News - Pakenham Officer Star News - 7th August 2025 by Star News Group

Grinding victory

Pakenham showed admirable grit in grinding out a 51-44 triumph over Yarra Glen at Toomuc Reserve on Saturday August 2.

Pakenham regrouped to push the difference back out to six goals at the last change, before getting on top in an arm-wrestle fourth to claim the four premiership points.

Level up against criminals

By Afraa Kori

The “Level Up Against Car Theft” campaign empowers the community with practical steps to reduce their risk of car theft and to report suspicious activity to Crime Stoppers.

The campaign responds to dramatic increases in motor vehicle crime across the state. In the year to March 2025, 31,551 vehicles were stolen in Victoria, a 47.1 per cent increase year on year. Thefts from vehicles also rose sharply, reaching 82,414 offences, a 39.3 per cent jump from the previous year.

Cardinia Shire has not been spared. The latest crime data shows that stealing from motor vehicles was the most common offence, nearly doubling from 589 to 1,149 incidents in just one year.

Pakenham recorded the highest number of criminal incidents, with 3,782 offences in the year to March 2025 up from 2,999 the year before. Officer followed with 1,169 incidents, a significant rise from 783. While Beaconsfield saw a decline, dropping to 422 from 783, other areas experienced increases. Emerald recorded 185 incidents, up from 125, and Kooweerup rose slightly to 216, up from 182.

While police are actively pursuing offenders, vehicle owners have an important role to play in prevention. The campaign encourages the use of straightforward anti-theft items such as OBD port locks, steering wheel locks, Faraday pouches, and anti-theft number plate screws, which are small investments that can make a big difference.

Stella Smith, Chief Executive of Crime Stoppers Victoria, said vehicle crime is no longer just random or opportunistic.

“Car crime might seem like bad luck, but in many cases, it is calculated and preventable,” Smith said.

“That is why we are urging Victorians to take simple, proactive steps. Locking your car, parking in safer spots, removing valuables, and using anti-theft devices can all make a real difference.”

Victoria Police Detective Inspector Julie Macdonald, from the Vehicle Crime Squad, said po-

lice are arresting a significant number of offenders in possession of key reprogramming devices, as police intelligence shows as many as one in five of all cars are disappearing despite their owners retaining the keys – indicating the use of this technology.

Machete safety disposal bins

The ban on the sale and possession of machetes will soon be in effect.

Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Police Anthony Carbines revealed a machete safe disposal bin and announced all the statewide bin locations on Thursday 31 July.

Premier Jacinta Allan said: “These knives destroy lives – so we’re taking them off the streets.”

“Victorians have zero tolerance for knife crime and so do we – we’re enacting this ban and boosting Victoria Police’s powers because community safety always comes first.”

From 1 September, owning, carrying, us-

ing, buying, or selling a machete without a valid exemption or approval will be a criminal offence.

More than 40 safe disposal bins will be available 24/7 at police stations across Victoria, including Dandenong Police Station, Cranbourne Police Station, and Pakenham Police Station, to allow people to safely dispose of machetes during the amnesty period, which will run from 1 September to 30 November 2025.

The heavy duty steel bins are roughly 900 millimetres by 1200 millimetres in size, with a 70 millimetre concrete base to ensure they are

secure and have feet to allow for safe removal.

A public awareness campaign launched this week calls on Victorians to surrender their machetes during the amnesty or face up to two years imprisonment or a fine of more than $47,000.

Agricultural workers who use machetes as part of their job and machetes that are used in a traditional, historical, or cultural capacity will be exempted. Anyone covered by an exemption must comply with strict conditions and be able to demonstrate eligibility if asked by police. To choke the supply of machetes, the State Government ordered them off

“These devices are turning up more and more at search warrants, while we’ve also seen some of our most prolific youth offenders using them to steal cars that are then used to facilitate further serious offending,” Macdonald said.

“In recent times, our Operation Trinity units have caught youth offenders throwing these devices from the car moments before being arrested.

“One of the biggest concerns for police is the increasing risk created on our roads as the number of stolen cars rises.

“These vehicles are often driven at extreme speeds, and as a result, we’ve seen a sharp spike in the number of collisions involving stolen cars, with 760 in the twelve months to March 2025.

“Police are continuing to target car thieves, as well as engaging with impacted manufacturers to address these technological advances, however we also implore the community to consider how they can foil tech savvy thieves.”

Smith said Crime Stoppers provides a trusted and anonymous platform for people to share what they know.

“Every piece of information counts. Whether it is dashcam footage, CCTV footage, or crime information, your report could stop a car theft or help prevent further harm.”

“We all have a part to play,” Ms Smith said. “Let’s make it harder for car thieves to operate in Victoria.”

shelves with an interim sales ban announced in May. This led to Amazon removing them from sale across the country.

Since then Consumer Affairs Victoria inspected more than 470 retailers to enforce the ban, with only seven stores and one market vendor found to be breaking the law.

The machete ban builds on the State Government’s other new laws to end the scourge of knife crime, including strengthening the bail test for knife offences and increased stopand-search powers for Victoria Police.

Further details are available at: vic.gov.au/ machete-amnesty.

CEO of VACC, Peter jones and a crime stoppers employee at the campaign launch.

Victoria Police Detective Inspector Julie Macdonald, Stella Smith, Chief Executive of Crime Stoppers Victoria and Ella (victim of car theft). (Supplied)

Council joins fraud inquiry

By Afraa Kori

Cardinia Shire Council has fronted a parliamentary inquiry into fraud and corruption controls in local government, highlighting the unique risks and accountability challenges faced by fast-growing outer suburban municipalities.

Interim CEO Peter Benazic and Mayor Cr Jack Kowarzik attended the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee (PAEC) hearing at parliament on 28 July. The committee is examining fraud and corruption controls across local government, following two critical reports from the Victorian Auditor-General in 2019 and 2022.

In a written submission, Cardinia said the challenges faced by interface councils go beyond typical issues like procurement or IT systems.

“In some respects, the challenges for interface councils are not significantly different than those faced by all Council’s in areas of procurement, information technology, corporate card use and general controls,” CEO Benazic said.

“The most significant differences are in the planning space and need to respond to rapid provision of infrastructure and development approvals. Interface councils are often required to undertake land acquisitions, deliver unplanned infrastructure and enter into agreements with state agencies with little control over time, budget or ability to be fully transparent with its community.

“Due to the confidential nature of these matters and the lack of transparency, these can be areas that either invite fraud or create allegations/perceptions of fraud and corruption and need to be closely monitored.”

Cardinia highlighted the critical role of leadership in shaping a transparent culture.

“Culture is set from the leadership of the organisation at both Councillor and Executive level. It is recognised that the role of the Mayor is critical in supporting this,” Benazic said.

To strengthen governance, Cardinia has implemented new technology systems to improve reporting and transparency around procurement and expenditure.

These efforts have been “well supported by council, who have supported the organisation by recognising the ongoing efforts to improve governance and transparency”.

The council’s most recent induction program included a presentation from IBAC’s David Wolfe and a session with Maddocks’ Mark Hayes on the risks when “the lines become blurred” between operational and governance roles.

But despite improvements, council leaders

noted that calling out inappropriate conduct remains difficult.

“Particularly in the area of corruption the impact is greatest on Executive in terms of being asked to question or call to account Councillors,” Benazic said.

“This can be a challenging and complex role for Executive to play, particularly when matters can either be grey or based on hear-say.”

On cybersecurity, the council acknowledged its systems are vulnerable.

“The complexity and diversity of these systems makes it challenging to implement uniform cybersecurity measures across all departments,” Benazic said.

“Cardinia has a number of legacy systems that may not support modern cybersecurity measures. Upgrading or replacing these systems is costly and timeconsuming, leaving vulnerabilities that can be exploited.”

Benazic said “Cardinia has borrowed significant funds to upgrade its enterprise systems” but striking a balance between operational efficiency and rigid controls for a “large and diverse workforce is challenging.”

The submission also expressed concern over integrity agency resourcing. Cardinia described delays in investigations and little transparency around outcomes.

“There appears to be an under-resourcing of integrity agencies which is leading to delays in outcomes being achieved or communicated,” Benazic said.

One example involved a self-report to the Local Government Inspectorate in September 2024 regarding corruption allegations around a suburb naming proposal. As of July 2025, the council had received no response.

“There seems to be no ability for LGI to provide any information including estimated time to respond. There appears to be little appetite for ‘early intervention’ when a councillor’s conduct is becoming an issue.”

Cardinia called for reform in how complaints are handled during election periods, highlighting a “significant issue of councillor behaviour in the lead up to the 2024 elections.”

“Council’s feedback being that this is not a transparent process for voters and has a negative impact on councillor relationships in an already tense environment,” Benazic said.

On internal processes, Cardinia confirmed it employs a dedicated Fraud Officer, reports regularly to its Audit and Risk Committee, and includes fraud controls in its strategic audit plan.

The PAEC is due to table its final report by 20 November 2025.

VCAT makes it oﬃcial : Shed happens in Emerald

By Shamsiya Hussainpoor

A proposed outbuilding at 123 EmeraldMonbulk Road will go ahead, following a decision by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) to uphold and vary a planning permit issued by Yarra Ranges Shire Council, despite strong objections from a neighbouring landowner.

The case was brought to VCAT by Carolyn Tesselaar, who lives directly to the south at 121 Emerald-Monbulk Road. She appeared at the hearing alongside Joe Tesselaar, arguing that the proposed 180m outbuilding would impact the rural character of the area and have negative effects on her property’s amenity.

Yarra Ranges Shire Council had issued a Notice of Decision to Grant a Permit in September 2024, prompting Ms Tesselaar’s application for review under section 82 of the Planning and Environment Act 1987. The Tribunal heard the matter in May 2025, and conducted a site inspection in June before handing down its decision last week.

In her submission, Ms Tesselaar said the building - with a five-metre wall height and nearly six-metres at its peak - would be significantly larger than other sheds in the neighbourhood and too close to the property boundaries. She also raised concerns about overshadowing and visual intrusion, particularly on the rear portion of her land, where she plans to undertake horticultural activities.

However, VCAT Member Tracy Watson found that the proposed development did not cause unacceptable impacts in the current context. Ms Watson said in the statement that the

affected area of Ms Tesselaar’s property is, at present, a vacant open grass area with no active land use requiring protection.

“I am sympathetic to the applicant’s desire to protect her future horticultural activities,” she said. “However, I need to consider the existing physical conditions of the subject site and surrounds, rather than any possible future conditions.”

The Tribunal determined that, due to the more than 50-metre distance between the proposed shed and Ms Tesselaar’s dwelling, any visual impact would be minor. Although there may be some oblique views from the neighbouring house, they were not considered significant enough to warrant refusal of the permit.

Ms Watson also addressed the broader issue of neighbourhood character, a key focus of both the Green Wedge A Zone (GWAZ1) and the Significant Landscape Overlay (SLO6) provisions that apply to the area.

While acknowledging that the proposed outbuilding is “relatively large compared to many of the existing examples,” Ms Watson said the design and siting of the shed made it acceptable in context.

The structure would be located in the southwest corner of the block, behind the existing house, and setback approximately 92 metres from the road. Importantly, it is sited at a low point of the land and will not interrupt key views or ridge-lines.

“The outbuilding is not expected to be visible from major roads, landscape features and vistas,” Ms Watson said.

“This is a positive aspect of the proposal and contrasts to some other existing outbuildings in the area…that are positioned closer to Emerald-Monbulk Road.”

The Tribunal found that outbuildings are already a common feature along this section of road, including several examples of similarly sized or boundary-adjacent structures at nearby properties.

It was also noted that the new shed would only cover 5.35 per cent of the site, with total site coverage remaining under 14 per cent - well below that of several neighbouring properties.

The permit was ultimately granted, with conditions requiring amended plans showing external materials in a dark ‘Monolith’ colour, detailed site levels and earthworks, and the preparation of a site environmental management plan.

Additional requirements include stormwater drainage measures and compliance with bushfire protection standards.

Melbourne Water has also imposed specific conditions, including a 30-metre buffer from the nearby Menzies Creek and environmental safeguards during construction.

Construction must begin within two years and be completed within four unless an extension is granted by Council.

While the decision may disappoint Ms Tesselaar, the Tribunal made clear that the outbuilding, although large, fits within the planning framework and physical context of this part of Emerald.

Cardinia Shire Mayor Cr Jack Kowarzik with interim CEO Peter Benazic. (Supplied: 494693)

VCAT approves shed at rear of Emerald property despite neighbour concerns. (173239)

Rethink “priorities”, says Cr

By Afraa Kori

A record number of grant applications has pushed Cardinia Shire’s 2025–26 Wellbeing Support Grant Program to its limits, with more than $130,000 in community requests going unfunded prompting calls from several councillors for change.

Council received 92 applications this year, the highest to date, seeking a total of $232,148 for local initiatives to improve health, wellbeing, and social inclusion. Following assessments, 54 applications were approved, with $102,810 distribute, leaving more than a third of projects without funding.

Council ultimately endorsed the funding recommendations unanimously at the 21 July meeting, with 54 projects supported across three streams: volunteer support grants ($10,342), seeding grants ($57,581) and small change grants ($34,000). Two councillors, Cr Casey Thomsen and Cr Liz Roberts, declared conflicts of interest and did not participate in this item.

Speaking at the meeting, Cr Trudi Paton called for a rethink of the program’s priorities, pointing to the $132,000 funding shortfall as a sign of unmet community need.

“One of the things that I noticed was that the Volunteer Subsidised Training Fund, which is a

State offering I imagine, seems to be cited as alternate funding for many of the applications that weren’t successful,” Cr Paton said.

“I hope that in the grant funding guidelines for next time and in the information workshops highlight this is the source for certain types of funding requests so people don’t waste their time applying going forward.”

From a higher level, Cr Paton had “a real issue with the amount of funding that this Council provides to sporting clubs by comparison with the wider community initiatives”.

“If we were to remove sport and rec clubs from this wellbeing grant, I think that you would see better dividends for the whole shire,” she said.

Mayor Jack Kowarzik pushed back on that suggestion about removing sporting groups, clarifying that a few received wellbeing grants this round.

“I think that criticism is one that I hear a lot about councils and I think it’s mostly fair but probably not in the case of well-being support grants, probably in the case of other funding streams,” Cr Kowarzik said.

“In terms of this actual well-being support grant fund, not many sporting clubs applied.

Through the other grant funds, absolutely, like Community Capital Works, it’s often footy clubs and sporting clubs.

“Through well-being support and through the work of Kym Ockerby and the officers who work in this space, they do a fantastic job of making sure that our funds get wider into the community than just sporting clubs.”

Deputy Mayor Cr Alanna Pomeroy welcomed the high number of applicants as a sign of the grant program’s importance.

“Council received 92 well-being support grant applications, which I think is a great result really,” Cr Pomeroy said.

“It shows the importance of these grants. It shows that there are so many volunteers within our community helping each other out.”

Responding to earlier criticisms from Cr Paton about “government interference” in the Liveability Plan Review, Cr Pomeroy took a different view in the context of the wellbeing grants.

“Before Cr Paton was talking about government interference, I actually see these ones as great government interference,” Cr Pomeroy said.

“We’re in there helping people do what they want to do to improve health and well-being, support volunteer development and build the capacity of our community organisations.”

Cr Collin Ross warned that increasing bureaucracy and out-of-pocket costs were becoming poison to volunteering, making it harder for

grassroots initiatives to survive without meaningful support.

“With volunteers there are certain things they can give their time, but as soon as bureaucracy gets in the way or too much money out of their own pocket gets in the way, it becomes so challenging to have their volunteer hours be put to the best use that it can.

“Sometimes it actually stops them from going ahead and being able to run what they want to run. Hopefully Council can participate in this way a little bit to help them out.”

Cr Samantha-Jane Potter raised concerns that the grant process is missing a vital human touch and urged Council to improve communication with CALD communities and people with disabilities.

“I would like to once again advocate that it’s important we do our best across the board, that communication be inclusive and clear,” Cr Potter said.

“Supporting them to actually get through that helpful human touch is so important. So we can support them to do the amazing work that they do in our community.

“I encourage you to apply again if you didn’t get funded this time. Please speak with Council staff and reframe your application. Allow the Council the opportunity to support you.”

Strongman needs your help to reach championships

By Afraa Kori

When Cook Islands-born strongman Jonathan (Jono) Nelio steps onto the global platform at the 2025 World Natural Strongman Championships in Ireland, he’ll be lifting far more than weights.

The Clyde North resident, will be lifting his heritage, his community, and the hopes of his daughter cheering from the sidelines.

To help him get there, a fundraiser has been launched by his father-in-law, Justin St Mart of Pakenham, aiming to raise $10,000 to cover flights, accommodation, registration fees, equipment transport, and essentials.

“I actually never asked anyone for money — I couldn’t bring myself to do it,” Jono said.

“It was my amazing in-laws who stepped up and did all the asking on my behalf. I’m incredibly grateful they did, because without them, this fundraiser wouldn’t even exist.”

Jono has earned the rare honour of representing both the Cook Islands and Australia — two places that have shaped who he is.

“The Cook Islands is my homeland — it’s where my roots are,” Jono said.

“But Australia is where I became a strongman, where this journey really took off. So, to carry both flags on the world stage feels like bringing together who I am and who I’ve become. It’s something I carry with pride and a deep sense of gratitude.”

Now three and a half years into his strongman career, Jono’s commitment is all-natural.

“Back home, we didn’t even have the internet, so I didn’t know strongman was a thing growing up,” he said. “But the moment I saw these massive units lifting stones and flipping tires, I was hooked. It lit something up inside me.

“My inspiration came from binge-watching legends like Brian Shaw, Eddie Hall, Thor Bjornsson, and Big Z.” Jono recently placed fifth at Australia’s Strongest Man 2025, a milestone that gave him confidence heading into world championship qualifiers.

“I knew I had a shot at the podium. So, when I qualified, it wasn’t a shock — it was more like, “Let’s go!” I just wanted to dive straight into prep,”

Jono said.

“Funny story though — during the final event of that comp, which was a max Atlas Stone load, I went for a 210kg stone. Got it off the floor, lapped it, was just about to load it… and boom! Lost balance and dropped it right on my right leg. So yeah, that delayed the prep a bit! But all part of the game.”

In Cranbourne, training is tough, intense, and relentless, especially with family and work in the mix.

“It’s almost second nature now — not being

in the gym feels weirder than training,” Jono said.

“Of course, there are days when I just want to head straight home to my family. But you remind yourself why you started and how far you’ve come.”

His weekly routine includes deadlifts, yoke runs, overhead pressing, sandbag tosses, monster dumbbell, and brutal cardio-style events.

“It’s been full-blown strongman cardio — and by that I mean sprinting 15 metres with a 130kg sandbag in your arms until your lungs give out.”

Jono’s pride in his Cook Islands heritage runs deep and it’s a key part of his journey.

“Our culture is filled with strength — physical, spiritual, and cultural. Whether it’s clearing land for taro, hauling rocks off the beach, or just the stories of our ancestors we learned in school — strength has always been in our DNA.

“My goal is to inspire the next generation of Polynesians. We might be small in number on the world stage, but we’re mighty. I want to show that our people belong here too.

“My goal is simple — to show up. There aren’t many Polynesians in this sport, and I want to represent us proudly. I want to go full throttle, give it everything I’ve got, and do it with a smile on my face (unless I’m flat on the floor gasping for air ). A podium would be amazing, but honestly? Just making an impact is the goal.

Jono’s dream is not only to compete — but to share the experience with his biggest supporters: his Partner (Chloe) and young daughter (Ma’lia).

Having his family with him in Ireland would mean the world. It would allow him to stand on that global stage with his loved ones by his side, proudly representing his roots and showing his daughter what it means to chase a dream wit passion and perseverance.

“After every comp, all I want to do is scoop them up in my arms. They’re like human chargers — as soon as I hug them, I’m recharged,” Jono said.

“When your people are on the sidelines yelling your name, or sending you love from back home… it hits deep. I’m forever grateful. It can bring this big ol’ strongman to tears.”

As a proud father-in-law, Justin says the support so far has already shown what’s possible when a community believes in one of its own.

“Every donation, no matter how small, helps bring this vision to life — a strong Cook Island athlete, backed by love and community, standing tall among the world’s best,” Justin said.

“Let’s get Jono to Ireland and show the world what Cook Islands (Polynesian) strength is all about.”

To donate visit gofundme.com/f/get-jono-tothe-world-strongman-champs-in-ireland

Jono. (Supplied)

Jail after preying on minor

By Cam Lucadou-Wells

A 23-year-old man has been sentenced for a sexual act with a child in her grandparents’ house in the South East three years ago.

He was found guilty by a Victorian County Court jury of sexually penetrating the then-15 year old in a bedroom at night in 2022.

The man was found not guilty of four alleged sexual offences against another child under 16, who was also the victim’s sister.

At the time, the then 20-year-old man was living at the grandparents’ home.

The victim was visiting. She was asleep when the man entered the bedroom. And she told him twice to stop.

It was a place that the girl should have felt safe, Judge Michael McInerney said in sentencing on 5 August.

Further, the victim was related to the man’s partner.

It had resulted in a deep family rift, according to the victim’s mother. She told the court that “we don’t feel that part of family is family now”.

In sentencing, Judge Michael McInerney

Dumped Demons coach is no fan of Casey Fields

By Cam Lucadou-Wells and AAP

The tyranny of distance – it’s why Casey Council is calling for the AFL to bring more elite footy closer to its suburban fans in the growing South East.

But a 10-word parting shot by terminated Melbourne AFL coach Simon Goodwin on 5 August that “probably what I won’t miss is driving down to Casey” shows that distance argument runs two ways.

Goodwin was referring to the Demons’ training base at Casey Fields in Cranbourne East –about 50 kilometres from the MCG by car.

He hoped that a touted permanent base at inner-suburban Caulfield Racecourse would be “up and running soon”.

Last week, Casey mayor Stefan Koomen pleaded the case for more AFL “in the suburbs”.

“It is hard for residents in Casey to see their heroes play, which I fear is fast becoming a thing of the past,” he said.

“I’m talking about the journey for a Casey resident to see their team play—because from some parts of our municipality, it can take up to two hours to get to the MCG.

“That’s not just inconvenient—it’s a barrier to participation. We want our kids to grow up with access to elite sport in their own backyard.”

While the AFL has recently purchased Waverley Park and continues to push for a team in Tasmania, Mayor Cr Koomen said it’s time to look closer to home.

“We currently have the population of Canberra living in Casey, and in 15 years we will be

noted the offence still clearly impacted on the victim and her mother three years later.

The charge carried a six-year standard jail term with a 15-year maximum. Other adults needed to be deterred from similar acts.

Despite the prosecution calling for a straight jail and parole sentence, the judge opted for a ‘combination’ sentence.

Judge McInerney noted the man had endured unusual series of four aborted trials and other delays.

He had no prior criminal record, an excellent work record but a “difficult” upbringing

marred by domestic violence.

His risk of reoffending was assessed as low. He was said to be at risk of deportation, and being separated from his partner and children.

The man was jailed for nine months, fined $8000 and put on a supervised three-year community correction order of 200 hours of unpaid work as well as therapy.

His jail term includes three months of pre-sentence remand. He will be on the sex offenders register for 15 years.

Proposed business tax reform may boost GDP

A Productivity Commission (PC) proposal to change the way businesses are taxed would boost Australia’s GDP by $14 billion with no net cost to the budget over the medium term, the commission claims.

Draft recommendations in the new interim report, creating a more dynamic and resilient economy, would see the company tax rate fall by up to 10 percentage points for businesses with revenue under $1 billion (the vast majority), lifting business investment and productivity growth.

Lower company tax rates are likely to attract more overseas firms to invest in Australia, help people start and grow businesses, and strengthen the ability of smaller Australian firms, which contribute the bulk of capital investment, to compete with larger ones.

Company tax would remain at 30% for firms earning over $1 billion. If the net cashflow tax is effective, it could be expanded over time and fund broader reductions in company income tax.

Regulating to promote business dynamism

The interim report also finds that the ever-growing thicket of rules and regulations faced by business is significantly limiting productivity growth.

In consultations for its inquiry, the PC heard that businesses have faced a growing regulatory burden over the past two decades. In the ACT, for example, the average time a house builder must wait for a planning decision is nearly six months. In New South Wales, it takes an average of nine years to get approval to build a windfarm.

the size of Tasmania,” he said.

“Why wouldn’t we expect the AFL to seriously consider what they can do for this region? They did it for Ballarat, and that’s been a success. Casey is next.”

Recently, Greater Dandenong mayor Jim Memeti called for an AFL stadium in the South East to boost the dwindled ranks of local Aussie Rules juniors.

“If the AFL are serious, they’d look at building a stadium in the South East,” Cr Memeti said.

“If the kids are going to games, they’ll want to play and this will increase participation.

“Theyneedastadiumtoattractthe1.5million people in the South East – we don’t go to games of footy often because it’s now too far away.”

However Cr Koomen said Casey wasn’t asking for a new stadium but to “build on what we already have”.

Located in Cranbourne East, the multi-sport precinct Casey Fields is home to the Melbourne Football Club’s elite AFLW team and serves as their key training base.

Casey Fields hosts regular-season VFL and VFLW Casey Demons and Melbourne Football Club AFLW games, as well as pre-season AFL matches.

“Melbourne Football Club and the Casey Demons have been incredible partners—but they can’t do it alone,” Cr Koomen said.

“It’s time for the AFL to step up and bring elite footy back to the suburbs.”

One of Casey’s key advocacy points is to improve access to Casey Fields by extending the Cranbourne railway line to Clyde.

These cuts would be coupled with a new 5 per cent net cashflow tax that supports companies’ capital expenditure by allowing them to immediately deduct the full value of their investments. Together, the changes could increase investment in the economy by $8 billion while being revenue-neutral over the medium term.

“If we don’t get our economy moving again, today’s children could be the first generation to not be better off than their parents. We need to spark growth through investment and competition – the best way to do that is to fix our company tax system,” said PC deputy chair Dr Alex Robson.

“Our proposed reforms will begin to shift the company tax system towards one that better supports investment and productivity growth.”

Capital expenditure by all non-mining firms is down 3.2 percentage points as a share of GDP since the end of the global financial crisis in 2009.

The 1.2 million Australian companies that earn below $50 million (on 2022-23 figures) would see their company tax rate fall from 25% to 20%, while the rate for around 7000 companies earning between $50 million and $1 billion would drop from 30% to 20%.

The reduction in Australia’s headline company tax rate would move Australia from having one of the highest to one of the lowest statutory rates for small and medium-sized firms in the OECD.

“You need so many licences and approvals from different levels of government to start a cafe in Brisbane that the City Council introduced a check list with up to 31 steps to guide people through the process,” said Commissioner Sterland.

“Regulation is important, but over-regulation is a handbrake on growth. The Government needs to cut through the thickets of regulation that are slowing us down and ensure any new regulations are made with growth in mind.”

The report urges the Australian Government to make a clear public commitment to reducing regulatory burdens, and ensure new regulatory proposals face greater Cabinet and Parliamentary scrutiny.

The Government should set clear expectations for regulators to look for ways to promote economic growth, while continuing to ensure that Australians are protected against avoidable harms. The PC also recommends the appointment of an independent statutory commissioner to give more power to the Office of Impact Analysis, which scrutinises all proposals for regulation.

The PC is now accepting submissions on these reforms to inform the final report that will be released later this year. This interim report is the first of the five pillars of productivity inquiries that the PC will publish over the next three weeks setting out ambitious but achievable reforms to boost Australia’s productivity.

Casey deputy mayor Melinda Ambros and mayor Stefan Koomen want the AFL to bring more football to the suburbs. (Supplied)

The Productivity Commission proposal has made draft recommendations. (File)

Sarab’s growing ambitions

By Violet Li

An owner of a Cranbourne multicultural gym has won big at a state bodybuilding championship, while continuing to build a tight-knit fitness community.

SarabSinghGill,ownerofFitbaseCranbourne, has recently won gold in the Masters division (age over 40) and bronze in the under-80kg division at the 2025 Victorian Natural Championships.

Sarab started bodybuilding in 2018. His passion didn’t just stop at sculpting his own physique — he also focuses on building a supportive, inclusive community within his gym.

His sporting background, including a postgraduate degree in physical education, a diploma in sports coaching, and years of competitive athletics in India, laid the groundwork for him to take over the local gym after Covid.

“I’ve done my first competition in 2018 or 2019. Since then, I’ve competed in various big competitions. I went to the World Championship in 2023. And then, I started competing in international competitions as well,” Sarab recalled.

“In the meantime, after Covid, I spoke to the owner of the gym. He was losing interest in the business, and obviously, my background was sports and fitness, so I was very happy to take over this place.”

Since taking over nearly four years ago, Sarab has overhauled the gym floor, expanded the space, added a dedicated women’s training space, upgraded equipment, and introduced new systems and services, all aimed at creating a more welcoming, respectful training environment.

“Whatever money we made, we’re just buying new equipment, providing better service, doing better cleaning, creating a more professional system,” he said.

“We are on the right track, and the members are beautiful.

“We got a separate ladies’ training area, which is very good for ladies because sometimes what happens is, migrant ladies, they don’t like to train outside in the main hall. They feel very uncomfortable.”

Having lived in the area for more than a decade, Sarab said it is a very compact community.

“It’s not like we are the owners and they are the members, and we don’t have any mutual relationship,” he said.

“Instead, we help each other. We talk. We build a friendly environment in the gym.

“Apart from this gym, if someone has got any issues or stuff like that and they want to talk to us, they feel free to talk to us.”

Behind the scenes, Sarab lives a highly disciplined life. His daily routine includes a one-hour cardio session every morning, followed by structured meals every three to four hours, strength training, and consistent recovery.

His philosophy is that he could be a better person through bodybuilding.

“It (bodybuilding) teaches me a lot of thingshow to respect food, how to be more disciplined in your life,” he said.

“We don’t go out to the parties because we don’t have time. Even if you have to go out for the party, we will eat our own food. We don’t actually eat outside food.”

He credited his discipline to his parents, like his mother, also an athlete, who remains a strong presence in his life.

When asked how people can improve their self-discipline, Sarab said they have to build up

some motivation to be a better person.

“Not only physically, but socially, emotionally, we have to be better. This is our job as humans,” he said.

“Because God has given us this life, we have to respect this life. We need to respect everything: your food resources, your water, your air, your body, your mind.

“Obviously, we have to be financially strong. It’s a general point. Everybody likes to be rich and famous. But at the same time, we have to be

responsible for our own bodies as well.

“Body is the only thing that is yours. You have to look after your body as well as your mind. A healthy mind will always stay in a healthy body.”

Sarab has a message to aspiring bodybuilders, or anyone looking to improve their health.

“First, they have to be very disciplined,” he said.

“They have to build a good relationship with good nutrition, good food, so they cannot have a good physique while having bad habits.

“They have to rest, recover, improve their sleep, drink lots of water and then train regularly.

“These are the basic things, but there are a lot of other things we can add on, such as how to train, and you need to have a trainer as well.” As he prepares for his next competition this weekend, Sarab’s focus remains the same: not just on winning, but on inspiring others to chase their best and building up a community in his gym.

Free pads and tampons program set for expansion

Victorians will soon be able to access free pads and tampons at even more locations throughout the state as the program expands.

The southeast is home to a swathe of these machines, as the State Government’s $23 million program aims to make it easier for women and girls to fully participate in in public life, whether at work, study, sport or for fun.

Berwick is home to two locations and four machines; two in Chisholm at 25 Kangan Drive, and another two at the Casey Monash Health Hospital. Down south, Cranbourne’s Chisholm in New Holland Drive is home to a single machine, but there are three additional ones at the Royal Botanical Gardens.

Out in the east, Pakenham is home to three locations: one at Pakenham Library, another

at Living Learning Pakenham, and another in the Cardinia Cultural Centre.

Further southeast in Kooweerup, the Regional Health Service is home to one machine, located in the waiting room.

Closer to Dandenong, Doveton Library is home to a single machine, located at its entrance, while another is inside Dandenong Library. There are two machines in the Monash Dandenong Hospital, two in Chisholm Dandenong, and another in Dandenong Oasis.

Noble Park’s Queen Elizabeth Centre is home to two machines, while the Noble Park Aquatic Centre and the Jan Wilson Community Centre are home to one machine each.

Springvale Library houses three machines, one for each level, with another machine

down the road in Chisholm Springvale.

Minister for Women, Natalie Hutchins, said that “whether you’re at a footy final or on a school excursion, you shouldn’t have to worry about access to pads and tampons”.

“We’re delivering free pads and tampons in public places right across Victoria, and now we’re making it a reality at some of our most iconic venues, saving Victorian families thousands of dollars every year,” she said.

Hutchins joined the Melbourne Vixens on Monday, 4 August, to launch the expansion of the program at the State Netball and Hockey Centre in Parkville.

More than 500,000 people visit the Centre each year, and more than 80 per cent of them are women and girls.

It is also one of the 20 major venues now providing free access to period products, with the Royal Botanic Gardens in Cranbourne among the list.

According to the official state release, one in five women and girls report that they can’t afford the period products they need every month.

Since the launch of the program in November 2024, more than 90,000 pads have been dispensed, with councils across the state also asked to help nominate venues to ensure that products are available in every corner of the state. For more information on the nearest locations near you, visit www.betterhealth.vic.gov. au/free-pads-and-tampons

Sarab Singh Gill, owner of Fitbase Cranbourne. (Gary Sissons: 493200)

Sarab Gill took over the gym over four years ago and expanded and improved the space over the years.

We’re building the Metro Tunnel and there will be disruptions

As part of Victoria’s Big Build, we’re building the Metro Tunnel and its five new underground stations, with three stations now complete. Work is continuing on two stations, and we’re testing trains through the tunnel to make sure they operate smoothly and safely.

While we work, disruptions could affect your travel

Train disruptions:

Cranbourne and Pakenham lines

4 August to 8.30pm 8 August

8.30pm 8 August to 10 August

Buses replace trains between Dandenong, Cranbourne and Berwick

Buses replace trains between Westall, Cranbourne and East Pakenham

11 to 13 AugustBuses replace trains between Westall, Cranbourne and Berwick

16 August and 17 August

Each night, 16 and 17 August

Passengers change at Caulfield station for Frankston Line trains to and from the city

Buses replace trains between Caulfield, Cranbourne and Pakenham

Road disruptions: Closed ramps and road

Bald Hill Road, Pakenham

Princes Freeway, Berwick

Until early October West of Racecourse/ Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Road

Until mid NovemberCitybound exit ramp to Clyde Road

Clyde Road, Berwick 10 August to late November Warragul-bound entry ramp to Princes Freeway

Kangan Drive, Berwick At times, Sunday 10 August to Wednesday 20 August At Clyde Road

Town Hall Station

New, inclusive cafe opens

By Violet Li

A new cafe that serves social inclusion and pre-employment experiences has landed in Cranbourne.

Wellcare GG Cafe, under NDIS support provider Wellcare Australia, held its official grand opening on Monday 4 August. The new inclusive Cafe is located at the Food Court of Cranbourne Park Shopping Centre.

Cafe manager Jithu Devasia said they would provide free training to participants with disability for about two to three hours a day.

“We’ll give them the training. Once they are confident, we will help them with the CV. We’ll do multiple mock interviews, give them the confidence to apply for other jobs,” he said.

“We can give them the reference. It’s all about equipping people with disability as much as possible.”

Mr Devasia said they had already received a lot of interest, and in two to three weeks of time, the paperwork would be done, and they would start onboarding people for their training.

He pointed out the Cafe was all about seniors, and people with disability, and they, as well as their companions and healthcare staff, would receive a discount on all hot drinks.

Looking back on how the Cafe initiative was started, Mr Devasia said they found that when people with disability came to them for support, they found it really difficult to get a space to work.

“Everybody says that equal opportunity, but when it comes to real-life scenarios, things could be different. The reasons are that they are not trained enough or they don’t have enough confidence in themselves,” he said.

“We found that gap, especially with our participants, we find that it is making them really upset and more anxious and more depressed, and they’re going back to square zero where they started from.

“That’s why we came up with this idea to fill that gap, so our participants will be able to or everybody with a disability will be able to lead a normal life as much as possible.”

The discussion started in August last year, and the current Cranbourne site was located in March this year.

“It took a while to renovate and sort out the rest of the things,” Mr Devasia said.

More sites will be coming soon, with the next one in Frankston, he shared.

Calls to unblock land in Casey to aid housing aﬀordability

By Violet Li

As growth area development plan approvals have slowed in recent years, Casey Council and developers are concerned that reduced land supply has impacted housing affordability, while planning experts urge that essential infrastructure should be extended before new suburbs are established.

Victorian Planning Authority (VPA), which is under the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP), approved two Precinct Structure Plans (PSPs) in 2023-24, completed five in 2022–23 and nine in 2021–22.

The approval number for 2024-25 is unknown now, as the annual report hasn’t been published yet.

PSP is a blueprint for developing new suburbs in growth areas, outlining land use, infrastructure, and services needed to support future communities. Four PSPs are currently in progress in Casey’s growth areas: Croskell (Employment), Casey Fields South (Employment) and Devon Meadows, and Clyde South.

City of Casey Manager Growth and Investment Kathryn Seirlis noted that the Minister for Planning last approved a residential PSP in Casey in 2019.

“Since then, the development of existing zoned residential land in Casey’s growth areas has reduced available supply, which has impacted affordability,” she said. “To maintain housing affordability in Casey, it’s critical that the Croskell (Employment) and Casey Fields South (Employment) and Devon Meadows PSPs must be finalised in the next 12 months, and that preparation of Clyde South PSP is expedited to ensure delivery by 2028.”

Linda Allison, chief executive officer of UDIA Victoria, a peak body for Victoria’s urban development industry, said there’s quite a scarcity of

greenfield land supply in the South East.

“It’s a very popular part of Melbourne. There’s not a lot of supply left, and so we would like to see the government make sure that there is funding for key infrastructure like overpasses, so that that land can be unlocked,” she said. “Otherwise, affordability is really going to be difficult in the South East because if there’s a shortage of land, then the prices are only going to go up.”

Ms Allison said some remaining PSPs were “quite complex”, which might be one of the reasons that the approval had slowed down over the years. Other common challenges included drainage and water, cultural heritage, and essential infrastructure.

“The third element is really about infrastructure, what the government is prepared to invest upfront in terms of infrastructure to make those PSPs actually work,” Ms Allison said. “We’ve seen a strong preference by the government, and it’s in the VPA’s publications, particularly the 10-year greenfield plan, that they’re not wanting to roll out PSPs that have large infrastructure requirements by the State. That’s particularly frustrating for my members in the industry in the sense that we’re trying to get housing on the ground, and sometimes it’s

a road duplication or an overpass or a piece of infrastructure of that nature that is holding up the delivery of those new houses.”

Last year, the State Government released its 10-year plan for Melbourne’s greenfield, a framework for industry to plan for 180,000 homes across the newest suburbs under 27 new PSPs, including the aforementioned four in the City of Casey. According to the State Government, the 27 greenfield plans will be developed and sequenced over three-time horizons. The horizons provide a program of work to deliver the PSP over the next 10 years, balancing the delivery of residential and employment areas as well as infrastructure capacity. Target completion for PSPs is 3-4 years from commencement, with a goal to reduce this by about a third.

The use of new planning tools and delivery pathways will be explored as appropriate to reduce timeframes further. The State Government shared that they work closely with industry to identify opportunities to reduce plan preparation times and ensure that the right issues are being considered at the right time.

Dr Marcus Spiller from SGS Economics and Planning said there is no point in establishing new PSPs if the funding is not available to support the extension of essential infrastructure into these areas. Dr Spiller’s view has been widely shared in the Clyde and its surrounding communities, as residents have been calling for the extension of the Cranbourne Metro Train Line to Clyde for a long time.

Dr Spiller noted that Melbourne’s sprawl had reached the stage where it could be compromising the State’s economic productivity.

“Residents moving to a new outer suburban area in the South East growth corridor in 1996 (Lynbrook) could at that time reach almost a quarter of Melbourne’s entire pool of jobs within a 30-minute drive,” he pointed out. “People

moving into Pakenham East will only be able to reach 5 per cent of the metropolitan area’s jobs.

“This means that some people will be underemployed. There is clear evidence that a significant proportion of workers moving into the growth areas can’t find or get to jobs that match their qualifications. This acts as a drag on productivity.”

Ms Allison said the approval stall was a disappointing result for the industry she advocated for.

“We, as an industry, would want to see a strong and steady pipeline of land, ready to be zoned,” she said.

“So many of our members are either looking to develop or have acquired land in these future PSPs.

“And so, obviously, they’re looking for certainty about when the PSPs are going to be approved because that’s when they are able to then put in planning applications for master planned communities and so on.”

When inquired about the reasons why approvalshadsloweddownovertheyears,aDTPspokesperson said: “Last year we announced our 10-year greenfield plan, Victoria’s longest ever pipeline of new land for new homes and backyards that are great for big, growing families.

“This includes recently establishing a new dedicated concierge service for greenfield subdivisions to assist councils and industry in unlocking constrained and underutilised zoned land, by identifying and addressing issues preventing development.”

Croskell (Employment) PSP is expected to be completed by this year: vpa.vic.gov.au/project/ croskell/

VPA is reviewing public submissions on the Casey Fields South (Employment) and Devon Meadows: vpa.vic.gov.au/project/casey-fieldssouth-devon-meadows/

Cr Kim Ross, Lochlan McLeod, Casey Mayor Cr Stefan Koomen, Cranbourne MP Pauline Richards, Cr Melinda Ambros, Cr Shane Taylor and Geoff McMaster attended the grand opening of the Wellcare GG Cafe. (Stewart Chambers: 492372)

Baristas Nandini and Tommy helped Casey Mayor Cr Stefan Koomen make a coffee.

Local guitarist and singer Michael Prizeman performed at the grand opening event. Chefs Aman and Palak.

Casey Council is concerned that the reduced land supply has impacted housing affordability. (FILE)

Alliance ready to act

By Ethan Benedicto

A step in the right direction to tackling hidden homelessness in the southeast has been made as the Southeast Homelessness and Housing Alliance officially launched on Thursday, 31 July.

Spearheaded by the City of Casey, Cardinia Shire, the City of Greater Dandenong and a swathe of local community organisations, the event, held at the Lakeside Community Centre in Pakenham, marks a significant milestone not just in addressing the homelessness issue, but also the lack of housing and other resources needed.

Shari McPhail, a speaker from the Alliance and the general manager of homelessness and housing from Wayss, led the event by touching on what many community organisations, such as the Casey North CISS, have dubbed ‘hidden homelessness’.

Speaking to Star News after the event, she said that “homelessness doesn’t stop at municipal borders, and neither should the response”.

“That’s why service providers, community organisations and councils across Cardinia, Casey and Greater Dandenong have come together to form the Alliance.

“This is a new collaborative initiative focused on long-term coordinated solutions to housing insecurity in our region,” she said.

The event was attended by roughly 100 people, many from community organisations, and some from branches such as Victoria Police.

Part of the Alliance were groups such as the Casey North CISS, Wayss, Launch Housing, Ermha 365, Southeast Community Links, and Southern Homelessness Services Network.

City of Casey councillors, Kim Ross and Anthony Walter, were also in attendance; reflecting on the launch, Walter said that it was significant, and “extremely important and always has, and always will be”.

“We need to be proactive and advocate for those who can’t advocate for themselves,” he said.

For Ross, she said that the Alliance was a “step in the right direction”.

“I look forward to working on the actions with the other councillors, and also speaking with the council about this.

“And we’re working with the community too; for me it’s the focus on the youth, those who aren’t safe at home or have nowhere else to go, and for us as a community stepping up for them,” she said.

The event also featured a strong panel of speakers, something that McPhail described as a “panel of unlikely partners” due to their different fields of expertise, but the same ultimate goal of addressing homelessness.

Among them was Leanne Mitchell, a government worker serving as the panel moderator, and Brian Power, a lived experience advocate who shared his personal perspective on how mental health challenges can lead to homelessness.

Also part of the panel was Sharyn Ling, the community care manager of Fellow Bless Collective, Jack Dinkgreve, a land management professional from Parks Victoria, and Kelly Bendon, assistant principal at Lyndhurst Secondary College.

On a personal note, McPhail said that she felt “invigorated and excited about the fact that these organisations supported by the councils are coming together to try to break the nexus that we have”.

“Each of our organisations is doing amazing work, but we need to work together and work more with the community so that we can get real change.

“It’s really important to be sharing those stories because the face of homelessness has changed over the decades.

“So, who you might think of as being homeless, or actually who you might see, potentially people sleeping rough, that’s only the tip of the iceberg,” she said.

She added that there are many who living in rooming houses, in overcrowded situations, and

many who are couch surfing and temporary accommodation with no guarantees.

“We know that with our community information support services, we see them as like the canary in the coal mine and we’re so pleased that they’re in this alliance with us because people who have never experienced this situation before don’t know that they need to come to Wayss if they’re experiencing or at risk of homelessness because they’ve never had to interact with that

Early intervention key to prevention

By Ethan Benedicto

As a crucial step was taken to address homelessness with the formation of the Southeast Homelessness and Housing Alliance, conversations around underlying causes were rife, especially among the youth.

Kelly Bendon, assistant principal at Lyndhurst Secondary College, spoke at length about how mental health and properly addressing the needs of a growing person are integral steps that need to be taken to prevent the possibility of homelessness.

As the senior school’s improvement and successful pathways leader, she spoke on the importance of well-being, mental health and communication, with behaviour playing a key role.

“We will see students that are acting out, through either physical fighting, swearing, or it could be through avoiding school,” she said.

“And through that, we’re often having conversations with our students to unpack what’s actually going on for them, and trying to find out what the root cause is.

“At times, we’re seeing a lot of students sleeping rough; we saw a lot in the past where students are couch surfing, going between friends’ homes.” Bendan said that it’s not uncommon for her and her peers to see students as young as those in Year 7 “sleeping in parks”.

In turn, it highlights for them the work that is

needed at a much earlier stage when it comes to tackling homelessness as a whole.

While the school itself is equipped to handle mental health work, their initial initiative of turning to child protection could prove to be more “apprehensive” for them than helpful.

“There are a lot of young people who haven’t had any experience with child protection, many with experiences of domestic violence,” Bendan said.

“So for them, they’re very apprehensive actually to connect and engage with these people.

“For us, it also means that there is a lot of work to do; we’ve sat in the school at time up to 7pm at night where we’re giving dinner to these kids because they won’t disclose what’s wrong or what’s going on, and at the end of the day they don’t have a safe place.”

Bendon added that one of the riskier times of the year is towards the end of terms, recounting that it is a time when students go into a long period without the safety and security of school.

“For many of our students, school is that safe place,” she said.

“We have kids that will rock up at 7:30am and stay after school until it’s really late just because they don’t have a safe place to go after that.”

Kelly Bendon, assistant principal at Lyndhurst Secondary College, spoke on the importance of early intervention in preventing homelessness.

(Ethan Benedicto: 493590_10)

Backpacks 4 VIC Kids, Victoria Police, as well as other services and organisations, are often partnered with the college, in what Bendon sees as “schools becoming one-stop shops for everything”.

“We have social workers at the school, we have a number of mental health clinicians, so we’re trying to provide that holistic service to young people.

“This is where schools are no longer just about teaching literacy and numeracy; we’re providing everything we can, but we can’t do it alone,” she said.

Stressing the importance of collaboration, Bendon said that having an overarching organisation, such as the Alliance, provides not only multiple avenues of assistance but also the logistical prowess to aid and cater for those in need.

“We’re all really eager to connect with our community services so that we can intervene early for these young people,” Bendon said.

before,” McPhail said. Helen Small, from the Casey North Community Information Support Services, was also in attendance at the event.

She said that seeing all the organisations under one roof, in the same alliance with three local councils, “it’s just fantastic”.

“It’s amazing really, the amount of support we’ve seen in this room, all we can hope is that people will come together and work together to make a difference,” she said.

Still time!

Time is running out to win the journey of a lifetime!

Entries close at noon on Thursday, 14 August, so don’t miss your chance to win an eight-day Viking “Rhine Getaway” river voyage for two, valued at $16,190 – including return airfares. Thanks to Viking and this local newspaper, one lucky reader will enjoy a luxurious cruise departing Basel, Switzerland on 22 November 2026. Cruise through four countries, explore historic towns and UNESCO sites, and enjoy Viking’s signature cultural experiences.

Have you entered yet? Act now before it’s too late! Visit starnewsgroup.secondstreetapp. com/Win-a-European-river-voyage-with-Viking

Cr Anthony Walter, Cr Kim Ross, Shari McPhail, Cardinia Cr Trudi Patton, Cardinia Cr Liz Roberts, and Cardinia Cr Colin Ross. (Ethan Benedicto: 493590_14)

Members of the new Alliance, alongside the panellists, gathered for a photo to commemorate the launch. (Ethan Benedicto: 493590_15)

From left to right: Leanne Mitchell, Kelly Bendon, Jack Dinkgreve, Sharyn Ling and Brian Power.

What is ‘unreasonable’?

By Violet Li

A Casey ratepayer was shocked to learn that she has been placed under an Unreasonable Complainant Conduct (UCC) Register after sending no more than five emails to councillors and council executives in a week.

Casey Council’s UCC policy is in place to help the council manage behaviour from people making complaints. The policy aligns with the Victorian Ombudsman’s good practice guide.

Jillian Nambu, a mother of three, said she had been treated unfairly by Casey Council. She questioned whether it was a means to stop her from contacting councillors on community issues.

She is also calling for a review of the UCC policy ahead of its compulsory review in 2028.

She said the placement had been causing her a lot of stress, and she cried for two days after learning the news last week.

“I was crying because I’m not an aggressive person. I believe people deserve respect,” Ms Nambu said.

“I’m just there trying to bring up issues that I think are important, that the community cares about, and I care about.

“And then it made me feel like I had done something so horrible that I must be put on a register.”

In a notification letter to Ms Nambu on 20 June, a council officer notified her that her conduct had been found to be “unreasonable” under the following two categories:

•Unreasonable persistence – directly emailing the executive leadership team and councillors on numerous different occasions, rather than directing communication to Customer Service for processing

•Unreasonable demands - making demands for council staff to change processes or expectations around council operations, such as the council meeting registration process or public questions

The letter specified the history of the council’s dealings with Ms Nambu that eventually led to her placement under the UCC Register, including her emailed queries about the Council Meeting Registration Process, Youth Services Review, and Council Meeting public question time process.

Ms Nambu sent an email under the subject of “Youth Services” on Thursday 19 June, to a relevant council officer, all councillors, and several executive officers.

According to Ms Nambu, she raised a question regarding youth services at June’s Casey Council meeting, but believed she didn’t get the response she wanted.

“I asked a question at the council meeting, and I felt like it was a response but not an actual answer,” she recalled.

Ms Nambu sent another email on the same day, with the subject of “attendance requirement for reading of public questions and answers”. The email was sent to a generic council address, all councillors, and several executives.

“I agree that the safety of all attendees to council meetings must be taken seriously, and I appreciate it, thank you. However, I hope you are now considering new ways to allow full participation into the meetings by residents,” she wrote in her emails.

“Additionally, you must do something about the fact that residents must attend the council meeting in order for a public question to be read and responded to. I understand that all valid questions are still read and can be found in the minutes, however, it is democratic that ALL sub-

mitted questions are read in front of all attendees at council meetings…

“I urge the Council to commit to reading and responding to all submitted public questions, regardless of the resident’s ability to attend in person, starting from the next meeting.”

A day after these two emails, Ms Nambu was placed under the UCC Register.

Ms Nambu had also earlier initiated email chains on the proposed Hampton Park Waste Transfer Station to all the councillors and the executives in June.

But this topic did not seem to trigger the UCC policy, as it was not mentioned in the letter notifying her that she was on the UCC register.

Ms Nambu is still trying to understand the ramifications of her placement on the register.

The notification letter said Casey would begin reviewing her engagement with council officers, and the council would appreciate it if she could utilise Customer Service as a means of contacting Council.

“This will ensure that your enquiry is managed in line with the Council’s Customer Service Charter. In doing so, you will be provided with an RM number, which better allows staff and you to ensure that the enquiry is managed end-to-end efficiently and appropriately,” the letter states.

“Council request that you please cease contacting Council Officers and Councillors directly, as this leads to inefficiencies and duplication of responses.

“Failure to cease these behaviours may result in Council implementing additional measures in line with our Unreasonable Complainant Conduct Policy, such as taking more direct action regarding any further communications you have with Council.”

She was also encouraged to write to only her local ward councillor, not all councillors to avoid “duplication of workload”.

According to the UCC policy, the UCC Register allows the council to take steps like limiting contact to written communication, restricting which staff they can speak to, and, in rare cases, stopping contact altogether.

The policy states that these actions are only taken when necessary and are reviewed regularly.

Once aware of her placement under the UCC Register, Ms Nambu wrote to Casey Council to object to the decision. Councillors were also copied in.

She believed that her emails had not been unreasonably persistent nor unreasonably demanding, and the placement decision was made subjectively.

She also questioned why she should not directly email councillors.

“The City of Casey is our democratic local government, so why can’t people discuss democratic and inclusivity issues surrounding public questions and council meetings with the council?” she wrote.

“Also, why can’t these issues be discussed with elected councillors and council staff as part of a democratic government?

“Where does it say that people must contact customer service and never anyone else? I can’t find anywhere where it says not to email council staff. Please help me locate that information.

“Am I really not allowed to contact councillors? I thought they need to hear the voices of their residents to actually represent the residents. We live in a democracy.”

A council officer emailed her a day later, stating that they “acknowledge her advocacy and intention to represent the interests of children and the broader community”.

Libraries fold for a cause

Connected Libraries is joining the statewide “Houses at Parliament” campaign to raise awareness of homelessness in Victoria.

Across all libraries, staff and library visitors are folding paper origami houses to symbolise the growing number of Victorians experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and to show that everyone deserves a safe and secure place to call home.

“This simple but powerful activity is a way for our community to stand in solidarity with people doing it tough,” CEO Beth Luppino said.

“Libraries are safe, inclusive spaces, and we see firsthand the impact that housing insecurity can have. Everyone deserves to feel supported,

“However, after a review of the pattern and frequency of your recent correspondence, it was determined that the actions met the criteria outlined in the UCC policy.”

Casey’s Manager Communications and Corporate Governance, Chloe Casey said the council cannot comment on specific resident circumstances or management under UCC.

“The Unreasonable Complainant Conduct Policy was first endorsed on 22 June 2015. It explains what unreasonable behaviour from complainants looks like and outlines how Council

can deal with it. The goal is to reduce the negative effects this kind of behaviour can have on staff, resources, and other people accessing Council services,” she said.

“Each case is looked at carefully. People are told in writing if any restrictions are placed on them, why it’s happening, and how they can ask for a review. Being on the register usually lasts for a year and is reviewed annually.”

When asked how many people are placed under the UCC Register, the council did not share the number.

connected, and cared for.”

Homelessness affects more than 30,000 people in Victoria on any given night, with growing numbers of women, children, and older people among those most at risk.

Community members are invited to visit their local library to fold a house and learn more about the housing crisis and what can be done to help. Origami templates and information are available. Drop into a Connected Libraries location to show your support or to learn more about the campaign, visit: vhn.org.au/housesatparliament

493679)

Casey resident Jillian Nambu, a mother of three, is shocked to learn that she has been placed under an Unreasonable Complainant Conduct (UCC) Register. (Stewart Chambers: 494114)

Casey resident Jillian Nambu, a mother of three, is calling for a review of the Council’s UCC policy ahead of its compulsory review in 2028.

Helen and Sunny from Connected Libraries with folded paper origami houses. (Stewart Chambers:

100 Days of School

At Cardinia Primary School, we’re proud of our strong community spirit and country charm. With around 200 students, we truly live our motto: “A Caring Family School.” Every child is known, supported, and valued, thanks to our dedicated staff who work hard to help each student reach their full potential.

Recently, our Foundation students celebrated a major mileston—100 Days of School—marking all the amazing ways they’ve grown in the last 100 Days!

We are proud to be part of the Resilience Project, which equips our students with valuable emotional and psychological skills. This program plays a key role in supporting student wellbeing and improving learning outcomes.

Our school is rich in tradition, and these events are treasured by students, families, and staff alike. We begin each year with a Whole School Beach Picnic to help everyone connect. Our Buddy Program fosters kindness and responsibility among students, which really shines during our Whole School Sleepover and Camp. Family involvement is important to us—we host a wide range of community events, including movie nights, Family and Friends Day, Show Day, special celebrations, an Art and Science Show, and a much-loved Christmas Concert

We offer specialist subjects in Science, Performing Arts, Visual Arts, and Auslan. Our Eco Zone gives students hands-on experiences in sustainability, including learning to grow their own food. We also run a variety of staff-led lunchtime clubs, giving students extra opportunities to explore their interests.

We’re currently welcoming Foundation 2026 enquiries, including from families outside our zone. If you’d like to tour our vibrant school, please contact our friendly office staff to book an appointment. You’ll find us on the corner of Ballarto and Cardinia Roads, just a short drive from , and Pakenham.

100 Days of School

Roundabout ﬁnally open

By Violet Li

After three years of construction, the long-awaited South Gippsland Highway and Ballarto Road roundabout is now open, with lane closures to continue for defect repairs throughout August.

A City of Casey spokesperson said as of Friday 1 August, Council opened the South Gippsland Highway and Ballarto Road roundabout in all directions.

“There are defect repair works to be completed throughout August that will require intermittent lane closures to complete finishing works,” they said.

“Traffic management will be in place while we are completing these final works.

“We thank the community for their patience. Further details can be found on the Council’s website.”

According to the Council’s website, from Tuesday 5 August, there will be some traffic management in place and lane closures (dependent on weather conditions).

The northbound slow lane will be closed while final works are completed. Lane closures and traffic management will be in place between the hours of 7am to 5pm daily. The roundabout will be fully open and operational outside of these hours.

Once this stage is completed, crews will move to the northbound fast lane and also close the side street entrance closest to Holbourne Drive. Works will be completed on drainage, kerbs, and the installation of signs and fencing.

To be able to complete the final wearing course layer of asphalt and permanent line marking on the northbound carriage way, construction crews will require a 24-hour closure of the northbound carriage way. This will be the final major construction activity required to complete the project.

Intermittent lane closures will be required to complete finishing works for the construction crew’s safety.

Cranbourne Gardens Ward Cr Michelle Crowther said as a local resident, she had shared the community’s frustration about the delays on this project and the impact on traffic flow and driving times.

“Most importantly, we must learn the lessons from this project and avoid it occurring again in the future,” she said. “I am advocating strongly that Council should not take on any more State Road Projects, to reduce our financial risk and prevent ratepayers’ funds being used to complete State Roads.”

Star News has reported multiple times that Cranbourne and the surrounding community said they were tired of the roadwork.

Casey Council converted the South Gippsland Highway and Ballarto Road intersection into a roundabout intersection to accommodate the growing population in the area, but the project faced a $2 million budget blowout, on top of the proposed $11 million, due to unexpected underground stabilisation and time extension costs.

One resident living near the roundabout con-

Graﬃti frustrations grow for residents

By Ethan Benedicto

Community distaste for the graffiti plastered on the train track overpass on Clyde Road has reached a boiling point, as councillors and residents gathered in a push for action.

On the sunny afternoon of Thursday, 31 July, Akoonah Ward councillor Scott Dowling, accompanied by Cr Kim Ross, Cr Anthony Walter, and several locals, voiced the “disrespect” and indignity of Berwick’s identity by the tagging.

“That is offensive to everyone, and graffiti encourages graffiti; we need to stamp it out now,” Dowling said.

The train track overpass is a relatively new feature for Clyde Road and Berwick as part of the State Government’s Level Crossing Removal Project.

A road underpass was constructed beneath the train line, and the old track borders featured new barriers, which are now littered with white spray paint.

Richard, who lives nearby and drives under the pass regularly, said that “this is fairly new and we want to keep it as pristine as we can”.

“The residents are upset at what they have to look at every single time we drive down here; it’s a slur on the community, too.

“There’s also some artwork there that’s now been covered over, so we need to protect that,” he said.

Dowling was adamant that something should be done to clean the graffiti, also touching on safety concerns about how the works’ perpetrators were able to tag the barrier in the first place.

First voicing his concerns to Metro Trains Melbourne (MTM) and Public Transport Victoria (PTV), considering that the overpass and barriers are under the State Government authority, Dowling received a response that PTV is not required to remove graffiti from buildings, structures and fences, unless it is deemed to be offensive.

Offensive graffiti is defined as anything that

depicts political, religious, racist, sexist, sexually explicit or any other materials that could be reasonably considered contentious; at that point, only the offensive section would be removed.

“I think there is something we [the council] can do about it, because this is going to get out of hand,” Dowling said.

“The council offered to do something about it, but we were told no, and several residents have also written letters and have gotten the response that they can’t do anything about it.

“They need to let the council do something about it, because this is a blight on our town.”

Berwick MP and Opposition leader, Brad Battin, is also on the same boat, adding that earlier in the year, he wrote to the Minister for Transport Infrastructure regarding the removal of the graffiti.

“The response I received stated that Metro is ‘required to remove graffiti in accessible areas of train stations within 24 hours’.

“However, the Minister also stated that ‘priority is given to all rail assets in accessible locations and where large areas of graffiti can be removed with the resources and time available’.

“At the end of the Minister’s response, they said that ‘the location and type of graffiti requires a more complex removal process… MTM is currently working through an appropriate approach to remove the graffiti and required permits’.” Battin said.

He added that the delay and prolonged process is a “symbol” from the state government that they have “stopped prioritising the protection of public property”, a sentiment shared by Dowling, the other councillors and residents.

Sandra, a Berwick local, said that looking at it, almost every single day, “is just awful”.

“It’s time it was addressed, I mean, people say it’s just paint, but why don’t we just litter all the streets then?

“Berwick’s always been a nice place to be in,

it’s got that nice village atmosphere, and the graffiti doesn’t help, it really lowers the standard,” she said.

A media release by the state government in 2023 detailed that they will be delivering an extra $5.5 million for cleaning up the state’s road network.

As it stands, Dowling said that the City of Casey has a “zero-tolerance” approach to graffiti and vandalism, with him, alongside the residents, hoping action can be taken on the overpass.

struction site talked to Star News and expressed frustration over prolonged inactivity and poor planning. He questioned how original project estimates overlooked underground services and called on those responsible to be held accountable.

Casey Council suggested earlier that the construction would be completed around July 2025.

After three years of construction, the long-awaited South Gippsland Highway and Ballarto Road roundabout is now open, with lane closures to continue for defect repairs throughout August. Star News’ Stewart Chambers visited the roundabout on Monday 4 August. (Stewart Chambers: 494022)

Cr Scott Dowling (left), Cr Anthony Walter (top right) and Cr Kim Ross (right), accompanied by residents who have grown frustrated over inaction on the graffiti on Clyde Road. (Ethan Benedicto: 493693_04)

Celebrating 50 proud years

St James Catholic Primary school at Nar Nar Goon commemorated its 50th anniversary with a day of festivities on July 25.

A celebratory Mass led by Bishop Greg Bennett began the celebrations. The Bishop was joined by along with Catholic education leaders including members of the Director of Diocese of Sale Catholic Education Limited DOSCEL Paul Velten, special guests, current and former families, staff, students and members of the school and parish community.

The school choir led the singing of the school song, supported by song writer/musicians, Bern Hance and Andy McDermott. The commissioned crosses to commemorate the occasion were Blessed and gifted to every student, past Principal’s Cath Briant, Wynn Dortmans and Andy McDermott along with the Bishop and Director. As guests arrived at the church, they were greeted by Year 6 students and were gifted with a St James’ medal and three shells, as represented in the staff of St James carried on his Pilgrimages and the Holy Trinity (Father, Son, Spirit).

Principal Ms Rebecca Kollaris said the anniversary marked an incredible milestone for the school.

“It was an amazing day. Everything went well, from the celebration in the Church to the planting of olive tree in the afternoon. The olive tree serves as a symbolic link to the Walk of St James also known as the Camino trail in Spain. The trail is a network of pilgrimage routes leading to the shrine of St James in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. As always, our students were simply amazing and had a delicious lunch.”

Students were gifted with an anniversary cross and a small gold shell as a commemorative keepsake.

About St James’ Primary School, Nar NarGoon St James’ Primary School is part of the Parish of Iona – Maryknoll. The school was established in 1975 to serve the Iona, Maryknoll and Nar Nar Goon communities and parish following the clo-

WHAT’S ON

Western Port Down Under Community Conversations

Join us at WMYC for an inspiring evening as we introduce Western Port Down Under, a community education campaign. Led by marine biologist Sheree Marris, this initiative is set to celebrate the unique marine wonders of Western Port and we need your input to shape its future.

What to expect:

• A sneak peek at the documentary teaser

• An insight into the campaign’s vision and impact goals. A chance to share your stories, local knowledge and ideas

• Opportunities to collaborate and get involved

• See the vision. Share your voice. Shape the legacy.

• Aug 13, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

• Light supper provided

• Location: Warneet Motor Yacht Club, 21 Rutherford Parade, Warneet, RSVP 10th August: sthmst729@yahoo.com.au

• www.westernportdownunder.com.au

Narre Warren & District Family History Group August meeting

The guest speaker for the Annual General Meeting of the Narre Warren & District Family History Group is local author Patrick Ferry. Those who did not come home

Eighty years ago, in August 1945, the news that WW2 had ﬁnally ended was received with joy and relief in communities across Australia. At the same time, families and communities mourned loved ones who would never return.

To mark the 80th anniversary of the end of WW2, award-winning local historian Patrick Ferry will be sharing stories of Pakenham residents who lost their lives during WW2 and the families who mourned them.

The Meeting starts at 2 pm Saturday 16 August at 110 High Street Road Berwick. Cost is $5 and visitors are most welcome.

• Contact president@nwfhg.org.au or phone 0412 084671 for more information

Banksia Festival

Join the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria and the Cranbourne Friends for an exciting series of lectures, workshops, art and craft exhibition, book and plant sales, guided walks, to celebrate

sure of former Catholic schools at

The school is located on 5 acres in the rural town of Nar Nar Goon, offering a balance of proximity to the urban growth corridor while still enjoying the positive aspects of a rural environment.

the Banksia.

• Saturday 16 August to Sunday 24 August at Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne.

Berwick Bridge Club

Enjoy playing cards? Are you looking for some exercise for your brain that is both fun and challenging?

Berwick Bridge Club is looking for new members. There are two free beginner’s courses.

One starting Friday morning 5 September from 10am to 12pm and the second one on Monday night starting 8 September from 7 to 9pm.

Both courses run for 10 weeks. Lessons are held at Brentwood Park Neighbourhood House, 21A Bemersyde Drive, Berwick.

No partner is required.

• To reserve your place, please phone Maree on 9702 2348.

Scrabble in Berwick

• Fridays 9.30am-12.00pm at Berwick Neighbourhood Centre, 112 High Street, Berwick. Details: David, 0433 566 456.

U3A Casey – Activities for Seniors

Are you a senior, aged over 50, who is semi or fully retired?

Are you looking to keep your body and mind in top shape?

Then … U3A Casey is for you!

With over 580 members and 75 different classes, U3A Casey offers you a wide range of activities including Arts & Crafts, Music, Book Clubs, Social Clubs, Low-Impact Sports, Fitness, Cooking … and many more.

You can attend up to three classes for free, to see if you like the classes before registering to join with U3A Casey.

Membership from January to December is $60.00 or from July to December is $30.00, which allows you to choose to join any of our classes (subject to available vacancies).

• For more information on classes, or to join using the online enrolment form: Visit our website – www.u3acasey.org.au

• Phone our ofﬁce – 0493 280 458

• Email us - caseyu3a@gmail.com

Balla Balla Community Centre Health & Wellbeing at Balla Balla

As a Catholic school, it places a strong em phasis on the dignity of the human person and

the value of each individual’s faith, fostering a welcoming and respectful environment.

For more information contact office@stjamesnng.catholic.edu.au

Feel good this winter! Join us at Balla Balla Community Centre for Term 3 Health & Wellbeing classes starting in July.

Choose from:

Yoga/Pilates/Zumba/Mindfulness Meditation & Compassion/Music & Guided Imagery Workshop

• Move, relax, and recharge – all in your local community! Term 3 enrolments open 30 June online https://ballaballa.com.au/health-wellbeing/ or phone 5990 0900.

Morning Melodies

Are you young at heart, looking for some company, or just want to enjoy a lovely morning out? Join us at Morning Melodies for heartwarming performances ﬁlled with the songs you know and love!

Enjoy live entertainment, a cuppa, and a freshly baked scone with jam and cream - all while making new friends along the way.

• Book early to secure your spot! You won’t want to miss this uplifting morning of music and connection. Morning Melodies is held on 2nd Tuesday each month and bookings can be made online www.balla.balla.com.au or by phoning 5990 0900

U3A Cranbourne

20 - 22 Bowen Street, Cranbourne

We are a social group for people over 50 with many interesting and creative activities. We have recently started a garden group as we have lovely gardens where we can plant vegetables, herbs and ﬂowers and enjoy a tea or coffee outdoors when the weather is nice.

We also have lots of art and craft groups, calligraphy, scrabble, singing for fun, quilling, resin making, and card making are popular classes.

On Thursday afternoons from 1 - 3pm we have a lively group of table tennis players. New players welcome, no past experience needed, come along and join in the fun.

We run a beginner ukulele and guitar group. Ray leads the ukulele group, and Maurie assists our beginner guitar group on Monday mornings. We are a not-for-proﬁt group, assisted by Casey Council to run our programs. Our membership fee of $50 per year entitles you to join as many classes as you wish.

Line dancing is held at Clyde Public Hall on Monday mornings, and a gold coin donation covers hire of this venue.

• Check out all our classes at www.u3acran-

bourne.org.au or phone 0493 991 919 for more information

Men’s Shed Junction Village Inc.

The Men’s Shed provides a facility for men’s mental health where men can come and enjoy each other’s company in a non-judgmental environment. Men are able to share ideas and life experiences, plus learn new skills which beneﬁt themselves and the local community.

Our members are proud of their efforts in producing wooden toys to donate to the Salvation Army Toy Fund. However, making wooden toys is not a requirement of membership, and you can make your own projects if you prefer.

Retired men are most welcome to visit the Shed and have a chat/cuppa to check out our fully equipped Shed (lots of “toys” to play with!) and see what we do for the community. They do not need any woodwork experience as Shed members are happy to pass on their experience in an enjoyable and friendly atmosphere.

Shed members can also be seen cooking a sausage at Bunnings, displaying our projects at Botanic Ridge Village, or heading off to visit other sheds around the state (All good fun!)

We are located at 41 Craig Road, Junction Village and open on Mondays from 9.00 am to 11.30 am and Wednesdays and Fridays from 9.00 am to 2.30 pm.

• For more information and a tour of our Shed, contact Garry on 0408 141 734.

Cranbourne Senior Citizens Club

Community Day - Social Day - Cuppa, games and chat - Lunch included. 11am-3pm, Friday 4th July. Cranbourne Senior Citizens Club meets weekly for a range of different events, including bus trips, community days, games, coffee and chat, bingo, dancing and carpet bowls.

Not a member? Doesn’t matter, come along and join the fun.

Weekly activity times - Line Dancing Mon.10am12pm, New Vogue and Old Time Dance Tue. 1pm3:30pm, Carpet Bowls Wed. & Sat. 11:30am2:30pm, Bingo Thur. 11am-2pm.

• For all enquiries or bookings contact Marilyn mobile 0432 107 590.

• Find us on facebook https://www.facebook. com/groups/487808127399953

Maryknoll and

Raiden, Jay, Felicity, Pippa, Bishop Greg, Georgie, Bec Kollaris, Blair and Director Paul Velten.

Planting of olive tree: Bishop Greg and Paul Velten with members of the Parents and Friends Association.

Celebrations abound after cutting of the birthday cake and tree planting.

Lions building confidence

By Justin Schwarze

Pakenham now enters the biggest stage of its season beaming with confidence as the Lions thumped Yarra Glen at home in round 16 of Outer East Division 1.

The hosts were thirsty for blood from the opening bounce, laying multiple aggressive tackles to set the tone.

It was fitting when Sam Cachia ran down a River Pig defender for holding the ball and slotted the first of the afternoon for the Lions.

Despite missing some easy chances, Pakenham piled on five goals in the first term to lead 5.6(36) to 1.0(6) at quarter time.

Some more inaccuracy trickled into the second period as Justin Stanton’s men didn’t take full advantage of the impressive run and ball movement they had down the ground.

At halftime, the Lions held a 8.9(57) to 1.1(7) buffer.

In the halftime address, Stanton cited the need forbetterconcentrationwhenfinishingandfeltthe intensity from the first quarter had fallen a notch.

This shot the outfit into gear with Pakenham booting seven goals to none in the third with the ball use being silky and crisp from the Lions.

When the siren sounded for the final break, Pakenham led 15.12(102) to 1.1(7).

Solid running launched from the backline pushed the hosts forward, with defenders playing higher and even hitting the scoreboard across the afternoon.

A five-goal final period lifted the Lions to the 20.15(135) to 2.2(14) result.

“It was physical, they were a really good pressure team,” senior coach Stanton said of Yarra Glen.

“We just matched them and probably bettered them (in pressure acts) throughout the day, that was a focus going in.

“We wanted to have high pressure acts and try to generate turnovers and we did that so we were able to score goals off that.

“It was really pleasing, the only disappointment was our inaccuracy in front of goal.

“The pressure in our forward line was really good and around the ground we were really

OUTER EAST FOOTBALL DIVISION 1 REVIEW - ROUND 16

aggressive in the way we pressured the opposition and caused them to turn the footy over.”

Another week, another extensive goalkicking list for Pakenham.

This time, 13 different Lions players registered a major in the win, with Cachia leading the way as he bagged four goals.

Ben Green, Josh Haggar, Ryan Martini and Luke Ryan - in his return - all booted two majors each.

Martini especially was phenomenal, with the emerging half forward recording 26 disposals, six

marks and four tackles to go alongside his pair of goals.

“It was a great representation of what we aim to achieve when we’re playing good footy,” Stanton reflected on what it meant to have the wide range of goalkickers.

“13 individual goalkickers, that was terrific.

“It’s our second or third week in a row where we’ve had multiple goalkickers from our backline, so that’s a real positive, the even spread was good.

“I think we continued on with our method of

moving the football.”

SPECIAL DAY FOR PAKENHAM

The day meant a lot to those involved at the football club as it was a memorial round celebrating the life of the late Neil Poulton, the former head trainer.

All Lions outfits wore red and gold socks, with the proceeds of the sales going to the Heart Foundation.

The Poulton family voted for best on ground with the recipient being awarded a medal, which went to midfielder Rhys Clacy.

Clacy was a brute in the guts, collecting 17 disposals and laying seven tackles.

To add to the special day, reserves playing coach Matt Vaiano eclipsed 100 goals for the season.

THE FINAL STRETCH

Pakenham has looked impressive after its round 14 bye, putting 20 or more goals on the board in back-to-back winning efforts.

Now the toughest and most pivotal segment of the season has arrived.

The Lions host top-of-the-table Warburton Millgrove this week in a matchup that could decide who has the finals week-one bye.

The Burras comfortably handled business by 11 goals when the clubs last met in round eight.

Following that, Pakenham will head to Seville to face the third-placed Blues, the other Division 1 heavyweight that is hunting for a home qualifying final.

“These two weeks are going to be like mini finals for us,” Stanton noted.

“We’re probably going to meet one or both at some stage during the finals, so this will be a good preview to what that looks like.

“We want to make amends against Warburton, they comprehensively beat us early in the year.

“They’re a really good team, just percentage separates us, it’ll be a good challenge.

“We need to match them, last time they beat us up around the footy.

“They won the inside contested footy and they were better than us on the outside.

“We want to match them in those areas, if we do, we think we can win the game.”

Kangaroos assign Bombers to the brink of relegation

By Justin Schwarze

Officer looks set to be clear of the drop with the Kangaroos firing in the second half to overrun Emerald in round 15 of the Outer East Premier Division.

In what would prove to be a crucial matchup in the relegation stakes, Officer came away with what is effectively an eight-pointer, pushing itself 10 ladder points clear of the Bombers.

But it didn’t start according to plan at Rob Porter Reserve as Emerald managed the only goal in the second quarter to lead 3.5(23) to 2.4(16) at the main break.

Kangaroos senior playing coach Nathan Allen’s address at halftime reminded his young outfit to respect their opponent and continue to battle.

“No one’s going to roll over in this comp,” he said on what he mentioned to his side in the halftime message.

“Just keep sticking to our way and don’t try to play any other way, don’t try to reinvent the wheel, the last six to eight weeks we’ve been really good.”

Clearly his words resonated as Officer booted five goals in the third quarter to hit the front and swing the game.

Mark Seedsman slotted three majors in the term from set shots with a high degree of difficulty, uplifting the young brigade to a 7.7(49) to 5.7(37) three quarter time lead.

Aiden Collinson got the first of the fourth for the hosts, widening the margin to 21 points.

Emerald responded quickly through a David Johnson major, but Diesel De Santis goaled to put the nail in the coffin and secured the massive result for the Kangaroos.

Tensions started to boil over in a high-pressure game, with Seedsman being awarded a downfield free kick late in the contest as a result of a 50 metre penalty.

While he put it through from the goalsquare, a melee erupted in the centre of the ground.

The Bombers were further penalised, gifting Seedsman another goal in a matter of seconds.

The final siren blared shortly thereafter, with Officer winning 11.12(78) to 6.8(44).

“They really challenged us early, they got extra numbers around the ball and made it really hard for us to move it,” Allen said of the first half.

“Thankfully in the second half we were a lot cleaner, we were able to get the ball into open space more and play our way.

“When we get challenged like that it becomes contested and an arm wrestle but it was good that we were able to work through that and continue to play our way.

“It was nice to see that.

“It was super, to be challenged and continue on our way was great.

“We just stayed involved in the game and continued to concentrate.

“The backs are defending so well because they’re picking and choosing when they go or when they stay and hold their position.

“Thankfully it happened really quickly out of halftime.”

Seedsman finished the day with a haul of six goals, his highest this season in potentially the Kangaroos’ most important result.

He’s been fantastic up front, already surpassing his goal tally of last season, while also being an important voice for the youngsters around him.

“He was super, he just kept competing,” Allen said of his key forward.

“Sometimes our ball use doesn’t help him but on Saturday our ball use was really good going forward and he was able to get on the end of it.

“He’s kicked a few bags this year now.

“He’s been really good for us and we don’t

have many senior experienced blokes so he’s one that stands up and he’s very vocal so he helps the young kids; whether he’s kicking goals or not.” Saturday’s win also acts as a building block for Officer’s season with Allen’s men a muchimproved side in the latter stages of the year.

He believes what worked on the weekend was the indication of the strides the Kangaroos have made every game.

“I wouldn’t say it was just from the weekend, the whole back half of the year we’ve played really consistent footy, we just hope to finish it that way,” Allen said.

“The main thing is how much we’ve improved from the start to now and the footy that we’re playing.”

For Emerald, this result almost certainly sinks its season.

Johnson and the boys from Chandler Reserve have fought incredibly hard all season, but now would need to win all three of their remaining games to stay up.

AROUND THE GROUNDS

Gembrook Cockatoo couldn’t overcome a poor first half with the Brookers trailing Upwey Tecoma by 46 points at the main break.

The Tigers rode the score to run out to a resounding 19.16(130) to 8.15(63) win at home.

Healesville gave an Aaron Mullett-less Wandin a scare, leading at halftime before succumbing to the class of the Bulldogs 9.7(61) to 7.16(58).

One of the stunners of the season came out of Olinda Reserve with Mount Evelyn knocking off the Bloods 12.6(78) to 10.10(70).

The Rovers are making a serious case for finals, moving into fifth with a significantly better percentage than Healesville.

Woori Yallock snapped Monbulk’s three game win streak, comfortably getting the chocolates at home 12.8(80) to 7.13(55).

Taylor Gibson ran riot, booting eight goals in the victory.

Ben Green hauls in one of his 22 disposals for the afternoon to go along with two goals. (Rob Carew: 493636)

Double delight for Emerald

By Justin Schwarze

Emerald has a laser-focused sight on a doublechance as the Bombers comfortably knocked off ROC at Rob Porter Reserve in round 15 of the Outer East Premier Division A Grade Netball competition.

The visitors created a five-goal buffer at quarter time and extended it to 11 at the main intermission, 32-21.

Emerald’s scoring was prolific and consistent throughout the contest, a trend that rolled into the second half and saw the Bombers grab 15 or more goals in every period.

At three-quarter time, the visitors had widened the gap to 47-34.

A strong final term guided Emerald home 6244.

Jackie Cutting starred and Krista Tomlinson

Outer East Netball Scoreboard

PREMIER

AGRADE: WooriYallock51vMonbulk63,Healesville34 vWandin75,ROC44vEmerald62,UpweyTecoma54v GembrookCockatoo45,OlindaFernyCreek31vMtEvelyn 67.

BGRADE: WooriYallock56vMonbulk63,Healesville15 vWandin95,ROC57vEmerald38,UpweyTecoma44v GembrookCockatoo62,OlindaFernyCreek38vMtEvelyn 45.

CGRADE: WooriYallock37vMonbulk23,ROC29v Emerald24,UpweyTecoma30vGembrookCockatoo39, OlindaFernyCreek21vMtEvelyn52.Bye:Wandin

DGRADE: WooriYallock22vMonbulk29,ROC33v Emerald20,UpweyTecoma29vGembrookCockatoo16, OlindaFernyCreek21vMtEvelyn47.Bye:Wandin

17UNDER: ROCBlue36vEmerald28,ROCWhite19vMt Evelyn26,WooriYallock41vMonbulk22.Bye:Wandin 15UNDER: PakenhamMaroon19vROCBlue26,Woori Yallock20vMonbulkGold41,ROCWhite20vMonbulk Maroon25.Bye:PakenhamGold

DIVISION1

AGRADE: Alexandra49vYarraJunction47,Pakenham51 vYarraGlen44,WarburtonMillgrove64vYea29,Powelltown16vSeville89.Bye:Belgrave

BGRADE: Alexandra36vYarraJunction49,Pakenham55 vYarraGlen31,WarburtonMillgrove69vYea16,Powelltown14vSeville103.Bye:Belgrave

CGRADE: Alexandra36vYarraJunction40,Pakenham48 vYarraGlen26,WarburtonMillgrove42vYea19,Powelltown8vSeville93.Bye:Belgrave

DGRADE: Alexandra35vYarraJunction19,Pakenham33 vYarraGlen8,WarburtonMillgrove36vYea19,Powelltown4vSeville66.Bye:Belgrave

17UNDER: WarburtonMillgrove40vAlexandra11, PakenhamGold36vPakenhamMaroon12,Powelltown7 vSeville55.

and Casey Rhodes-Anderson provided excellent output in the victory.

For the Kangaroos, Lily O’Kelly, Mitzi Henry and Leah Mibus were valiant in defeat.

The win put the Bombers within two ladder points of third place.

However, Monbulk’s convincing 63-51 win at Woori Yallock ensured the Hawks kept their noses in front on the ladder.

Away from home, Monbulk led at every change and never relinquished the lead, setting up a monumental clash between the Hawks and Emerald this week in the Bombers’ Ladies Day.

Gembrook Cockatoo had its best performance of the season but fell just short against Upwey Tecoma, going down 54-45.

Brylee O’Neil, Carla Crowley and Mary Miles fought all day but the Tigers were too strong

in the end.

Ladder-leaders Mount Evelyn disposed of Olinda Ferny Creek 67-31 on the Bloods’ home court.

Wandin continues to follow hot on the Rovers’ heels as the Bulldogs mauled Healesville 75-34 to sit firmly in second.

In Division 1 round 16, Pakenham showed admirable grit in grinding out a 51-44 triumph over Yarra Glen at Toomuc Reserve.

Pakenham regrouped to push the difference back out to six goals at the last change, before getting on top in an arm-wrestle fourth to claim the four premiership points.

Kelly Cousins was outstanding on the day and she received fantastic supporting performances from Caitlin Cooke and Millicent Utber. Alexandra came from behind and edged out Yarra Junction to claim an important 49-47 result at home.

The Rebels were down by three goals at halftime before squaring things up at the final intermission.

The hosts wrestled the momentum at the right time and drew even with the Eagles on the ladder for the last finals spot.

Warburton Millgrove was far too dominant for Yea as the Burras grabbed a 64-29 decisive win at home.

Seville was everywhere against Powelltown and the Blues cruised to a 89-16 triumph. Belgrave had the bye.

Hayley Melsen lines one up in the win against Yarra Glen. (Rob Carew: 493635)

Emma Jones shows strong commitment for the Lions. (493635)

Pinnacle time for Pakenham

By Jonty Ralphsmith

Acting captain Kaleb Beveridge’s last quarter elevation and dunk gave Pakenham’s semi-final victory its crowning moment.

Extending the margin to 25 points with 7:24 to play, it wasn’t met with the rapturous applause of his tone-setting dunk last week at Cardinia Life, but the silence that washed over a home-heavy GESAC crowd was just as telling.

The two points brought with it a sense of inevitability about the result, with the final score 98-72.

Beveridge and Mitch Zeunert scoring immediately after a last-hurrah timeout from the hosts sapped the remaining intensity from the contest.

Realistically, the match was sealed far before his trademark moment.

Sharp shooting and a suffocating defence were the keys.

“To get to a grand final after stepping up a division is a real reward for all the effort all the club has put in,” coach Braden Venning said.

“Everyone is so happy – the bond we have as a group is something I cherish more than the wins and losses.”

Coming off a game where their three-point shot percentage was a sub-optimal 26 percent, Pakenham shot at 45 percent from deep.

Denied pace and deprived of space, the outside shooters got to work to set up a buffer, responding to challenges early in the first, third and fourth quarters.

“We know that our pace will be shut down in finals,” Venning said.

“Teams know we’ve got the best pace in the league, they’re going to try and take it away from us.

“We knew we’d see presses and a couple of zones so we had to find other ways to win.” Defensively, Pakenham’s zone forced McKinnon wide, shooting at 38 per cent from the field

Venning’s masterful plan guides Warriors to triumph

By Justin Schwarze

It was a chess match between coaches.

In the most important game of the season to date, Braden Venning significantly out-coached a well-respected mentor in McKinnon’s Daniel Gianchino.

From the opening tip, Pakenham was in a size mismatch with the Cougars, fielding a tall team that included jumbo-sized guards with length and large frames.

However, McKinnon was far from a prolific outside shooting team throughout the season, ranking in the middle of the pack for both volume and efficiency from beyond the arc.

To counter the size and dare the Cougars to shoot, Venning instructed his troops into a highpressing 2-3 zone.

Kaleb Beveridge, Mitch Zeunert and Angus Murdoch were all fantastic on the backside in using their length to deny passing lanes, but what was most impressive was the Warriors’ ability to keep the Cougars out of the middle.

McKinnon sought out the mid-post below the free throw line, a critical part of beating a zone, but Pakenham’s quick hands and consistent communication made life uncomfortable.

When the hosts opted to run a more shootingoriented lineup, the Warriors worked collectively to transition in a man-to-man setup.

They decided to switch on most screen actions, with Beveridge often being drawn to the perimeter and more than holding his own.

But ultimately, Venning and his side moved back to the zone as the hosts could not produce an effective zone-breaker.

Outside of second-chance opportunities, McKinnon struggled to create reliable offence all night, a testament to the gameplan and research put in by all members of the Pakenham outfit.

Jye Horne and Aaron Small were nuisances to any opposing ball-handler, making it a tricky task to even cross half-court and they routinely forced the Cougars to operate late into the shot clock.

McKinnon settled for wing threes all night, a shot Venning was more than happy to see.

The Cougars shot 8/35 from downtown, including going 6/29 from both wings at either end.

When McKinnon attempted to shot fake and tried to get downhill, the help defenders bridged the gap and stunted at dump-offs.

Opposing players were often caught in the air, throwing turnovers or opening a window for a Pakenham player to strip them clean.

The Warriors forced 19 turnovers, a trend that has been one of the keys to their brand of basketball all season.

On the other end, Pakenham’s offence was fluid and had lots of movement.

A healthy combination of dribble hand-offs and timely backdoor cutting shifted the McKinnon defence, generating excellent three point looks as the Warriors shot over 45 percent from deep.

Clever pocket passes from guards to rolling bigs opened avenues to the rim, with Beveridge, Zeunert and Hayden Melsen utilising masterful footwork to get buckets at the rim.

Aaron Small’s composure and shot-making were also monumental in periods where the offence stalled.

His ability to bail the set out by using a tremendous dribble move from his deep bag and get to his spot in a late shot clock scenario was instrumental to keeping the scoreboard ticking.

innon close to within 11, and then nine, midway through the third quarter, Pakenham didn’t concede any more such points for the rest of the match and more than doubled McKinnon’s offensive rebounds thereafter.

“We put a lot of planning into (our defence),” Venning said.

“Majority of their three point shots come from two players so we had to make sure we clogged the paint.”

The win was led by Aaron Small (25 points, six rebounds, three assists), Beveridge (16 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, two steals) and Mason Fraser (14 points).

Small delivered an important play or clutch basket at every crucial juncture, helping Pakenham stabilise after an ominous McKinnon start, build the lead in the second quarter, and then absorb pressure and deliver eight momentumsapping points early in the third quarter as McKinnon pressed.

Beveridge continued his push for All-Star five, battling hard against a bigger opposition, while Fraser’s potent performance in a big final gives his first season as a starting Big V player the crescendo it deserves.

“He’s very important for us,” Venning said of Fraser.

“From the start of the year to the end of the year, he’s getting scouted so much more heavily.

“He’s not getting as easy shots so to create easy looks for him offensively, that’s what we’ve got to do.

compared to Pakenham’s 47, fracturing their chemistry and thwarting their attempts to expose the gulf in size.

After 14 second-chance points helped McK-

“When he comes up drifting into the corner big from the extra passes is huge.”

Pakenham will face Ballarat in the grand final on Saturday night at Cardinia Life, 8pm.

Small the biggest man for the moment in semi-final

By Justin Schwarze Pakenham

guard Aaron Small was the difference maker in his side’s semi-final victory over McKinnon on Saturday.

In a hostile environment at a rocking GESAC, Small was the most composed man in the building with a statline of 25 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals.

At times where the Warriors’ offensive sets faltered, Small was trusted to take the ball and create his own shot.

Ha bailed the squad out on multiple occasions, settling the team with much-needed scoring.

But across the game, his efficient shooting and patience with the basketball were both key factors in unlocking other offensive avenues.

He shot 5/8 from downtown, knocking down deep jumpers even with a hand in his face.

“We were definitely prepared to expose certain matchups,” Small said of attacking the McKinnon defence.

“After watching the game film from the last time we played them, we definitely targeted guys and it worked at times, but it didn’t work so well at other times, so we just got through our regular offense and relied on what we know best.

“We knew everyone had to stay locked in, all the guys and coaches and everyone had to be up and about.

“The intensity had to be there, if we dropped it for two minutes they would get it back to single digits.

“We definitely had the mindset of staying locked in, keeping the intensity for the full 40 minutes and whatever happens, keep going back at it and keep the lead.”

The Cougars made a run straight out of halftime, cutting the margin to nine and forcing a timeout out of Braden Venning.

And once again, Small was the igniter out of the huddle.

He missed a runner but followed his own rebound and cashed out from three, steadying the team.

From there, Pakenham pushed the margin back out and never looked back, winning 98-72.

“We knew it was going to come from the get-go,” Small said of McKinnon’s run.

“We were up double digits but they were always going to bring the intensity in the second half.

“They brought the physicality, they did the same thing last time and we were just more prepared for it than last time.

“Everyone expected it, we all prepared for it and after that timeout we all settled and got back to how we want to play the game.

“We took over and extended the lead.

“I felt like we brought the physicality to them, that’s the key.”

Small has been the engine room of the Warriors’ success all season, starting every game while averaging over 11 points per contest and leading the team in assists.

His growth alongside the team in a new division has been a marvel and while the big dance is still the focus, it’s hard not to look back on a fantastic season to date.

“We couldn’t be more proud of ourselves, we still have the big game to play so we’ve got to lock in for two more trainings and watch more game film,” Small said.

“But we couldn’t be prouder going up a division and keeping that same level and stepping up.”

Braden Venning’s decision to implement a zone worked wonders for his side. (Stewart Chambers: 465794)

Aaron Small’s 25 points guided Pakenham to advancing to the grand final. (Gary Sissons: 492204)

Mason Fraser made some important shots from the corner. (Gary Sissons: 492204)

Turbo Timmy leads Pumas

What an incredible weekend for Pakenham’s baseball club, the Pumas, with some magnificent highlights to report. Timmy Jun ran riot in the Under 15s with an almost perfect game; B2 had a barnstorming win over Cheltenham, while the build up to this week’s women’s derby will be electric after two classic contests. Here’s how this week’s round of matches played out.

Pakenham Pumas put up a spirited fight against Cheltenham on Saturday, delivering a game full of highlight-reel moments, big hits, and defensive brilliance that kept the crowd entertained from start to finish. While Cheltenham managed to squeeze out a late-game burst, scoring eight runs in the top of the sixth, the Pumas had their fair share of fireworks, showcasing grit and hustle all game long. The defensive play of the day came in the form of a textbook 8-6-2 relay that saw a Cheltenham runner gunned down at home plate, a play that had the Pumas faithful roaring in approval. Pitcher Luke Anson took charge on the mound, grinding through five and a third innings with five strikeouts and navigating some tough innings with a calm and competitive edge. The middle of the game saw four consecutive scoreless innings, with the Pumas defence locking things down. Taiga Saito led the charge offensively, going 2-for-3 at the plate and setting the tone for the Pumas’ lineup. Rhys also chimed in with a solid base hit, adding to the team’s efforts. Final Score: 14-0 Cheltenham.

If Cheltenham was hoping for a relaxing Saturday of baseball, the Pakenham Pumas B2 squad had other ideas — and those ideas involved hitting, running, and just a little bit of chaos. Grant “The Hitting Machine” Miller decided five hits in five at-bats sounded like a good day’s work. He smashed doubles, slapped singles, and probably could’ve hit with his shoelaces if he tried. Rumour has it, Cheltenham’s outfielders are still chasing after his fourth-inning double. The game started politely enough, with Travis Hough knocking in a run to get the Pumas on the board. Cheltenham, not wanting to be rude hosts, tied it up when Damon sliced a double down the line on an 0-2 count, as if to say, “We’re in this too!” Spoiler alert: they were not. In the top of the second, the Pumas decided they were done with small talk. They unleashed six runs on just three hits, led by Wayne Porter, who smacked a double so hard it might’ve needed a boarding pass. The inning was so wild, it could’ve used a traffic controller just to keep track of all the runners crossing the plate. By the fifth inning, Cheltenham’s scorer was begging for mercy as the Pumas tacked on another seven runs. It was a group effort of chaos: fielder’s choices that somehow scored runs, walks that magically turned into RBIs, and singles that had Cheltenham’s defence playing Twister instead of baseball. Then came the sixth inning — which will be remembered as “The Great Puma Stampede.” Seven more runs crossed the plate. Jessica Moulding slapped two singles in the same inning because once wasn’t enough, Wayne Porter doubled again just to flex, and Travis Hough kept sneaking in hits like a kid at a lolly shop. By now, even the umpires were wondering if there was a mercy rule... and an oxygen tank. On the mound, Shaun Fahy pitched like a man who had a dinner reservation, striking out eight over four innings and giving up just two runs. Justin Mazurek came in for a clean-up job, delivering a scoreless inning that was smoother than a jazz sax solo. In total, the Pumas racked up 16 hits, 12 stolen bases and didn’t commit a single error — which is impressive considering how exhausted they must’ve been from sprinting around the bases. Wayne Porter led the RBI parade with five, but it felt like the whole team had a piece of the pie. Even the team’s walk total hit nine, proving their patience at the plate was as strong as their legs on the basepaths. Cheltenham, meanwhile, might need a week off to recover; or at least invest in a bigger scoreboard. Final Score: 15-2 Pakenham.

C2 Pakenham took on Berwick on a makeshift diamond at Cyril Molyneux Reserve, looking to keep the wins rolling, but it wasn’t to be. The Dodgers adapted better to the smaller field, despite another good pitching effort from starting our pitcher, Jamie. Berwick’s bats worked really well, picking up 13 hits for the game, including three doubles and two home runs in a dominant performance, backed up by tough pitching and a solid effort in the field, keeping the visiting Pumas scoreless across two innings and only giving up six runs total in reply. Catcher Andrew Moran was a stand out for Pakenham, picking up three

hits and scoring two runs. Craig Willis picked up a double, while Gregg Clutterbuck, Kevin D’Arcy and Jamie all collected singles. It was a tough day at the office, especially for young Julia in her first senior game, but everyone put in and will take away positives to take to Sandringham next week, when we face the Mordialloc Ducks. Final Score: 21-6 Berwick.

WOMEN’S BLACK

In what can only be described as a rollercoaster ride, Pakenham Pumas Women’s Black staged a Houdini-level escape act to defeat Dingley Women’s 15-14 on Sunday. It was a game that had more twists and turns than a mystery novel, with both teams swapping the lead like it was a hot potato.

The Pumas kicked things off with Emily Devine smashing a double to bring in the first run. Things were looking promising until Dingley casually responded with two cheeky singles to snatch the lead, 2-1. That didn’t sit well with the Pumas, so in the third inning, they decided it was their turn again. Hits from Olivia Garcia, Jessica Moulding, and Johanna Blackler had the scorers working overtime as the Pumas surged ahead 5-2. But Dingley came roaring back in the bottom of the third, flipping the game once more. Honestly, the lead changes were getting exhausting to keep up with.

The fourth inning? Chaos. The Pumas lined up a conga line of hits down the left field line - Olivia, Carni Dowsett, Emily, Jess, and Johanna all getting in on the act - each collecting an RBI like they were on a supermarket sweep. Yet, as soon as they grabbed a 10-6 lead, Dingley struck back again, tying it up at 10-10 thanks to a determined Ruby who smacked a single on the sixth pitch of her at-bat. But the Pumas weren’t done. The top of the fifth inning saw them explode with five runs on six hits. Olivia Garcia delivered a key RBI single, while the rest of the team hit everything that moved. The score ticked over to 15-10, and even the birds flying over the field were getting dizzy from the back-and-forth. Olivia Garcia also did it tough on the mound, battling through four and two-thirds innings, giving up 19 hits and 14 runs. But hey, when you’ve got a team behind you piling up 19 hits and swiping 12 stolen bases, you can afford to pitch to contact, right? Jessica Moulding, Olivia Garcia, Johanna Blackler, Holly Lunn, and Emily Devine were the hit-collecting machines, each grabbing three hits, while Jess, Olivia, and Emily also drove in three runs apiece. The Pumas’ base-stealing antics were so relentless, Dingley’s

catcher probably still has nightmares about them. And let’s not forget, the Pumas didn’t commit a single error in the field. Jessica Moulding was everywhere, taking on five fielding chances with her usual “I’ve got this” energy.

This Sunday, it’s the Pakenham Derby: Pumas Black vs Pumas White. Local bragging rights are on the line, so grab your popcorn—it’s going to be a cracker. Final Score: 15-14 Pakenham.

WOMEN’S WHITE

Frankston thought it had Sunday’s game wrapped up with a neat little bow by the second inning. Up by nine runs, they were probably already planning their post-game victory selfies. But somebody forgot to mention this to the Pakenham Pumas Women’s White, who don’t believe in giving up - especially not when there’s drama to be had.

ThePumaswentfull“holdmydrink”modeand launched a comeback so wild, even the Frankston bench started getting nervous glances and sweaty palms. What started as a blowout quickly turned into a game of cat-and-mouse - with the Pumas doing all the chasing, and Frankston just hoping the final out would come before total chaos broke loose. Frankston had help from the baseball gods early, jumping to a big lead after a flurry of RBI errors in the second. But Pakenham answered back in style: a wild pitch here, a cheeky walk there, a ground out that somehow scored a run, and a couple of booming doubles that had the dugout howling. It was classic Pumas’ chaos - and it nearly worked. Emily Devine, Felicity Clissold, and Olivia Garcia swung hot bats with two hits apiece, while Johanna Blackler - hitting from the lucky number seven spot - decided to casually drive in three RBIs like it was no big deal. Karlee Brady flexed her plate discipline with two walks, and Kamila Van Weeghel stole bases like she was late for a sale at Kmart. By the end, the Pumas had racked up six stolen bases, and Frankston’s catcher needed an ice pack. Despite out-hitting Frankston nine to five, the scoreboard wouldn’t budge that one extra run that the Pumas needed. It finished 13-12, but the effort was so entertaining, even Frankston fans had to applaud. “It was like Ocean’s Eleven out there,” laughed one Pumas supporter, “except we forgot to steal the last bag of loot.” And while the scoreboard didn’t fall in their favour, the Pumas left with heads high, bats hot, and a warning to the rest of the league: Derby Day is next week, and if you think the Pumas are done, you clearly haven’t been paying attention. Final Score: 13-12 Frankston.

UNDER 15

Timmy Jun hit three home runs and drove in six runs as Pakenham Pumas defeated Dingley/Berwick 10-2 on Saturday. Pumas got on the board in the first inning after Timmy homered to centrefield, scoring two runs. Pumas added to their early lead in the top of the third inning after Timmy cracked a homer to centrefield and Brock grounded out, each scoring one run. Five more Pumas runners crossed the plate in the fourth inning to extend the lead to 9-0. Hunter doubled, scoring two runs and Timmy again sent a homer to centre field, scoring three runs. Timmy earned the win for the Pumas allowing zero hits and zero runs over three and one-third innings, striking out nine and walking one. Liam appeared in relief for Pumas. Angus collected two hits for Pumas in three at bats. Pumas had patience at the plate, collecting seven walks for the game. Coadhey and Julia led the team with two bases on balls each. Angus, Coadhey and Brock each stole multiple bases for Pumas. Pumas ran wild on the base paths, tallying nine stolen bases for the game. Pumas were sure-handed in the field and didn’t commit a single error. Pumas don’t normally single people out, but Timmy’s performance of three home runs and nine strike outs was an exceptional piece of Baseball! Awesome work Timmy!! The win keeps Pumas in second place, with a hard game expected this week against Frankston Black at Frankston. Final Score: 10-2 Pakenham. UNDER 13

Pumas faced off against Frankston this week going down 4-6. The first inning Frankston got off to a strong start with the first four runners reaching safely but Pakenham stemmed the bleeding to keep the away side to just three runs. They were quick to respond as well with Connor, Noah and Morgan all being patient to walk on four balls. Amelia then drove in two runs with a single to bring the Pumas within one. Frankston again added three more runs in the second inning. In response Marshal singled to left field and scored when Connor also singled to left field. Noah also drove in a run with a single to bring the Pumas total up to four. Pakenham was able to keep the Tomatoes scoreless in the third inning but were unable to score in their half either with the game ending 4-6. Yuan started on the mound for Pakenham striking out six over two innings with Noah relieving to pitch a scoreless third while striking out three. Final Score: 6-4 Frankston.

James Kinsella and Jessica Moulding

Timmy Jun had an incredible game for Pakenham Pumas in the under-15 win over Dingley/Berwick. (494301)

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