said.
Bakhtar Community Organisation is the culmination of years of community engagement, where Bassir recognised the need for a centralised body to address people’s needs.
The charity organisation supports migrants and refugees with assistance in areas of employment, food assistance, cultural assimilation, health awareness and more.
Throughout the years, more than 6000 individuals have been supported by
the organisation.
While the award was a surprise, “the other great thing is that we know that our work is being noticed”.
“I know we are doing something for the better of the community [and] if we are committed I think we’re going to achieve even more prestigious awards than this.
“So I feel privileged that somebody, someone in the community or within the organisation that we are working with has noticed the hard work we are doing, [that] we have been acknowledged and recognised,” Bassir said.
Working professionally as a financial manager for Program Finance Group, as well as an interpreter/translator for Monash Health since 2010, Bassir’s plate is more than
full with his community endeavours.
However, he loves it, and he believes “that community work has been my passion”.
“When I do things, when I communicate with people when I do meetings after hours with organisations or community members, I enjoy it, I really enjoy it.
“Because I know that I’m giving back to the community, I’m helping someone and that gives me a sense of satisfaction,” Bassir said.
Moving forward, Bassir has launched his campaign for council this upcoming October election for Casuarina Ward, representing NarreWarren, Narre Warren South and Cranbourne North.
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The board reasoned that Dr Kenney, as the medical director, was responsible for the noncompliance and had put patients and employees at serious risk.
It warranted the suspension, the VCAT report said, with the board believing that “her lack of insight into how serious the failings were, reflect on her capacity to practise medicine generally, and put all her patients at risk”.
Dr Kenney contended that there was little evidence she was not a safe general practitioner and the board failed to make a distinction between any risk she might have posed as a director and the risk if she would continue as a general practitioner.
The state tribunal did not find Dr Kenney would pose a serious risk to the safety of pa-
tients in the medical practice.
As public safety was the priority in the decision about a stay, the tribunal considered
that the public would be sufficiently protected from any risk posed by Dr Kenney as the Department of Health had already suspended the clinic’s day surgery services and the condition on the stay would prohibit her from governing the clinic.
The tribunal also considered the evidence that refusing the stay would potentially harm Dr Kenney personally and the continued operation of the clinic as a general practice.
Dr Kenney is the only general practitioner at the clinic.There was sufficient evidence that the clinic serves an area of need and carries importance to women across metropolitan Melbourne, the VCAT report noted.
A final review hearing will take place in three to six months.
Due to media interest, the tribunal stated
that Dr Kenney was not involved clinically with Narre Warren South woman Harjit Kaur who died after a pregnancy termination surgery in the clinic on 12 January.
The board confirmed that it did not suggest there was a link between Miss Kaur’s death and Dr Kenney’s suspension.
A coroner investigation into Miss Kaur’s death is still ongoing.
The tribunal heard that the initial autopsy found “no significant natural disease contributing to the death, no evidence of any complication after surgery, and ruled out adverse effects of anesthesia, infection, and other conditions or reactions”.
The pathologist raised the “possibility of a heart rhythm abnormality”.
As the State Government released the draft housing targets for each council - including 104,000 new homes for Casey - planning experts say insufficient market demands and low infrastructure supply would be the key issues for the growth areas.
Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny announced the draft targets for each council on Sunday 16 June – with final targets released by the end of this year.
The draft housing targets represent the previously announced distribution of 70 per cent housing growth in established areas and 30 per cent in growth areas by 2051.
Each target was calculated largely based on an area’s proximity to jobs and services, level of access to existing and planned public transport, environment hazards like flood and bushfire risk, current development trends, and places already identified for more homes.
Casey will be expected to accommodate 104,000 new homes with an increase of 79 per cent by 2051, and Cardinia will anticipate an increase of 78 per cent with 36,000 additional housing.
Dr Marcus Spiller from SGS Economics and Planning said setting targets for each council was a useful first step and enabled planners to focus on an agreed task, but the challenge lay in market demands. “The challenge now will be to find the best ways of accommodating the
set targets within each municipality, including allowing for market demands and preferences,” he said. “For example, Casey wants to accommodate a substantial part of its target through high-density housing around activity centres and public transport routes.
“However, in this scenario, there may not be sufficient demand to support this housing form in the short to medium term, so there will be a tricky timing issue for planners and councils to manage in partnership with the state.”
Jonathan O’Brien from YIMBY Melbourne, a group advocating for planning reform and housing abundance, agreed with Dr Spiller and believed market demands were the key to developing and building. The group conducted its housing target calculation for some council areas months ago but it did not feature Casey. “Our targets are based on what would be profitable to be built, so that means our targets are based on what the market and what developers would actually build,” he said.
“Is there market demand to continue building huge numbers of homes in Casey? And can it be done at the current level of land release? And the follow-up question is, do we actually want to release more land? I think that’s the set of questions that need to be asked.”
Mr O’Brien said the infrastructure in the growth areas needed to keep up, but the government should also be honest about the trade-offs of living in a growth area.
“When people choose to live in Casey,
they’re choosing the trade-offs you make living as far out from the CBD as Casey is. You’re expecting to own land, and you’re expecting a backyard and so on,” he explained.
“I think the government has let a lot of inner-east councils off lightly, whereas they’ve sort of continued to ask growth areas like Casey to shoulder a lot of new homes.
“And look, that’s fine so long as the infrastructure is there, but the government needs to be honest about the trade-offs that are being made. The government really has an opportunity here to reconfigure the way that we build to be very serious about ensuring that more homes are built in a middle Melbourne and enabling communities and areas like Casey to really find their feet, get the infrastructure they need, and ensure that the right set of trade-offs are being made for Victorians.”
Swinburne University’s Dr Stephen Glackin, who specialises in urban planning and urban geography said councils would need to work with developers to come up with the appropriate plans to reach the housing targets.
“Unfortunately planning and development are kept apart to prevent collusion,” he said.
“But I feel this needs to change, as we are in desperate need of housing that is planned sustainably and the only way forward is to work together.”
City of Casey acting manager of growth and investment, Nick Felstead, said the council welcomes the targets announced by the State
Experiencing foot pain? Chances are, you’ve received a diagnosis of one of the following conditions: Plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendinitis, Bunions, Bursitis, arthritis, Morton’s neuroma, Plantar heel pain, Severs disease (in children), or flat feet.
While these foot issues are prevalent and treated worldwide, they are frequently misdiagnosed and improperly managed.
Dr. Paul Dowie, renowned musculoskeletal podiatrist with over 25 years of experience in diagnosing and treating foot, knee, and leg conditions provided some insight. According to him, it is common and unfortunate that many people receive incorrect diagnoses and ineffective treatments, which can worsen conditions.
His Foot and Leg Pain Clinics successfully treat such conditions daily and have highlighted 3 of the most common scenarios for misdiagnosis and ineffective treatments:
Misread diagnostic scans: Thickened tissue on diagnostic scans is often confused with inflammation, leading to inappropriate treatment.
Treatment of symptoms without address-
ing underlying causes: Without understanding causes and targeting contributing factors, treatments can be ineffective, temporary or even harmful.
Lack of understanding of intricate foot and leg biomechanics: This can lead to poor advice and outcomes.
Dr. Dowie emphasises, “it’s important for people to know that most foot and leg pain is treatable, even the most complex conditions. Too often people are told there is nothing that can be done or that they have to expect, and just put up with, certain conditions due to ageing, and this is often incorrect. With accurate diagnosis, understanding contributing factors, and having an in-depth understanding of lower limb biomechanics and musculoskeletal medicine, many concerns can be swiftly and effectively addressed. This includes injured, arthritic and degenerated joints and tissues.”
If you’d like personalised guidance and advice from Dr. Dowie, you can consult him at his Berwick clinic or other locations across Melbourne.
Simply call 1300 328 300.
Government. “The target for the City of Casey aligns quite closely to the housing forecasts, which have been presented previously, whilst still providing aspiration to increase this supply. We will incorporate these targets in our forward planning, with greater review required to understand opportunities for greater policy direction.”
Cardinia Shire Council’s general manager of liveable communities, Lili Rosic said the council would prepare a response to the draft targets. “Cardinia Shire Council recognises the important role that council plays in supporting the development of new homes through its local planning policies and granting of permit approvals,” Rosic said.
“Council supports the objective of creating housing choice where there is existing and planned public transport, jobs and services. Other key considerations include protection of environmental features and assets, the shire’s unique character and containing growth to the urban growth boundary.
“Council will consider its position on the draft housing targets, and will participate in consultation opportunities as part of the new plan for Victoria on behalf of the Cardinia Shire community.
“Cardinia Shire Council is committed to continuing to respond to the needs of our growing and diverse community, and to building a strong and sustainable shire for present and future generations to enjoy.”
Oakgrove Community Centre held its Biggest Morning Tea event in support of the Cancer Council on Wednesday 19 June.
Held from 10.30am to 12.30pm, the focus revolved around support and advocating for those impacted by cancer, with the event marking the first step in the centre’s $1800 goal for research, support services and prevention programs.
Guests prior to the event had the choice of bringing a plate of morning tea foods, with the event catering with cuppas, scones and more, alongside stalls and raffle prizes won by the guests.
In attendance was also Holt MP Cassandra Fernando, who expressed her solidarity with the event and the cause.
Casey Council has been spared by the most recent data breaches experienced by afterhours service provider OracleCMS, following the tumultuous months of April and May after the attack by ransomware group Lockbit.
The council’s chief information officer Clint Allsop said that the council is aware of the attacks and that following careful analysis, they are “confident no City of Casey systems or personal data has been compromised”.
Furthermore, Mr Allsop added that there are “no direct links between OracleCMS and other Casey systems”.
While safe from any leaks, Deakin University professor and director of Centre for Cyber Resilience and Trust, Robin Doss, said that overall community confidence on organisations’ ability – councils included –would be impacted by these data breaches.
“In a sense it sort of places an onus on government agencies, broadly, that handle citizen data to not just look at how they manage the protection of information in their own internal systems, but also across their supply chains,” Professor Doss said.
Victorian councils including Whitehorse City Council, Merri-bek City Council, Mitchell Shire Council, South Gippsland Shire Council and Yarra City Council, among others, were all victims of the breaches earlier in the year.
While acknowledging that Casey had not been impacted, the professor expressed that the council now has a bigger responsibility in terms of safety.
“This is a classic example of what we term as a supply chain risk and a supply chain compromise; so it’s, in a sense, okay for some councils to say our own systems haven’t been breached, but their responsibility now extends beyond that as well.
“When they enter into these sorts of relationships, I guess some of the questions that they should be asking is around what security measures are in place to ensure that information that might be shared for the provision of services on their behalf is protected as well,” Professor Doss said.
The breach throughout April and May resulted in the unauthorised access and publication of 60GB of data after a ransom demand set for 16 April 2024 was not met by OracleCMS.
Baw Baw Shire Council, alongside the City of Monash and the City of Whittlesea, are the
most recent to report breaches in their system, which all occurred in early June.
Mr Allsop had strong confidence in Casey’s level of cyber security, saying that they have “a robust Corporate Governance structure”, which in turn is “accompanied by a Cyber Security framework, which is based upon industry best practices, standards and is compliant with applicable legal and regulatory requirements in the state of Victoria, Australia and adheres to underpinning principles from International Cyber Security Standards (NIST, ISM etc.)”.
“We also have a Cyber Security Policy which defines and documents council’s approach to ensure effective management of cyber security risks,” he said.
For Professor Doss, however, the events that transpired earlier in the year and the most recent developments with the three additional councils are all part of the risks involved in the accelerating development of technology, especially cyber, digital and online spaces.
Cyber safety needs to be recognised in the
same playing field as physical safety where “unfortunately we live in an environment where everybody is targeted”.
“You need to start early in terms of educating children, it’s something about a message that needs to be reinforced, right?” he said.
Making it well-known and understood that cyberspace is much more intertwined with the physical world is an important factor in terms of safety, with steps to take towards this being as little as not allowing apps like Snapchat to track your location.
“Your location information is being shared, so somebody knows where you physically are, even though you think you’re in this online world.
“You never know when you might become a victim and then when that occurs, what are the support structures in place?
“I think there is a sense of personal responsibility that as citizens, we need to recognise, but then organisations have a critical role to play as well, both in terms of how they handle citizen information, not just individ-
ually, but across their supply chains,” Professor Doss said.
In addition to Casey’s Cyber Security Policy, the council also has a Data and Information Management Policy “which outlines data and information management practices” as well a Data Breach Policy that “enables council to contain, assess and respond to data breaches in a timely fashion and to help mitigate potential harm to affect individuals”, said Mr Allsop.
Incident response plans are a critical part of any organisation, councils included; and for Professor Doss, cyber and fire drills should be held with the same regard.
“If you don’t have a plan in place in terms of how to respond to something like that, then you’re already a step behind.
“You don’t wait for the fire to see if your evacuation plan works, which is similar to that with your incident response plans as well – you need to run through them a couple of times, run a few scenarios, cyber drills and things like that prior.”
The professor also spoke about the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation, which first came into effect in 2018, and which “outlines these principles around not collecting more data than what is necessary to provide a service”.
“It’s also about holding onto information only for the period of time that you need to [but] the caveat there is there might be some regulatory requirements for you to hold on to certain types of information as well.
“But the thing is, how you do ensure that the best practice is in place, and how do you ensure that you recognise the changing risk landscape and you’re responding to that as an organisation?”
Casey’s Data Breach Policy also sets out mandatory procedures that the staff must apply if the council were to ever experience a data breach, or suspects that a data breach has occurred.
Moving forward, OracleCMS released a statement saying that they have external experts guiding their investigation, as well as the organisation’s clients – such as councils – notifying individuals to provide them steps that provide added protection.
They have reported that there are also no malicious activities within their IT environments and they have also enacted a series of containment measures, as well as an External Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Test which found no vulnerabilities in their system.
Walker Street Gallery and Arts Centre will soon become host to a vibrant and captivating exhibition already spilling its creativity into Dandenong’s Settlers Square for all to enjoy.
Crafted by the talented Ethiopian-Norwegian artist, Olana Janfa, Too Much Drama blends political commentary with a touch of humour. Olana’s artistry bears the imprint of traditional Ethiopian Orthodox art while addressing the challenges and ironies of modern immigrant life.
This exhibition marks the 2024 edition of HOME, a cherished initiative by Greater Dandenong City Council showcasing artists from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds. Born in Ethiopia and later immigrating to Norway as a teenager, Olana has called Australia home since 2015. He uses art to connect to his culture, communicate his insights and experiences, and celebrate his identity.
A large-scale mural inside the gallery draws from Olana’s engagement with Dandenongbased youth music group RIDDIM and depicts young peoples’ experience of belonging through the connective power of art and culture. The artwork is accompanied by the rhythm of Skilful Man, a single that Olana recently released.
A short walk from the gallery, Settlers Square is decorated with a series of Olana’s characters in his signature bold palate.
The exhibition will kick off with an opening celebration on Saturday 29 June, from 6pm-10pm, featuring a performance by RIDDIM and culinary delights courtesy of the local Ethiopian pop-up restaurant, Afro Cafe.
Join us for a special edition of Walker Street Gallery’s Consume program, presented by the Being Biracial Podcast, on Thursday 11 July, at 6pm. The evening will feature a live recording with Janfa and podcast hosts Kate Robinson and Maria-Birch Morunga, accompanied by
In August, Olana will host two sessions as part of the Greater Dandenong Libraries Art Series program, offering attendees a unique opportunity to engage with his creative process and vision.
On Thursday 22 August, at 6pm, experience a special presentation of the Drum Theatre’s Our Beat program at the Walker Street Gallery, spotlighting a diversity of contributors, including participants in RIDDIM’s recent workshop series as they share their cultural narratives
through performance.
Experience Olana Janfa’s captivating world of Too Much Drama at the Walker Street Gallery and Arts Centre from 2 July to 6 September. Visit greaterdandenong.vic.gov.au/HOME for more information.
Bianca is a musical 9 year old living with high functioning ASD. She has always been fascinated with music and her parents have been looking for ways to nurture her talent. After trying a number of different choirs and finding that Bianca struggled, they enrolled Bianca and her brother Arthur with Melbourne Youth Chorale’s Flying Free Choir for children with additional needs.
The Flying Free Choir teaches children music skills along with communication and socialisation skills, facilitated by a music therapist and a speech therapist. Bianca’s family particularly appreciates the way Flying Free enables children with additional needs to be included, to be seen and to feel a strong sense of belonging in MYC’s community. Bianca is working towards developing her skills so she can eventually join one of MYC’s mainstream choirs. In the meantime, Bianca and Arthur are developing self-confidence and were able to perform recently for the first time.
The Flying Free Choir rehearses on a Wednesday afternoon at 4.30pm at Hampton Park Secondary College. For more information about the Flying Free Choir, or to register for a trial session, please contact Kerry at manager. myc@gmail.com or 1800 65 88 62.
Holiday programs can be daunting for children on the autism spectrum.
Unfamiliar settings and general group supervision by adults lacking autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experience can make it difficult for ASD kids to enjoy activities and socialise with other children.
Now Clip ’n Climb Berwick has developed a brilliant solution to this unsettling holiday dilemma: the MindClimb holiday program.
In addition to the exciting MEGA Nerf holiday program for non-NDIS children, the MindClimb therapeutic holiday program for neurodivergent NDIS participants provides much closer and more empathetic supervision to cater for the individual needs of children aged 5 to 17 years with learning difficulties such as ASD and ADHD.
MindClimb instructors have considerable experience with children and teenagers with diverse disabilities and the MindClimb occupational therapist oversees the program, offering additional support as required.
All MindClimb programs are therapeutic and suitable for NDIS funding.
The school holiday program includes tailored, unique, fun activities on all four attractions at the Berwick facility, plus a facilitated Nerf gun battle, and making their own pizza
and playdough. These programs run for six hours from 9am to 3pm but the duration can easily be increased or decreased if necessary.
The specific program dates are shown on the Clip ’n Climb Berwick website.
Participants in the MindClimb program during the school term enjoy attending the MindClimb school holiday program because they are already familiar with the instructors and the venue.
This program caringly supports a wide variety of capabilities of neurodivergent children that often struggle to engage in extracurricular activities and typical school holiday programs.
Harry’s mother Carley says: “My son attends the MindClimb program weekly during the school term and gets really excited about the school holiday program.”
“I love that MindClimb encourages Harry to be himself and embraces each of his qualities and strengths.
“It helps him build a range of skills needed for daily life.”
For more information or to book either the MEGA Nerf or MindClimb school holiday programs, call Clip ’n Climb Berwick on 9769 9966.
Windemere Child and Family services has been a trusted provider of disability services for over 30 years with customer service taking pride of place in its service delivery.
Plan Management is among a range of NDIS services that Windermere provides for those with an NDIS plan.
When it comes to managing an NDIS plan, tackling financial administration tasks can become overwhelming, particularly where there are multiple support needs.
Cameron who has 21 service providers for his complex needs has been using NDIS Plan Management services from Windermere since 2018.
Cameron’s Plan Manager ensures invoices are paid accurately and on time, keeps track of NDIS funds and fulfills reporting requirements, taking the worry out of managing an NDIS plan.
“It’s just such a relief to have someone we can trust to work out the financial side of things. It was such hard work just coordinating Cameron’s NDIS plan,” says Jenine, Cameron’s mother.
Lynn who recently signed up for Windermere Plan Management relies on having her funds organised to meet her complex support needs.
“There’s no way that I’d be able to organise my NDIS funds on my own. Having my Plan
Manager do things efficiently helps everyone who supports me,” she says.
Lynn also stresses the importance of a strong reputation.
“Windermere has such a good reputation especially when it comes to NDIS. A good reputation means that you are doing what you say you will do,” she adds.
More information: Windermere Plan Management phone 03 8793 4267 or www.windermere.org.au.
At The Bridge Inc, our vision is to have a connected society where people of all abilities achieve their full potential.
We aim to empower lives and inspire futures by providing holistic support that support people with disability through connections in the home, community, and employment.
When you choose The Bridge Inc, you begin a journey based on your interests and identified NDIS goals. You can access a range of services at the same time and move between services as your goals develop. Choose from:
· Day services (group community and centre-based activities based on the interests of participants)
· Individual support in-home or in the community
· Getaways and community recreation including Friday night social groups, day and evening outings, and overnight short-stay holidays
· School Leaver Employment Support (SLES) and pre-employment training · Youth employment support for those who need help to find employment
· Supported Employment in our assembly, picking and packaging warehouses
· NDIS Support Coordination (assisting people to find the right providers and coordinate a range of supports)
When you choose The Bridge Inc, you begin a journey based on your interests and identified NDIS goals.
· Disability Employment Services (providing placement, training, and support in the open labour market for young people and adults with disabilities, injuries, or illnesses)
The Bridge Inc is your local NDIS provider. We have centres across Cardinia, Dandenong, Casey, Bayside and the Mornington Peninsula.
Not sure which is the right service for you? No problem! Our friendly team are here to get you started. Call us on 1800 274 343 or email enquiries@thebridgeinc.org. au to start your journey today.
All Victorian government school students will soon receive free, nutritious breakfasts for the first time.
Premier Jacinta Allan and Education Minister Ben Carroll announced $21.1 million in the State Budget 2024/25 to expand the School Breakfast Clubs Program.
An extra 150 schools will be invited to join the program at the start of next year – expected to support up to 200,000 students – before rolling out to remaining schools from June 2025.
One thousand schools already participate in the program, which provides healthy breakfasts for students as well as lunches, snacks, and take-home food packs for students experiencing disadvantage or financial strain.
“School Breakfast Clubs make a huge difference to students whose families need a little extra support to give their children nutritious
meals that power their school day,” Mr Carroll said.
Going to school hungry has a big impact on children’s learning, affecting their behaviour, ability to concentrate, and ability to retain information.
“Kids can’t learn on an empty stomach,” Ms Allan said.
Food provided through School Breakfast Clubs meets Healthy Eating Guidelines, prioritises fresh foods, and caters for different preferences, with menu options like cereals, fresh fruit, soups, and rice dishes.
“This program has made a big difference to thousands of students who need a bit of extra support to have a nutritious, delicious meal every morning – and we’re proud to roll the program out to every government school from next year,” Mr Carroll said. Free breakfast for all government schools.
A study by Associate Professors Penny Van Bergen and Naomi Sweller of Macquarie University and Professor Linda Graham of QUT shows that students’ memories of good teachers are remarkably consistent, and that strong teacher-student relationships can support positive interactions with future teachers.
The research team conducted a series of interviews with 96 students from grades 3-10. They included students with and without a history of disruptive behaviour in mainstream schools, along with students in special “behaviour schools”.
What united the groups was a belief that their most positive relationships with teachers came when teachers were “kind, caring, helpful, or humorous”. For students with a history of disruptive behaviour, a kind or caring teacher could make the difference between engaging with their schoolwork and walking out of class.
All groups also shared the view that teachers who were hostile or unjust were harder to get along with. Alarmingly, students with a history of disruptive behaviour overwhelmingly remember negative relationships with teachers. For example, one third of students in the behaviour school group couldn’t remember a single positive relationship with a teacher.
Conflictual teacher-student relationships were not limited to disruptive students, however. Forty percent of students with no history of disruptive behaviour also remembered at least one negative relationship. Many of these students were “model” students: prefects, student reps, and school duxes. Students in all groups highlighted pre-emptive reprimands, when they were told off before doing something, as being particularly unfair.
The researchers do note that this is only one side of the story, and that teachers may have a different view.
These results are still important though, since they show how consistent students’ perceptions of positive and negative relationships are. They also indicate the ways that poor teacher-student relationships can exacerbate classroom challenges.
“Using their memories of conflictual interactions, students may develop protec-
tive strategies: either shying away from that teacher or reacting with pre-emptive aggression,” the article says.
The study authors recommend that teachers complement other positive teaching behaviours, such as responsive instruction and individual guidance, with explicit warmth.
In the classroom, teachers could reflect on positive interactions with their students by sharing positive memories or identifying each other’s positive characteristics. Similar
activities are used in positive psychological interventions to improve student wellbeing. They also recommend professional learning to help teachers better manage the emotional pressures of classroom teaching.
School counsellors have a role, too, and can help students to reappraise their past relationships with teachers. This should help ensure that ambiguous teacher actions aren’t misinterpreted, and positive actions aren’t overlooked.
While the kids look forward to the next school holidays there is no reason education at home should stop.
Parents play a crucial role in fostering a positive attitude towards math and providing the necessary support. Here are some effective strategies for parents to help their primary school children learn math at home:
1. Create a positive attitude:
Parents should maintain a positive attitude towards math themselves and avoid expressing any negativity. Emphasize that math is a valuable skill that can be interesting and fun. Avoid saying things like “I was never good at math“ to prevent your child from developing a similar mindset.
2. Incorporate math into daily kife: Integrate math into everyday activities. While cooking, involve your child in measuring ingredients, estimating quantities, and understanding fractions. When shopping, ask them to compare prices, calculate discounts, or estimate the total cost.
3. Play math games:
Engage in math games and puzzles that make learning enjoyable. Board games, card games, and online math apps offer interactive ways to reinforce math concepts, improve problem-solving skills, and enhance logical thinking.
4. Establish a dedicated study space:
Create a comfortable and organised study space where your child can focus on math activities. Minimise distractions and provide the necessary math tools, such as pencils, paper, rulers, and calculators.
5. Set realistic goals:
Set achievable goals based on your child’s current math level. Celebrate their successes, no matter how small, to boost their confidence and motivation.
6. Use real-life examples:
Show how math is relevant in the real world.When planning a family outing, discuss distances, travel times, and routes. Calculate the tip at a restaurant or determine the change after making a purchase.
7. Be patient and supportive:
Each child learns at their own pace. Be patient and provide the necessary support. Offer guidance without imposing pressure, and be ready to explain concepts multiple times if needed.
8. Encourage problem-solving: Exposeyourchildtovariousmathproblems that encourage critical thinking and problemsolving. Encourage them to approach challenges from different angles and develop their own strategies.
9. Provide practical applications: Connect math concepts to practical applications. For instance, when learning about fractions, use pizza slices to illustrate different fractions and their relationships.
10. Communicate with teachers: Stay in touch with your child’s math teacher to understand the curriculum and identify areas where your child might need additional support. This partnership ensures a coordinated effort between school and home.
11. Use online resources:
Utilise reputable online resources that offer interactive math lessons, tutorials, and practice exercises.
These resources can reinforce classroom learning and provide additional practice.
12. Read math-related books:
Explore math-related storybooks that make math concepts more relatable and engaging. These books can stimulate your child’s interest in math and provide different perspectives on the subject.
13. Emphasise mistakes as learning opportunities:
Encourage your child to view mistakes as a natural part of learning. Discuss errors openly, identify the areas that need improvement, and work together to overcome challenges.
14. Make math a family activity:
Involve the entire family in math-related activities.
Play math trivia games during family gatherings, solve puzzles together, or have a maththemed movie night.
By adopting these strategies, parents can create a supportive and engaging learning environment at home, fostering their primary school children’s interest and confidence in math.
Remember that your positive involvement can have a lasting impact on their academic success and overall attitude towards learning.
We encourage every student to pursue excellence in all endeavours and aimto ensure every student achieves their best potential so they are ready - notjust for the completion of their final exams but for life!
To find out more and to apply please visit our website or use the QR Code.
Berwick Artists Society Art Show
Meet our artists and their art, enjoy free drinks and nibbles.
· 24 June - 13 July, Cranbourne Library, Casey Complex, 65 Berwick-Cranbourne Road. The exhibition can be viewed during the library’s open hours.
Cranbourne U3A Relocation
Cranbourne U3A will be relocating to new rooms from the commencement of Term 3 in July. We are moving to the kindergarten building at 20 - 22 Bowen Street, Cranbourne.
This building is being refurbished at the moment to suit our needs. We will be moving in there in early July. New members will be made welcome at our new rooms. There are lovely windows facing out to a well-maintained garden area where we can enjoy lunch or a coffee on a nice day. Please check our website for more details.
Berwick Activities Club
New members are welcome to join in the many activities on offer such as New Vogue Dancing or Social Wednesdays where you can join in carpet bowls, cards, Scrabble and table tennis. Take the opportunity to make new friends and enjoy yourself.
· Membership is only $10 with a $5 weekly attendance fee which includes morning tea.
· For more information phone David on 0433566456 or Bruce 0447554475, or visit berwick-club.com
Woodworking Display and Expo
The Berwick District Woodworkers Club is hosting its annual open weekend and expo in July at the clubrooms at the Old Cheese Factory at 34 Homestead Road in Berwick.
The free event will include demonstrations of wood turning, band sawing, scroll sawing, Dremel toy making, routing, pyrography and wood carving.
· Various members produced by members on display with a selection of items for sale.
· For more information, contact John McMahon on 0437 096 840 or bdwwcsec@outlook.com
Berwick Springs VIEW Club
Affiliated with The Smith Family, the Berwick Springs VIEW Club is a not-for-profit organisation, with the aim to fundraise to support Learning for Life students.
The club currently supports 10 students of varying ages with their education expenses.
The club meets on the first Monday of each month in the Berwick Springs Hotel function room from 11.15am, where members enjoy a lunch and then host a guest speaker.
Throughout the year, the club has a couple of special fundraisers, as well as casual morning tea and lunch for interested ladies. The club is always looking for new members in all age groups.
· For more information, contact Shirley on 0438 191 759 or email berwicksprings.viewclub@ gmail.com
Probus Club of Casey Combined
We are hoping to attract new members to our Probus Club of Casey Combined. We are hoping there are retirees out there who would be interested in joining our Club. Meetings finish at noon when many of our members assemble for lunch at one of our local cafes. After morning tea we have an interesting guest speaker. Our Club was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Berwick to provide the opportunity to meet and mingle with other retirees. Open to singles.
We meet at the Old Cheese Factory, 34 Homestead Road, Berwick at 9.45am on the second Tuesday of each month.
Women’s group Berwick Neighbourhood Centre
Bring your own craft, bring your latest read or just bring yourself. Pop in for a chat. See what is happening at the centre. Have a cuppa and relax for a moment or two.
· Commencing Monday from 12.30-2pm. Community room. Timbarra Community Centre, 2026 Parkhill Drive off Timbarra Way in Berwick.
· For more details call 9704 1863 or email admin@berwicknc.com.au
BADFolk Club
Berwick and District Folkclub have been meeting at the Old Cheese Factory in Berwick for the past 21 years! We meet on the third Friday of each month. This month we welcome back Maria Forde - she is a classic folk singer and has written some great songs like ’Will You Dance with Me’ which is often played at weddings. We also welcome spot acts - anyone who can play an instrument, sing, share a poem etc. Please
note our earlier running times: Doors now open 6:30 and the music runs 7-10pm. Our kitchen sells snack food and a variety of drinks - tea/ coffee/wine/beer/soft drinks. Entry: $15. Website: badfolkclub.org Contact: Edward: 0418 535 264.
· Meet on the third Friday of each month.
Craft Classes
Do you enjoy craft making?
Join Berwick Activities Group’s Elizabeth to discover the world of papercraft and have a chat with like-minded people.
You will be introduced to a range of papercraft techniques through a new project each week.
Casual attendance is welcome.
Timbarra Community Centre 20-26 Parkhill Drive, Timbarra Way, Berwick
· $5 per class, all materials supplied.
· Contact admin@berwicknc.com.au or phone 9704 1863.
· Tuesdays from 10am to noon.
Narre Warren Senior Citizens Centre
If you are over 55 years old, newly retired, or new to the Casey area and looking for something to do, come and join us.
Narre Warren Seniors is a friendly Club and we can offer you many activities. Our main Club day is on Wednesdays from 9.30am to 3pm. On the first Wednesday of the month we enjoy socialising with our members and, on the next three (3) Wednesdays we have live entertainment wherein you can do some line-dancing if you wish and enjoy an afternoon cup of tea.
There are also weekly activities on other days of the week, which include the Garden Group Club, Indoor Carpet Bowls, Line Dancing, Table Tennis, friendly Card games, and a Gentle Exercise class.
We are located at 192-196 Centre Road near the Narre Warren Station.
· Phone us at 9704 0015 or 0426 736 467 or email us at: narrewarrenseniors@gmail.com for more information
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.
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 10am for a Coffee at Little Sparrow Fountain Gate.
· For more information, contact enquiry officer Gloria on 0468 363 616.
Cranbourne U3A
Make the most of your retirement! Tutors available to teach art using various mediums. A variety of crafts including knitting, patchwork and sewing, beginners card making, and calligraphy. Chess, resin making, Italian and table tennis groups welcome you. Would you like to play the Ukelele, or just singalong for fun? We can help. If you would like to tutor a class, contact us with details of your talents, we welcome new opportunities.
Our rooms are in the Cranbourne Library building, enter through the Casey Radio entrance. Expand your social life and get active for a healthy third age in your retirement.
· For more information visit: www.u3acranbourne.org.au . or call the office on 5995 0311 for more information.
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.
With household budgets under pressure, large crowds are expected to flock to this year’s 18th annual Doveton Show.
Designed as an affordable alternative to Royal Melbourne Show, the event at Myuna Farm is one of the biggest on the Doveton calendar.
Last year about 17,000 visitors packed out the farmyard to enjoy a bevy of showbags, rides, market, food stalls, entertainers, farm animals, kids activities and community stalls.
Show committee member Stefan Koomen said more were expected this year to enjoy the “low-cost alternative”.
“It’s about cost of living at the moment.
“We hear that people are doing it tough. That’s why we’re keeping entry free with an optional donation, and keeping our rides at the same price.”
Volunteers are needed to help stage the community-run extravaganza.
Tasks include ticket booths, concierge, giving directions and “just being a friendly face to help on the day”, Koomen says.
Prior to the event, a one-hour training induction is provided to volunteers.
Doveton Show is on Sunday 22 September 10am-4pm. To volunteer, go to dovetonshow. org.au, or call Stefan on 0403 610 247. A crowd of about
Unlocking housing supply, facilitating employment land, public transport delivery, activity centres growth, and greater canopy cover are among the Casey Council’s key priorities by 2050, a draft submission to the state’s planning strategy reveals.
The State Government intends to prepare a Plan forVictoria to guide the future growth and development of the state, which will replace the existing metropolitan planning strategy Plan Melbourne 2017-2050.
The envisioned strategy will seek to support the previously announced target of 70 per cent housing growth in established areas and 30 per cent in growth areas.
Four focus areas have been identified to guide the community and industry engagement, including affordable housing and choice, equity and jobs, thriving and liveable suburbs and towns, and sustainable environments and climate action.
Council summarised its priorities and strategic directions under each focus area in a draft submission and endorsed the draft at the 18 June meeting.
Affordable housing and choice:
· Unlock additional housing supply through infrastructure funding and delivery, faster approvals for PSPs and more timely referral agency review of planning applications.
· State Government and local councils to codevelop housing targets for each LGA, including targets for differing typologies and minimum amounts of social and affordable housing based on local needs.
· Application of enforceable, non-voluntary statutory mechanisms for increasing social and affordable housing (such as mandatory inclusionary zoning, uplift rates, minimum outcomes within Precinct Structure Plans) by co-developing the reforms with local
government and setting a timeline for their implementation.
Equity and jobs
· Prioritise planning and infrastructure delivery to unlock, protect and facilitate the development of employment land.
· Prioritise equity and inclusion within economic development to ensure access to employment for all.
· Improve consultation with under-represented groups to ensure safety and inclusion can be more effectively built into planning sys-
Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria revealed that it had not started the licence assessment process with the proposed waste transfer station next to the Hallam Road Landfill.
In a letter to community members in the area, EPA said that it received an incomplete application from Veolia, the landfill operator, for a development licence on 24 January.
“An updated development licence application was received on 28 May 2024 and is now being reviewed by EPA to determine if it is complete,” the letter said.
“Once EPA is satisfied it has a complete application, the assessment will start including advertising and community consultation.”
Lynbrook Residents Association president Scott Watson said residents were encouraged
by this letter that it would provide protection from industries which were not appropriate within or near a community.
When contacted on Tuesday 18 June, a spokesperson for EPA said they were now reviewing the additional information and if the application was accepted, they would progress using the most robust and transparent practices, and as they did with all licence applications.
EPA would take into account the applicant’s previous performance, compliance history and any judicial outcomes, and current and draft guidelines issued by the organisation.
“The community will be further consulted in this process,” they said.
To read more about the EPA Development Licence application process, go to epa.vic.gov. au/for-business/permissions/licences
tems and structures.
Thriving and liveable neighbourhoods
· Prioritise public transport reform and delivery of key infrastructure including the Clyde Rail Link and broad bus network improvements.
· Improve coordination of the planning, provision and funding of regional-level infrastructure.
· Implement planning and policy reforms to unlock growth and investment within activity centres and major urban precincts. Sustainable environments and climate action
· Improve policy, funding, and partnerships to enable greater canopy cover on governmentowned land and in the private realm.
· Improve regulation and investment in support of sustainability through Environmentally Sustainable Design, water reuse, and funding models for water infrastructure.
· Develop statewide policy focused on the identification, protection, and restoration of priority habitat corridors for threatened species.
Casey administrator Cameron Boardman said the submission was only a snapshot of the fundamental comprehensiveness of the consideration that everyone within the organisation deals with on a daily basis.
“It does capture our strategic inputs into the current council plan and where we see the requirements and the considerations that will undoubtedly be the responsibility of a future council,” he said.
“But we’re very much looking forward to how the State Government receives these and other submissions, how the future Plan for Victoria further materialises, and the specific additional considerations and requirements that will be forced upon us by the state government in this municipality and the region into the future.
More than 200 car parks are now open to the public at Narre Warren Station after the eastern side of Webb Street completed construction.
Since the first trains departed from the newly upgraded station, construction crews have been working towards completing neighbouring facilities, with the car parks marking the first step.
A Level Crossing Removal Project spokesperson said “since the new, elevated station opened this year our team has been hard at work putting the finishing touches on a new precinct that will leave a lasting legacy for the Narre Warren community”.
This mentioned precinct is set to include the installation of additional lift access to both platforms, opening a new waiting room with toilets and continuing work on a further 400 upgraded car parking spaces.
Furthermore, construction teams will continue on landscaping projects, planting 300 new trees and 63,000 plants, shrubs and grasses and putting the finishing touches on pedestrian and cycling paths throughout the area.
“The new station was built during the Webb Street level crossing removal, which has reduced congestion for drivers and made local roads safer,” the spokesperson said.
The level crossing at Webb Street, Narre Warren, which was removed in December last year, was one of the most dangerous in Melbourne according to Victoria’s Big Build, with 19 near misses between 2012 and its removal.
The boom gates for the original crossing were down for a third of the morning peak, causing congestion for 13,200 vehicles every day.
benefits
U3A will relocate to a new home
in the coming July, leaving the Casey Administration Building after almost two decades.
It will move to the kindergarten building at 20 - 22 Bowen Street and new rooms will be in use from the commencement of Term 3.
The relocation was followed by the planned future closure of the Casey Administration Building, which had been assessed as an “endof-life” asset by the Casey Council.
President Helen Bell said the new location was very local, which was good for their members.
“Council found it for us. They were very helpful. They gave us five or six options, and this was a really good option for us,” she said.
“They went out of their way to make sure that where they were putting us was something that would suit all our activities.”
Looking back, Ms Bell believed the organisation had been very lucky to be able to use rooms in the old site.
“It’s a long time,” she said.
“We’ve done a lot of work here quite recently. We’ve put in new cupboards to make the classes so much better.
“The improvements that we have made will be beneficial to the new place, which is really good.”
Ms Bell said the members were excited about the move.
“We’re really happy with the new premises because they’ve got wall-to-wall lighting,” she said.
“And we can sit in our classes, and we can look outside onto the beautiful gardens.
“I think it’ll be a good move, a fresh start for us.
“We’re a very happy bunch.We are very wel-
coming to people who want to come and join. Just come and join us.”
The Berwick Junior Football Club held its third annual FightMND Big Freeze event on the night of Sunday 16 June, raising $10,750 as well as breaking the national record for largest simultaneous ice bucket challenges.
Previously sitting at 107 participants, the BJFC now holds the record with 252 people for the Largest Simultaneous Ice Bucket Challenge.
BJFC club president Kate Murphy said “we are so proud to be able to give back to fight MND and support this charity”.
However, the fight against MND began long before the night’s charity event, with all 22 teams in BJFC donning FightMND socks during their games throughout the day.
“A huge thank you needs to go to all of our committee for their tireless work in organising this event,” Ms Murphy said.
Some prominent figures were also in attendance, namely Jan Daniher who was the club’s special guest for the night.
Berwick MP Brad Battin also took part in
the event, braving the slide and cold temperatures once more in “what a couple of freezing weeks it has been locally to take up the fight against the beast”.
“From Beaconsfield Junior Football Club Big Freeze Slide all the way to arch-rival Berwick Junior Football Club who all were fighting for the one cause, victory in research to find a cure for MND,” Mr Battin said.
Bruce MP Julian Hill was also one of the guests and sliders for the event.
“Berwick Springs Junior Football Club are to be congratulated for this great initiative, raising money for MND research.
“I’d be happy to help at any time, but it means even more to me as a dear friends, State MP Emma Vulin was recently diagnosed with MND; I’ve known Emma since she was 11 years old and it’s devastating news of a horrible disease,” Mr Hill said.
A plaque with a certificate was awarded to the BJFC to commemorate the night’s achievement, as well as a flag by the Australian Book of Records placed on the field.
The land affected by the application is located at:
22-23 Harries Court NARRE WARREN NORTH VIC 3804 Lot 18 LP 220971A 22-23A Harries Court NARRE WARREN NORTH VIC 3804
The application is for a permit to: Amendment to Planning Permit PA21-1009 (Two Lot Subdivision and Removal of Covenant R307202J (Lot 18 on LP220971A)
The land affected by the application is located at: 3 Carluke Close BERWICK VIC
and any documents that support the application at the office of the Responsible Authority.
The amendment seeks to: delete condition 1 (d) delete condition 1 (e) Condition 1 (f) to be amended to state: o Creation of a restriction on Lot 2 on LP220917A to control the location of a building to the location defined by the building envelope on the endorsed plans to the satisfaction of the responsible authority. Condition 13 amended to state: o Prior to the issue of a Statement of Compliance the following works must be completed: Removal of any structures within Lot 2 boundaries that are located outside the building envelope. Removal of any structures/infrastructure (paths, steps, paved areas etc) which transect Lots 1 and 2. deleted condition 16. It is intended that the existing structure formerly a dependent person’s unit (dwelling) is to be retained on Lot 2, rather than be removed.
The applicant for the permit is: Prime Land Consultants
The application reference number is: PPA23-0188 - (Selena Sparkes)
hours free of charge until the end of the period during which an application may be made for review of a decision on the application.
The Responsible Authority will not decide on the application before: 4 July 2024 If you object, the Responsible Authority will advise you of its decision.
may be made for review of a decision on the application.
The Responsible Authority will not decide on the application before: 4 July 2024
If you object, the Responsible Authority will advise you of its decision.
Berwick’s breakthrough win in the Eastern Football Netball League season did result in jubilant celebrations on the final siren that you may expect from a young underdog side.
It’s been a tough year for theWickers, forced to blood plenty of youngsters in a competition where the average age bracket far-and-away undercuts its competitors.
Tom Brennan remains of the few senior heads remaining at the club after a large exodus over the off-season, and has shouldered the captaincy duties in light ofWill Arthurson’s preseason knee injury.
On the field, he’s seen the maturity and growth from the new core of the team up close and personal, a crop including Noah Cannon, Caleb Van Oostveen, Caydn Lane, Braedyn Bowden, Elijah Roewer and Jasper Sullivan.
And no better was the maturity on display than in the face of mounting Norwood pressure on Saturday afternoon.
Norwood cut the lead to 12 points midway through the term, and the good work of threeand-a-half quarters threatened to come undone for the young Wickers at home.
With an average losing margin of 62 points in 2024, Clint Evans’ side has seldom been in a winning position, and could be forgiven for losing their heads in a pressure moment.
The closest they came was a 23-point loss to South Croydon the round prior, when Berwick was within a goal in the final term before conceding four goals in five minutes, letting the opportunity slip through its fingers.
With the latest loss coming the week before the long weekend, Brennan said the loss dogged them during the week off, but will act as a turning point in the season.
“We were incredibly disappointed over the last game and you could see in the players faces how much they wanted that win,” he said.
“That sat with us over the last couple of weeks and we took it into this game.
“That’s something we’ve been coming back to in the last couple of weeks, our mindset in those critical moments during that game, what we did right, what we didn’t and when we needed to keep cool heads.
“Unfortunately we didn’t in that game at a few pivotal moments.
“It was really just focusing on what was in
our control and that has been a big focus for us over the past couple of weeks.”
On multiple occasions in the fourth term, Berwick showed maturity beyond its years, understanding the game situation to a tee.
Jesse Cirulis and the midfielders capitalised on the ruck’s dominance by creating stoppage after stoppage and taking time off the clock in the process, while twice they slowly advanced the ball out the of backline with stagnant, uncontested marks that lead to its two final quarter goals, to Sam Frangalas and Majok Puok.
Even when Puok missed the potential sealer, a free kick against an opponent for apparent umpire abuse while standing the mark gifted him a second chance, one he duly converted to put the result beyond doubt.
9.10 64 to 6.10 46 read the final score, a result Brennan described as “reward for effort”, after a “challenging” beginning to the season.
“We really set ourselves for Saturday - in
the first quarter we came out and had a really physical mindset which resulted in us being able to get on the outside and hit on the scoreboard as well,” Brennan said.
“Credit to Norwood, after quarter time they made some changes and got it back on their side a little bit, which we had to respond to and battle it out for the next three quarters, it felt like. “That fourth quarter we were absolutely spent having not been in that position all year.
“I think a lot of those younger players hadn’t had that experience before, but credit to their maturity, they stood up and really got us over the line in the end, which was fantastic.”
The win lifts Berwick off the bottom of the ladder on percentage, and renews the prospect of escaping relegation come the end of the season.
Brennan said the concept has seldom been discussed internally, paying tribute to the culture and vibe at the club despite its predicament.
“It’s been pretty amazing to see (that) despite not having a win it certainly hasn’t felt that way around the club,” he said.
“That’s the culture that Boof and the coaches have really driven, being one tight unit and that’s something the younger players have brought into.
“I think a lot of them have stepped up in the sense that they can see that gap, and it’s probably ahead of where they needed to be in their career, but they’ve taken it in their stride and certainly matured a lot quicker than what was expected of them.
“We’re obviously putting in a lot of work in the back half of the season to ensure we get a few wins on the board and keep growing as a team.
“We know we’re not going to win week in week out but there’s so many wins with our players coming through and the development we’re seeing all around the club, which is fantastic to see.”
Melbourne Storm is targeting Melbourne’s south-east as it forms its inaugural Storm female development program.
Following the success of the Female Footy Festival held at the State Rugby League and Community Centre in Broadmeadows, the Storm is now establishing a new pathway for female players born in 2008 and 2009.
The Storm is holding three combines, the first of which was in Broadmeadows on Sunday 9 June.
The Storm west hub was held in Wyndham on June 16, while the southeast hub combine will be held at Casey Fields on Sunday June 23.
Rugby League in Melbourne’s south-east has taken off in recent times, with the Pakenham Eels and Casey Warriors becoming key players in the NRL Victoria landscape.
Casey Fields has long been regarded as a crucial facility for the growth of rugby league in the region, while the Pakenham Eels new home ground at Comely Banks Reserve has already hosted some key events on the NRL Victoria schedule.
Storm’s female pathway program manager Pauline Poloai said the initiative is exciting.
“There are 1300 females playing the game of rugby league in Victoria,” she said.
“We know there are girls wanting to aspire to play NRLW.
“This Is a starting point of introducing females to our Storm family.”
Poloai said the Storm was preparing to launch an NRLW team for the 2028 season and they wanted to build the foundations now to get more Victorian females playing.
The three combine testing days gives the development squad selectors an opportunity to assess some key areas.
They will identify the top 30 players and they will be part of a 12-week program overseen by Melbourne Storm coaches and staff,
before heading off on a three-day tour of New South Wales for trial matches.
“There will be off field education,” she said.
“We’ll also teach them the Storm system.”
Poloai said they had development programs for the men’s side, now they were looking to implement that for women.
She said they had targeted areas where they know there’s a lot of females
playing the sport.
Poloai said it was important to have Victorian-born players as part of the Storm’s female program.
Just five Victorian-born players have played for the Storm in the NRL; four from the Hume municipality.
“This comes off the back of these development programs,” she said.
“These programs give kids a first-hand look to see what the Storm program is.
“We have got some good talent in the north and also in the west and south.”
Storm chief executive Justin Rodski said the new development program will help the club lay the foundations for a pathway to NRLW.
“This is an exciting time for the female game in Victoria and we are ready to find the best young talent in the state,” he said.
“We want to give Victorian players the chance to play at the highest level, whether they come from rugby league or other codes.
“We know there is a lot of work to do to get the pathways rights, develop the talent we have in Victoria and have the facilities in place for our girls to train and play.
“We can’t do that alone and will be working with our commercial and government partners to give our female future stars the best possible chance to wear the purple jersey in the future.”
Narre Warren Football Netball Club has formally declared its intentions to join the Southern Football Netball League (SFNL) in 2025.
A general meeting on Tuesday 11 June saw the committee confirm to the club’s members that the wheels are officially in motion to depart Outer East Football Netball and join the Southern competition.
The move opens the door for the club to restore old rivalries with current SFNL clubs, depending on the division it is placed into, such as Cranbourne, Doveton, Keysborough and Hampton Park.
Narre Warren Football Netball Club President, Peter Lindsay said the club is looking forward to the move.
“We’ve got a firm belief that there will be a standard of football that is more consistent on a week-to-week basis,” Lindsay said.
“It’s football that’s closer to where we are.
“We’re looking forward to reacquainting ourselves with those rivalries and teams we’ve played in the past, and having more surety for our footballers.
“There’s no animosity from NarreWarren to Outer East, we just see Southern as a better fit as we move into the future.”
The netball club will move competitions too, with Lindsay reiterating the commitment to both programs.
“The netball club and football club are stitched at the hip,” he said.
“The netball division will be making plans for that move next year as well.
“When footballers are playing home games there’ll be home games of netball at our ground.
“When Narre (Warren) plays anyone with a netball court at the away ground, we’ll be playing games of netball at the away ground.
“We’ll have limited exposure to the central
netball courts at Dingley.”
It’s a second attempt to switch competitions in as many years for the Magpies, having unsuccessfully applied to join the Mornington Peninsula Football Netball League (MPFNL) in 2023.
The Magpies, Pakenham and Cranbourne all submitted applications as the MPFNL board seeked expansion to a third division, but member clubs voted not to accept them.
Should this application be successful, the SFNL Board will determine the Division that the Magpies will compete in.
Acceptance to the league is also determined by the Board.
SFNL Chief Executive, Lee Hartman chose not to comment.
How the Magpies’ potential departure will affect promotion and relegation in Outer East is yet to be determined, with the topic set to be high on the agenda at next month’s Board meeting.
The League announced in April that three teams will be relegated from Premier Division and one team promoted from Division One, with Premier returning to a 10-team competition.
Since the formation of Outer East Football Netball, the Magpies have been one of the league’s most successful clubs, winning senior football premierships in 2019 and 2022 and the A-Grade netball premiership in 2023, along with numerous premierships across reserves, Under 19s and veterans football, and lower grades netball.
Narre Warren’s undefeated streak has come unstuck to a familiar foe once again in the Outer East Football Netball A Grade netball competition.
Mt Evelyn was one of only two sides to clip the Magpies’ wings in 2023, and broke fourgame and nine-game winning streaks, respectively, in doing so.
On Saturday, it was a run of eight wins to open the season that came to a crashing halt at the hands of the Rovers, in a 51-44 result in Mt Evelyn.
It was the second term where the hosts made their move, outsourcing the defending champions 14-8 to take an eight-goal lead into the long break, never looking back.
The Magpies were stronger out of the gate after half time and cut the lead to six midway through the quarter before six unanswered goals from the Rovers grew the margin to the widest of the afternoon, at 12.
Erin Bell’s absence for the Magpies was keenly felt as they were kept to their equallowest score of the season thus far, after Wandin also kept the defending champions to 44 goals back in round three.
Grace Ioelu scored 27 and Piuti Laban 13 goals in Bell’s absence.
Keeping the Magpies in the 40s appears to be the key to knocking them off; while Wandin was unsuccessful earlier in the season in the aforementioned contest, the Magpies scored 42, 42 and 41 in their three home-and-away losses last season, and have dropped the second contest where they’ve been kept below 50 in 2024.
Led by Kaitlyn Black, Mt Evelyn’s defensive capabilities has made it a perennial contender in recent seasons - only Narre Warren has conceded less goals through the opening nine weeks of this season - and they appear to have a magic formula to get past the Magpies, despite Narre Warren getting the better of them in a tense preliminary final last season at Yarra Junction.
The loss sees the Magpies now equal on points with Wandin and just two clear of the Rovers in third, who have not lost since round
Wandin was far too strong for Olinda Ferny Creek, with a 20-7 third term helping the Bulldogs to a 62-34 result at home.
Emerald and Pakenham lead the pack of the next tier below the top three after both secured comfortable round nine wins to remain tied on 24 points.
The Bombers made light work of Berwick Springs in a 84-18 thrashing led by Kaylah Loulanting’s 42 goals, and Pakenham kept Woori Yallock to just 20 goals in a 56-20 win on the road.
Prior to Saturday,WooriYallock averaged 47 goals per game, but were kept in-check by the Lions’ all afternoon.
Eliza Molino returned to the lineup for just the fourth time this year to partner with captain Caitlin Cooke in the opposition goal circle, forming a formidable defensive duo.
ROC’s up-and-down form has continued, meanwhile, riddled in a pattern of inconsistency.
A six-goal haul to key forward Charlie Muley has propelled Beaconsfield to an 18.15(123) to 11.4(70) victory over bottom-side Wantirna South on Saturday.
The winless Devils went toe-to-toe with the Eagles in the first quarter, before Mick Fogarty’s top-three contenders put their stamp on proceedings either side of quarter time.
Late first-quarter goals to Hayden Brough and Josh Mounter set up a 13-point lead at quarter time, before Mitch Szybkowski and Muley – who was proving too strong for Luke Grima –opened up a 26-point advantage early in the second term.
The Devils replied with a steadier, but when Myles Currie, Szybkowski and Muley slotted six pointers the Eagles were 35 up at the major interval.
The home side threatened a revival, kicking the opening three goals of the third, but Muley and Currie then kickstarted an eight-goal-to-three run through to the final siren.
The Eagles were bolstered in the bigman department on the weekend, with key-tall Harrison Coe joining Mitch Szybkowski and Mackay Bateson on an impressive list of inclusions.
Focal-point Jafar Ocaa and Mitch Summers both missed on the weekend, while emerging talent Hayden Brown was a left-field selection for Collingwood in the VFL.
Muley’s half-a-dozen goals proved the difference between the two sides, while emerging tall Finn Devine gave Coe some superb support in the ruck.
LachieValentine, Declan Curran, Jack Docherty and Connor Mouat were all impressive performers in defence, while Devon Smith played a fine game through the midfield.
The Eagles, fourth, host seventhplaced North Ringwood at Holm Park Reserve this Saturday.
WANTIRNASOUTH
Beaconsfield Goals: Charlie Muley 6, Hayden Brough 3, Myles Currie 2, Kade De La Rue 2, Mitch Szybkowski 2, Darren Minchington, Joshua Mounter, Nathan Wright. Best: Finn Devine, Lachlan Valentine, Devon Smith, Declan Curran, Jack Docherty, Connor Mouat.
Saturday’s loss to Monbulk made it a fourth week of contrasting results, unable to penetrate the top six.
The Kangaroos are yet to defeat a side above them on the table at the end of round nine, and sees them in eighth place as a result.
Monbulk accelerated in the second quarter with a 16-11 goal term and scored double-figures in every quarter in the 58-43 result.
ROC had no answer for the towering Peri Reid, who nailed 42 goals for the Hawks.
Isabella O’Shanassy added 19 for ROC and Chloe Bell 13, with Bella Heppell and Amelie Mucic among their best.
Gembrook Cockatoo has slumped to seven losses in a row, having surrendered a promising start to its contest with Upwey Tecoma at home.
The Brookers held a seven-goal lead during the second term at 14-7 but was outscored 1537 from that point onwards in a 29-44 loss.
Alexix Bell and Brylee O’Neil were some of the Brookers’ best.
OtherGames: Doncaster 8.4(52) v Montrose 19.13(127), Mooroolbark 1.6(12) v Park Orchards 16.17(113), North Ringwood 15.6(96) v Bayswater 8.8(56), South Belgrave 15.10(100) v Mitcham 10.4(64). LadderR10: Park Orchards 36, South Belgrave 32, Montrose, Beaconsfield 28, Mitcham 24, Mooroolbark 20, North Ringwood, Bayswater 12, Doncaster 8, Wantirna South 0.
FixtureR11: Beaconsfield v North Ringwood, Bayswater v Doncaster, Mitcham v Mooroolbark, Montrose v South Belgrave, Park Orchards v Wantirna South.
A frustrated Daniel Charles has lamented the “selfishness” in his squad following what he described as Officer’s worst loss of the season on Saturday against Monbulk in Outer East Football Netball’s Premier Division.
Officer surged to a 17-point lead at the first break, having taken nine shots on goal to the Hawks’ two in the first term, but was outscored 56-27 from that point onwards in the 12-point loss, 8.8 56 to 10.8 68.
The desire to be involved and contribute to the early success caused a breakdown in the team’s approach, according to the coach.
“We’ve got too many selfish blokes wanting to do their own thing,” he said.
“We had a fantastic team start to the game, we had blokes playing really well and playing their role, then after quarter time I think there were some blokes that said ‘I want to be a star, I want to get more of the footy and kick chase’, so structures broke down and they (Monbulk) took advantage of it.
“The way we’re structured up, you can’t afford to chase the ball around.
“It leaves blokes vulnerable and that’s what happened.
“I think blokes have got to learn that they all don;t have to be Batman; we need some Robins as well.”
Trailing by 15 points at the final break, Officer launched a surge at the beginning of the final term and cut the lead to just three points, thanks to two quick goals to open proceedings.
Skill errors and wasteful possessions meant they could not whittle the margin any further, however, and resulted in an unwanted loss.
“We had our opportunities, we had almost 100 more possessions than they did for the day, but we turned it over; we only went at 46 per cent efficiency by foot.
“We had enough of the footy, our structure broke down through the second and third quarter but you’ve got to be able to get the ball in the good ball users’ hands, and if you can’t, pick the options you can actually make, not try and invent options that aren’t there and turn the ball over, which happened a lot.
“Some of our players get it and understand, it just takes some a little longer and they probably don’t understand why they can’t be superstars, because they’ve always done it.
“But when you’ve got better players around you, sometimes you’ve just got to play a supporting act.”
The win lifts Monbulk out of the relegation zone into ninth place, while a sixth-consecutive loss for Gembrook Cockatoo has the Brookers down to 11th.
Hosting Upwey Tecoma, the Brookers conceded stretches of goals and battled to hit the scoreboard themselves in the 4.9 33 to 11.9 75 loss.
The visitors kicked four consecutively in the first half and the final five of the contest in the second half, with the home side held goalless in
A senior debut at local level in round two on 13 April to a VFL berth for Collingwood on Saturday.
Beaconsfield’s Hayden Brown has enjoyed a meteoric rise throughout 2024, showing off his versatility at senior level in the Eastern Football Netball League Division 1 competition.
Having trained with Collingwood across preseason and earned a spot on the Pies’ VFL supplementary list, he was called up to debut against North Melbourne on Sunday.
Brown kicked a clean goal over his shoulder with his first kick at VFL level and showed glimpses of strong footy, particularly in the second half of Collingwood’s 12.7 79 to 18.12 120 loss.
The emerging talent was part of Beaconsfield’s under-19s premiership in 2024 and despite being squeezed out of the Eagles’ round 1 lineup due to the availability of several VFL
players, was always part of coach Mick Fogarty’s plans for 2024.
“He’s an inside and outside mid, his balance is really strong in that area, he knows when to hunt the footy and when to be on the outside and he makes really good decisions and his execution by foot is at the level,” said Beacy coach Mick Fogarty.
“He’s adapted very quckly to senior footy playing against men and he’s worked hard for it.
We were rapt for him to get the opportunity.
“We love seeing our Beacy kids go to VFL, boys who have come through our system and their talent allows them to get looked at.”
Brown is a product of Haileybury College, coached by First XXVII coach Matthew Lloyd as a schoolboy prior to his strong form at local level.
Doveton’s Deakyn Smith was in action against Brown and finished with 14 touches in a tidy performance.
the fourth term.
The Brookers desperately need to find other avenues to goal that don’t rely on Myles Wareham, and with Michael Firrito still sidelined, the options aren’t flush.
Caleb Marshall, Aaron Firrito and Brayden Weller continue to have excellent seasons in green, while Tiger goal sneak, Carmine Porcaro kicked six goals to make it 11 in the last two matches.
Pakenham, meanwhile, now boasts the second-worst defence in the competition after another heavy loss toWooriYallock.
With 810 points conceded in nine matches, only Berwick Springs has leaked more, with Pakenham falling 11.9 75 to 19.17 131 at Woori Yallock.
The Lions kept pace for two-and-a-half quarters, tying the scores after nine minutes in the third term at 58, but conceded 73 points in the remainder of the contest and scored just 17 themselves.
Jordan Stewart kicked four goals and Sam Kors three, while Zac Stewart played his first senior game since 2022 in a long-awaited return from injury.
Youngsters James Harrison and David Sollberger led the way for the Lions.
Woori Yallock’s win leaves them undefeated through nine rounds and sets up a mouth-watering clash with fellow undefeated side Narre Warren next week at Kalora Park Elsewhere, Wandin got the better of Olinda Ferny Creek by 12 points at home.
Casey’s women have opened up a fourpoint gap between themselves and eighthplaced Brunswick following a 3-1 victory over Mornington on Saturday.
Sam Wagg was the star, scoring a hattrick, with two of her goals from the Cannons’ only two short corners of the game underscoring their increased synergy from the set play, while her third was via a penalty stroke.
After racing out of the blocks and threatening early in the match, Casey conceded the first goal of the game as Mornington got them on a break away.
It was a rare lapse from the staunch de-
fence, however, led as usual by Michaela Bullock and Tegen Hyland, while their pressure allowed them to dominate territory.
“Our forward line press worked really well,” said coach Andrew Harris.
“We got lots of forward half turnovers which we’ve worked on at training and it came through on the weekend.”
Cardinia led 2-1 at halftime before a slight stutter early in the third following an injury to Emma Harris, but Cardinia was able to steady and hold on for a strong win.
Meanwhile, the men had a 4-3 loss to Craigieburn with Tristan Chaffey (two) and David Noney the goal scorers.
It sees them fall to fifth position, but they remain just a win away from second.
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