News - Pakenham Officer Star News - 20th August 2026

Thursday, 20 August, 2026

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Inspiration from the Tigers Local sporting and recreating clubs gained a behind the scenes look at what it takes to build strong and sustainable clubs when Richmond Football Club’s senior leaders visited Cardinia Shire for a special event. FULL STORY ON PAGE 2

Richmond Football Club Chief Executive Officer, Shane Dunne, Cardinia Shire Mayor Cr Brett Owen, Richmond Football Club AFLW senior coach Jarrad Donders and EGM Daniel Cullinan.

Club’s lights fight By Afraa Kori Officer Kangaroos Junior Football Club is challenging a proposal that would leave it paying 90 per cent of a $169,000 upgrade to council-owned lights at Heatherbrae Recreation Reserve.

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Cardinia Shire Council says the lights remain operational and clubs are responsible for maintenance and globe replacements under seasonal tenancy agreements. Major upgrades are considered through council’s capital works process. The club wants a fairer contribution and an

application to the State Government’s sports infrastructure fund, warning money spent on failing lights is being diverted from 28 junior teams and a growing girls program. FULL STORY ON PAGE 3

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The club says the ageing system has reached the end of its life and should be treated as a major capital renewal, not routine upkeep funded by volunteers. Vice-president Mike Tomek said almost $17,000 had been spent on repairs, while 12 globes were out before recent vandalism.

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Richmond Football Club Chief Executive Officer, Shane Dunne and Cardinia Shire Mayor Cr Brett Owen.

Cr Brett Owen speaking to the crowd.

Panel speakers from Richmond Football Club.

Inspiration from the Tigers Local sporting and recreating clubs gained a behind the scenes look at what it takes to build strong and sustainable clubs when Richmond Football Club’s senior leaders visited Cardinia Shire for a special event. The Cardinia Cultural Centre theatre welcomed local clubs, committee members, volunteers and players for A Night with Richmond Football Club, that explored themes of effective leadership and culture at the highest level of sport and how this can be applied to local clubs and organisations. Attendees heard from Richmond Football Club’s senior leaders Chief Executive Officer Shane Dunne, Executive General Manager Commercial Daniel Cullinan and AFLW Senior Coach Jarrad Donders, who shared their experiences and learnings during an insightful panel discussion. The panel discussion and questions from the audience explored a range of topics including, the importance of showing a brand presence internally and externally, having clear role clarity within the club, developing a shared vision and embedding it across the organisation as well as how to always come back to your club or organisation’s purpose at challenging times. Cardinia Mayor Brett Owen said it was fantastic to see representatives from so many different sports and clubs across the shire attend and show a real dedication and commitment towards strengthening their leadership. “Cardinia Shire is fortunate to have a thriving and diverse sporting and active recreation community who play a vital role in keeping people out and about and connected,” Cr Owen said. “We know that participation in sport and recreation has an incredibly positive impact on our physical and mental wellbeing and that’s why Council is committed to creating more opportunities that empower people to enjoy the many benefits that sport and recreation bring.” “As the first event of its kind in Cardinia Shire, we were incredibly proud to partner with Aligned Leisure and Richmond Football Club to deliver this unique event for our community and hope that the insights shared have provided valuable lessons that can be applied within our own clubs and organisations”. The event forms part of Council’s ongoing commitment to supporting local sporting and recreation clubs through leadership training and development opportunities that help clubs build their capacity and grow long into the future.

Richmond Football Club Chief Executive Officer, Shane Dunne, speaking.

A Cardinia Shire Council worker.

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Panel speakers from Richmond Football Club.

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Sport club fights over lights By Afraa Kori A volunteer football club is fighting to avoid paying 90 per cent of a $169,000 replacement of an end-of-life lighting system owned by Cardinia Shire Council. Officer Kangaroos Junior Football Club says replacing the ageing lights at Heatherbrae Recreation Reserve is a major capital renewal—not routine maintenance that should be funded by registrations, sponsorships and fundraising. Vice-president Mike Tomek said the club had spent almost $17,000 repairing the system over the past year, while the council had contributed “very little”. An electrician had since deemed the lights “end-of-life”, found replacement parts were no longer available and recommended a complete LED upgrade. Mr Tomek said the council had proposed a funding arrangement under which the club would pay 90 per cent of the estimated $169,000 cost, based on its use of the reserve. “The club pays 90 per cent, council pays 10 per cent based on usage data,” he said. “Our position is that the ongoing maintenance and ultimate replacement of a council-owned asset should primarily be council’s responsibility, not a volunteer sporting clubs.” The club is calling for a “fairer contribution” and wants council to pursue funding through the

State Government’s Local Sports Infrastructure Fund (LSIF), for which council would need to apply on the club’s behalf. Mr Tomek said the project had not yet been prioritised. The club has 28 junior teams, while its girls program has grown by 86 per cent over the past five years. Mr Tomek said directing club funds towards ageing infrastructure meant less money was available for its junior players. “Every dollar we spend on ageing Council infrastructure is a dollar that doesn’t go toward our kids,” he said. Cardinia Shire Council director of community and planning Amber Donegan said responsibilities for operating and routinely maintaining sports-field lights were outlined in council’s seasonal tenancy agreements. Under the agreements, user groups must meet connection and electricity costs and are responsible for purchasing and replacing globes and maintaining the lights associated with their use of the facilities. However, the council remains responsible for repairing damage caused by vandalism or copper theft, with those costs not passed on to clubs. Ms Donegan said requests for major asset renewals or upgrades, including conversions to LED lighting, were assessed through the council’s broader capital works planning process.

Assessments considered the infrastructure’s age and condition, its community benefit and competing priorities at other reserves across the shire. “Council undertakes regular inspections and condition assessments of lighting infrastructure at sporting facilities,” she said. “Recent inspections, including at Heatherbrae Recreation Reserve, have confirmed the lighting infrastructure at this site remains operational.” Mr Tomek disputed that assessment, saying they have pictures showing 12 globes across the reserve’s two ovals were not working before the recent vandalism. On one oval, he said only one of its four light poles had all five globes working. “A ground with 12 non-functioning globes isn’t operational, particularly for a club that trains on weekday evenings,” he said. Mr Tomek acknowledged that the seasonal tenancy agreement made clubs responsible for routine maintenance and globe replacement. However, he argued replacing an entire endof-life system was a fundamentally different category of work. “Globe replacement and maintenance’ clearly refers to day-to-day upkeep, not a situation where an entire system has reached end of life, parts are no longer commercially available, and a full infrastructure overhaul is needed,” he said.

Section 5.6.1 of the agreement states that council contributions towards installing sportsfield lighting will be considered through its annual budget process. Mr Tomek said the proposed LED conversion should therefore be treated as an “installation not maintenance”. “That’s exactly what we’ve been asking Council to pursue through their capital works planning and the LSIF,” he said. The agreement also requires the council to conduct regular inspections of the lighting infrastructure. “If they’ve been meeting that obligation, the deterioration of this system would not have come as a surprise,” Mr Tomek said. A generator was installed at Heatherbrae Recreation Reserve on 14 August to temporarily power the sports-field and netball-court lights. “The generator is a good practical step and we appreciate Council moving on that quickly,” Mr Tomek said. “We want to resolve this properly. Two councillors are now involved and we’re hoping to get everyone around the table soon.” The Gazette has further asked the council to confirm whether the reported 90/10 funding arrangement was offered and whether it has applied for state funding towards the proposed LED upgrade.

Pakenham police station among those to gain reservists Pakenham and Narre Warren are among the 200 reservist positions being recruited in Victoria Police to free up serving officers to be out on the road. The additional former police officers, many with decades of experience, will be deployed to stations across the state. They will work at public counters and have a focus on back-of-house duties like helping prepare briefs of evidence for court and assessing initial avenues of inquiry when a crime is reported. Chief Commissioner Mike Bush says with more reservists, there’s more time for police to be out keeping you safe. “Reservists put police where they need to be - out in their communities, preventing and detecting crime. “This boost will double the number of reservist positions to 400 across the state.

“Along with performing public counter duties, they will have a focus on freeing police from back-of-house roles. “This initiative will eventually return around 16,000 policing hours to the frontline every single week. “Already we’ve seen some incredible people return to our organisation, and this increase in reservists will ensure even more talent and experience comes back to the force.“ The reservist boost is on top of 200 full-time equivalent positions already announced. It means around 16,000 policing hours - the equivalent of 2000 shifts - will be returned to the frontline each week once the entire reservist rollout is complete. A second wave of 50 reservists are being deployed over the coming weeks. It brings the total number of stations with reservists so far to 41.

Pakenham Police Station. (568101) Stations getting reservists for the first time are Box Hill, Narre Warren, Pakenham, Traralgon, Doncaster, Echuca, Horsham, Melton, Prahran, Ringwood, Wallan, Warrnambool, Werribee and Wonthaggi.

With the increase in available positions, Victoria Police is reminding former members that applications for the newly created frontline support officer role remain open. More than 550 applications have so far been received. While Victoria Police now has funding for 400 full-time equivalent reservist positions, actual numbers will exceed this as many will work part-time. This means it will take several people to fill each position available. Deployment of the first 200 reservist positions is due to be completed by December this year, before the additional 200 positions are rolled out from January 2027. Reservists receive a full-time salary of $86,188 a year and nine weeks of paid leave. Further details on the program are available at https://www.police.vic.gov.au/reservist.

Farmers to be given support over soil contamination By Ethan Henson Cardinia Shire Council has approved providing financial aid and further support to farming districts in the Cardinia Shire region by conducting a Soil Health and Soil Contamination Remediation Field Day for affected farm land owners. Councillor David Nickell pushed forward the motion at the council meeting on Monday 17 August, advising the council to start supporting local farmers in the region, claiming to have been left abandoned by the State Government in the 1980s. “In the 1970s, farming families up there were encouraged to use dieldrin by the state government to deal with pest issues,” he said. “Then in the 1980s that state policy was turned on its head, and those people’s businesses and worlds collapsed around them. “Suddenly you were now banned from running livestock on that land. You had to have access to clean land, non-Dieldrin-effective land to actually be able to sell livestock for human consumption. “You had to go through a whole bunch of processes in monitoring that, and all of the cost of that was imposed on the owners of those properties, and their levels of income dropped dramatically from the 80s. “I’ve worked with that community since the late 90s on trying to draw attention to the mat-

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Cr Nickell says Cardinia Council needs to back farmers again. (File) ter of what can be done to actually deal with this issue.” Cr Nickell hopes the Field Day will help council and Agriculture Victoria better understand what needs to be done and how to lower the Dieldrin contamination so government departments can formally remove contamination restrictions from the properties.

Seconding his motion for the Field Day, Cr Trudi Paton says this issue has become widespread across Victoria, but has hit Cardinia farmers the hardest. Claiming that if this Field Day is successful, it will put Cardinia on the map as a leader in tackling a legacy of contamination that has affected farmlands for decades. “As chair of the Food and Agribusiness Advisory Committee, I’ve heard a direct plea from Councillor Nickell,” she said. “From the committee’s landholders, agricultural experts and community members about the ongoing challenge of soil contamination, particularly in the Gembrook area, “Importantly, this motion is not asking council now to commit funding. The motion asks officers to investigate what financial or inkind support may be available and report back to council. “We’re just asking for some good in-principle support. I know that the working party is dedicated to committing volunteer hours to finding what external grants, funding, and sponsorship it can to address the need for funds to deliver the event.” Cr Jack Kowarzik said that the issue should’ve been dealt with by the State Government and Agriculture Victoria a long time ago. “I have real sympathy for it, because I think how frustratingly tough, how frustratingly crude

that 30 or 40 years ago they were told they were going to get a helping hand out of an issue and that never came,” he said. Despite agreeing to move the motion, Cr Kowarzik says he believes the council has given more support than any other industry in Cardinia Shire, and says the State Government needs to start stepping in. In disagreement, Cr Nickell says that the council does support other industries over farming compared to other rural councils. “We’ve got a whole planning team dedicated to supporting the development and the population growth industry. We’re spending millions of dollars on tearing up Main Street for the small business sector,” he said. “Other councils spend millions on advocacy, on planning, on actual support for their farming sector. “Traditionally, Cardinia has not at all, and we’ve got some of the richest soil in South East Australia. “The farming sector is a shadow of its former self through pure neglect, and the local government sector has had a role to play in that as much as Agriculture Victoria has.” The motion was carried unanimously, with councillors voting in favor of a field day to be set before 30 June 2027.

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Libs pick their candidate By Afraa Kori The Liberal Party has selected its candidate for Pakenham, becoming the last major political party to enter the contest less than four months before the state election. Local mother and community volunteer Radmila Dyson secured the endorsement on Saturday 15 August, defeating former Liberal candidate David Farrelly and Monty Sodhi. Sources told the Gazette the first round of voting ended in a tie, with Ms Dyson and Mr Sodhi receiving seven votes each. Mr Farrelly received six votes and was eliminated. Ms Dyson won the second-round ballot by 15 votes to Mr Sodhi’s five. Her endorsement ends an almost nine-month wait after applications for the preselection closed in November 2025. Labor, the Greens and One Nation had already endorsed candidates for the highly marginal seat, leaving the Liberals as the final major party to confirm their contender. The delay was laid bare during Liberal leader Jess Wilson’s “Fresh Start Tour” across south east. While Ms Wilson appeared alongside local candidates during visits to Wonthaggi, Dandenong and Springvale, she arrived in Pakenham in July without a lower house candidate. She was instead joined by Eastern Victoria MP Renee Heath, whose upper house electorate stretches from Pakenham to the Gippsland coast. When asked by the Gazette why the preselection had taken so long and whether she had raised the delay within the party, Ms Wilson distanced herself from the process. “That’s a matter for the organisational wing of the party and they’re working through that process,” she said. Pakenham is the second-most marginal Labor-held seat in Victoria and is expected to be a key battleground in the Coalition’s bid to form government in November. Labor’s Emma Vulin won the newly created seat by around 300 votes on a two-party-preferred

Radmila Dyson is the newly selected Liberal candidate for Pakenham. (Rob Carew) basis in 2022, despite widespread expectations it would fall to the Liberals. Ms Vulin, who is battling motor neurone disease (MND), will not recontest the seat. Labor has endorsed Alessandra Solivan as its candidate. Ms Dyson entered the Liberal contest as its least politically experienced contender. She is involved with community organisations including Officer City Soccer Club and Living Learning Pakenham and was encouraged to enter politics by party members, particularly Berwick MP Brad Battin

She faced Mr Farrelly, who unsuccessfully contested Pakenham for the Liberals in 2022 and Mr Sodhi, who had the support of federal MP Jason Wood and was considered a leading contender. Despite being viewed as an unexpected entrant without the backing of major players in the branch, Ms Dyson emerged with three-quarters of the final-round vote. Labor figures previously told the Gazette they considered her the most electorally competitive of the three Liberal contenders due to her established community involvement and profile as a

local mother. Voters can now head into the election with a clearer picture of their choices. Pakenham candidates include: Labor’s Alessandra Solivan. Liberal’s Radmila Dyson. One Nation’s Warren Pickering Greens candidate Nasser Yawari. Libertarian Kate Hands. Independent Raymond French. Independent and Mary Kate Louis.

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Political trio dismisses Labor candidate switch rumours By Afraa Kori Three local political figures have dismissed rumours of a last-minute Labor candidate switch in Pakenham, just months out from the November 2026 state election. The rumours, which circulated through local community groups and across social media last week, claimed Cardinia councillor Jack Kowarzik was set to replace Labor candidate Alessandra Solivan. Pakenham MP Emma Vulin, who is battling motor neurone disease (MND) and made the “difficult decision” not to recontest the seat, first dismissed the rumours. The Gazette caught up with the Pakenham candidate while she was door-knocking in the electorate, where she confirmed there was “no truth to the claim”. “I was confused – it came out of nowhere,” Ms Solivan said. “Jack was the one who sent it to me and was like, ‘What is going on here?’ “We had a bit of a laugh about it. Clearly, the source of this rumour is inaccurate. Social media rumours are often fraught.” Ms Solivan said the speculation had not neg-

atively impacted her campaign and may have instead attracted greater interest in it. “It has, interestingly, amplified my campaign and engagement,” she said. Ms Solivan assured voters that she was “here to stay” and remained “committed” to winning the seat. “I would caution believing social media speculation and encourage voters to reach out to me directly,” she said. “The people of Pakenham and Officer are good people and I’m energised and motivated by the conversations I have every day. “Our campaign has attracted and mobilised support from all over Pakenham and Officer, particularly young people and families from all walks of life. It’s my honour to seek to be elected here.” Wearing his plumbing work uniform, Cr Kowarzik thanked those who had contacted him but confirmed he would not contest the upcoming state election. “I look forward to continuing to work hard for the people of Cardinia Shire,” he wrote on social media. “For now, I better get back to it, these taps won’t install themselves!”

Pakenham candidate Alessandra Solivan dismissed the rumours while door-knocking in the electorate. (Credits: Facebook)

Cr Jack Kowarzik also addressed the rumours in a light-hearted social media statement posted while working as a plumber.

Long Tan commemorated Pakenham RSL has expanded its traditional wreath-laying into a formal ceremony commemorating Vietnam Veterans’ Day for the first time. About a dozen people, including several Vietnam veterans, attended the service on Tuesday 18 August, marking the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan. Vietnam veteran Henry Van Diemen raised the Australian flag, while Pakenham RSL president John Kennett delivered an address outlining the history of the battle and how its anniversary became Vietnam Veterans’ Day. The ceremony also included a wreath-laying, the Ode of Remembrance and the national an-

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them. Mr Kennett described it as a “moving service”. “It acknowledges the sacrifices that the veterans made when they went to Vietnam,” he said. Vietnam Veterans’ Day honours the service and sacrifice of all Australians who served in Vietnam between 1962 and 1975 and acknowledges the difficult homecoming many veterans faced upon their return. The annual commemoration is held on the anniversary of the Battle of Long Tan, fought in a rubber plantation in South Vietnam on 18 August 1966.

Attendees.

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Cannabis linked to fatal Tooradin crash By Violet Li A Cranbourne East man was significantly impaired by cannabis when he drove through a stop sign and into the path of another vehicle in a fatal Tooradin crash, a state coroner has found. Michael Richard Ruell Bell, 36, died after his Mazda collided with a Mitsubishi at the intersection of Tooradin Station Road and Manks Road about 5pm on 9 October 2023. State Coroner Paresa Antoniadis Spanos found Mr Bell failed to stop and give way before entering the intersection, where the Mitsubishi had right of way. The Mazda then veered into a nearby paddock. Other motorists pulled Mr Bell from the Maz-

da and performed CPR, but he was pronounced dead a short time later. The cause of Mr Bell’s death was found to be injuries sustained in a motor vehicle collision. Post-mortem testing detected cannabis THC, at 47 nanograms per millilitre, as well as other cannabis metabolites, which the coroner found indicated Mr Bell had used cannabis close to his death and therefor was likely significantly impaired while he was driving. The available evidence supports a finding that his cannabis use and impairment caused or contributed to the collision. Mr Bell had previously been prescribed medicinal cannabis for chronic back pain, with records showing products were prescribed and dispensed between 2020 and 2022.

However, his last recorded medicinal cannabis dispense was in December 2022, about 10 months before the crash. One doctor advised Mr Bell not to drive with THC in his system and to avoid THC products for 48 hours before driving. The records indicate that Mr Bell had been a long-term user of illicit cannabis and as recently as March 2023, he had reported experiencing the symptoms of cannabis withdrawal. Experts told the court post-mortem toxicology could not distinguish whether the cannabis Mr Bell had consumed was prescribed medicinal cannabis or illicit cannabis. The coroner said the case was significant because it was the first known Victorian coronial case where medicinal cannabis may have been

A Cranbourne East man was significantly impaired by cannabis when he drove through a stop sign and into the path of another vehicle in a fatal Tooradin crash, a coroner has found. (FILE) implicated in a fatal incident, although the investigation did not establish that the THC came from medicinal cannabis. “In any event, Mr Bell’s death is a powerful reminder that consumption of cannabis irrespective of its source can impair driving and lead to fatalities and thus supports the need for ongoing investment in messaging and initiatives to ensure that people prescribed medicinal cannabis do not drive,” Coroner Spanos stated. The finding noted Victorian law makes it an offence to drive with any detectable THC in a person’s system, including from prescribed medicinal cannabis.

Cannabis referendum bid defeated in Legislative Council By Cam Lucadou-Wells A bid for Victorians to “have a say” on legalising cannabis use has been resoundingly defeated in the state’s Legislative Council. Legalise Cannabis MP Rachel Payne led a parliamentary debate on 12 August for a plebiscite – which is a direct public vote - on the matter. Greens, Libertarian and Animal Justice MPs supported the move. It was emphatically voted down by Labor and Liberal-Nationals MPs. Ms Payne, a South Eastern Metropolitan MP, called for a plebiscite on ending the state’s 99 years of cannabis prohibition – backed by a survey of 80 per cent support from Victorians. “This is not about telling Victorians what the answer should be, it is about trusting them to make the decision. “If we genuinely believe in democracy, we should trust Victorians with this question.” Prohibition had inflicted “criminal records and consequences” for almost 4000 Victorians arrested for cannabis possession each year, she said. Such as stigma, loss of job opportunities, loss of licence, denial of housing and navigating the criminal justice system. At the same time, prohibition had failed to reduce use or eliminate the illicit market, she said. “I do not think we have ever identified cannabis as saying that it is harmless. “We all acknowledge that there are harms and risks associated with cannabis. “But what we do know is that the greatest harm is caused by the interactions with the criminal justice system.” As a supporter of legalising cannabis, Libertarian MP David Limbrick said he supported the motion, though he did not like plebiscites. “I do not think that people’s rights should be voted on.” But he agreed that creating a legal, regulated market would tackle a $1 billion-plus industry for organised crime in Victoria. Labor MP Ryan Batchelor advised Legalise

Legalise Cannabis MP Rachel Payne argued for a plebiscite on legalising personal use and cultivation of cannabis. (Gary Sissons: 480136) Cannabis to continue its “relentless grind” of advocacy, but not through a plebiscite. “I do not think that putting standalone questions to the people on indicative policy issues is the way that our democracy has operated and should operate.” He said the Government was focused on “harm minimisation” in initiatives such as the

Richmond North supervised injecting facility, drug-checking and pill-testing services, and naloxone vending machines. He also noted its reforms for allowing medicinal cannabis. Liberal health spokesperson and MP Georgie Crozier supported medicinal cannabis – because it was regulated, along with safeguards and rigor-

ous testing. But she opposed the motion, voicing concern about the harms and potency of cannabis. “I am worried about the issue … of having a few plants growing in the backyard and who regulates that. “It will not drive out a black market; it will, I believe, further a black market.”

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Teachers accept latest pay deal, strike called off By Jensy Callimootoo The majority of public school teachers and education support staff in Victoria have voted in favour of the government’s newest pay deal, putting a stop to Wednesday’s planned strike. School staff, including principals will now see a minimum pay increase of 28.3 per cent over four years, on top of a $2000 lump-sum payment. In terms of workload, which has been a key area for reforms for all education staff, there will be a limit on the number of face-to-face teaching hours and one hour reduction to time spent attending meetings. Teachers, learning specialists, assistant principals and education support employees who have reached the top of their pay scale will also be granted a 1 per cent annual lump-sum payment. A teacher from Berwick told Star News he was relieved that the voting outcome would put a stop to Wednesday’s stop-action, which would have been the union’s third strike in the last five months. With the relief however, comes doubt on how the agreement will adequately alleviate workload. Staff seek to cut back on overtime hours, reduce mandatory after-school meetings as well as reduce paperwork burden. “There’s still not a huge difference to workload levels-but we don’t have to do any work at home,” he said. “I’m not sure how that is going to work. “I’ve got 190 or so CATs to mark and that takes a lot of time. Then there’s lesson planning and other admin stuff to get through.” The union’s boss, Justin Mullaly, said 79 per cent of members voted to endorse the deal which was put on the table last week. A Dandenong teacher of 20 years, Inaz Janif, said that there were “great changes” to the offer. And hopes that the conditions will continue to improve in line with other states to prevent burnout. Something that she says she’s witnessed through her own children’s experience. “If conditions on the ground improve, then students’ conditions will also improve, leading to improved retention of talented and dedicated professionals in public education,” Ms Janif said. “Investing in public education is investing in our collective future.” Currently, Victorian public education staff are the lowest paid in Australia despite being dubbed the Education State. Members originally sought an increase in salary to match interstate rates. Under the current agreement the minimum wage for entry level teachers sits just short of $80,000 rising incrementally to about $118,000. In comparison, NSW’s minimum wage starts at $90,000 rising incrementally to about $118,000. While offers have been put on the table in the last few months, the majority of members voted against the agreements as it did not sufficiently address workload. The agreement will now proceed to a vote of all employees as required under the Fair Work Act.

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highway patrols, solo units, bike patrols and foot patrols focusing on areas where large numbers of pedestrians interact with other road users. Casey is among nine priority areas, alongside Melbourne CBD, Glen Eira, Stonnington, Monash, Whitehorse, Hume, Wyndham and Geelong. Police have detected 1082 offences during the operation, with speeding accounting for almost half. Of the 479 speeding offences, 82 per cent involved motorists travelling between 10km/h and 25km/h over the limit. Police have focused enforcement on 40km/h to 60km/h zones, where pedestrian trauma most commonly occurs. Officers also detected 70 motorists using mo-

bile devices while driving, 46 disqualified or unlicensed drivers and 46 offences for disobeying traffic signs or signals. Sixteen impaired drivers were detected, including 12 drug-driving offences from 426 roadside drug tests and four drink-driving offences from 957 preliminary breath tests. Road Policing Assistant Commissioner Mick Hermans said police remained concerned about behaviour putting pedestrians at risk. “While pedestrian trauma is currently trending down this year, we cannot afford to be complacent – particularly as August remains a highrisk month for collisions involving pedestrians,” he said. Mr Hermans said officers had seen motorists speeding in built-up areas, using mobile phones,

In February this year, a car crashed on Pound Road in Narre Warren South. The car hit a 16-year-old pedestrian who later passed away. (FILE) driving while impaired and failing to stop or give way. Operation Aware will continue throughout August, with police also urging pedestrians to use designated footpaths and crossings and remain alert around roads and vehicles.

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Five pedestrians have died on Casey roads this year as Victoria Police continues a major operation targeting dangerous driving in areas with high pedestrian traffic. Victoria Police said Casey was among the metropolitan areas targeted under Operation Aware, which has been running since May and has resulted in more than 1000 infringements statewide. There have been 27 pedestrian deaths on Victorian roads so far this year, down from 35 at the same time last year. About 85 per cent of those deaths occurred on metropolitan roads, including five in Casey, one of the highest figures highlighted by police, and four in the Hume area. Operation Aware has involved local and state

Census night was Tuesday 11 August. It’s compulsory for each household to complete the Census to help plan for Australia’s future. For help, visit census.abs.gov.au or call 1800 181 227.

Every answer matters. Authorised by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Canberra

Thursday, 20 August, 2026 | STAR NEWS 7

NEWS

‘Two-way street’ firestorm By Afraa Kori Pauline Hanson’s claim that domestic violence is a “two-way street” has ignited alarm, outrage and fierce debate among Casey leaders and experts. Cr Scott Dowling said the One Nation leader’s remarks risked making victims feel unsupported and minimising the scale of violence against women and children. “There shouldn’t be any street,” he said. “The City of Casey consistently ranks number one for overall family violence incidents in Victoria, recording nearly 7,000 incidents. Approximately 75 per cent of family violence victims in Casey are women, averaging one breach every two and a half hours, and that doesn’t include children.“ Senator Hanson recently described domestic violence as a “scourge” but said it affected both sexes. “Domestic violence is wrong, but it’s also a two-way street,” she said. “I’m not saying that it’s just men, women can lose their cool as well. “Everyone is under so much pressure and it’s really hard. I don’t think we communicate enough with each other.” Senator Hanson, who said she had experienced domestic violence herself, urged women being abused to leave unsafe homes and “not put up with it”. Reflecting on the recent death of Clyde North mother Brooke Timmins, who was allegedly murdered by her partner, Cr Dowling described Hanson’s comments as “very unhelpful”. “Comments like that have a huge effect on victims,” he said. “They just don’t feel like anyone is on their side. More than half, I reckon, are probably being gaslighted, and a lot of them are convinced into believing it’s fair play. It’s just not.” “Statistics are very high, and women are getting killed. It makes me sick. It’s not the best time

Cr Scott Dowling described Pauline Hanson’s comments on domestic violence as “very unhelpful”. (Credits Stewart Chambers) to say that right now.” Cr Dowling revealed he had attended two One Nation meetings in Dandenong and participated in an online candidate interview after Victorian party president Warren Pickering approached him about potentially contesting the state election. He entered the discussions hoping to influence the party’s approach to family violence prevention and early intervention programs for young people. “The very first thing I said when they interviewed me to be a candidate was, ‘Before we go any further, these are my two non-negotiables’,” he said. Those priorities were early intervention and domestic violence awareness. However, Cr Dowling said the party’s agenda and lack of detailed policies did not align with his priorities. Asked whether One Nation presented a family violence policy during the meetings, he said he wasn’t aware of one. Cr Dowling said he had hoped entering the

Criminologist Dr Vincent Hurley believes domestic violence needs a 20-lane freeway. (Supplied)

candidate process might allow him to pull the party towards issues he believed were critical to Casey. He ultimately withdrew from the discussions and is now considering standing as an independent. Criminologist Dr Vincent Hurley also rejected Senator Hanson’s description, arguing the vastly different severity and consequences experienced by women made the “two-way street” comparison misleading. “A two-way street, she said. It’s a 20-lane freeway to accommodate that many girls and women where women and girls—being ’flogged’, beaten, humiliated, and coerced in so many ways,” Dr Hurley said. “It needs a 20-lane freeway to accommodate them all and these are the only ones we know or get reported. “Coming the other direction is a street - it’s a lane that is narrow; it’s the width of 1/2 a post-it note where men are victims.” Dr Hurley said Senator Hanson’s comments wrongly placed responsibility on women by fo-

cusing on why victims remained in abusive relationships rather than the conduct of perpetrators. However, Dr Fiona Girkin from Domestic Violence Awareness Australia backed the central premise of Senator Hanson’s remarks, arguing intimate partner violence could be bidirectional and that male victims and female perpetrators were often overlooked. Dr Girkin cited research suggesting violence can be committed by both men and women, while acknowledging severe violence, serious injury and intimate partner homicide disproportionately affect women. She argued policy should recognise the complexity of intimate partner violence and ensure support was available to victims of every gender. Cr Dowling maintained that public figures had a responsibility to avoid language that could discourage victims from speaking out. “The women and children it’s happening to won’t talk about it because they’re too scared,” he said. “It needs some critical thinking to get through the issue. It’s just not talked about enough.”

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8 STAR NEWS | Thursday, 20 August, 2026

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ADVERTORIAL

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Thursday, 20 August, 2026 | STAR NEWS 9

NEWS

Moonlit on high alert as bird flu spreads By Violet Li Moonlit Sanctuary has lifted its bird flu protections to their highest level as H5N1 bird flu spreads through Victoria. The Pearcedale wildlife park warns that the virus may already be far more widespread than detected cases suggest. Moonlit Sanctuary founder Michael Johnson warned in June that the highly pathogenic strain would likely reach Victoria, and said the recent detections around Clyde, Phillip Island and the Mornington Peninsula showed the situation had now changed rapidly. “I think the spread of the cases shows it’s probably a lot more widespread than we think,” he said. “I think it’s sort of well established. “Unfortunately, I think we’ll start seeing it moving more inland into different wildlife areas.” Mr Johnson said Moonlit had progressively tightened its biosecurity measures as reports emerged and was now operating at close to its highest level of protection. “As each report has come in, we reviewed and we’ve increased the security, and we’ll continue to review it as we go as to what’s needed,” he said. “We are now pretty much on our highest level now.” Staff have been trained to recover and dispose of sick or dead birds using personal protective equipment, while the sanctuary can also undertake some bird flu testing before notifying authorities. Mr Johnson said finding an infected wild bird on the property would not automatically force the sanctuary to close, with the risk to the general public remaining very low. Moonlit’s greatest concern is its threatened species, particularly the critically endangered or-

Moonlit Sanctuary founder and director Michael Johnson is with two orange-bellied parrots, one of Australia’s most threatened bird species. The sanctuary has spent more than a year preparing for the possible arrival of the H5N1 virus in Australia. (Supplied) ange-bellied parrot. Mr Johnson said the sanctuary had prioritised protecting its most vulnerable animals, including orange-bellied parrots and regent honeyeaters. There were also concerns for mammals that could potentially become infected by eating diseased birds. “You’re looking at scavenging mammals like, say, dingo or Tasmanian devil. We’ve got to be worried about them too,” he said. The sanctuary is also waiting for details about a government-backed vaccination program. Mr Johnson said Federal funding had been provided to states to vaccinate animals involved

in recovery programs, but Moonlit had yet to hear how or when its endangered animals would receive protection. “We’re still waiting to find out what, how and when they’re going to help us out with vaccinating the critically endangered species,” he said. As of 15 August, there are 74 positive cases of H5 bird flu in Victoria. If you see sick or dead birds or other wildlife, do not touch them. Avoid direct contact. Record what you see. Report it to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline, or using the following form: forms.bio.vic.gov.au/wildlife-influenza-investigation

Neville Arathoon with one of his prized pigeons in Endeavour Hills. (Stewart Chambers: 571853)

Pigeons exempt from flying ban By Cam Lucadou-Wells Pigeons will no longer be temporarily cooped up, with the birds seemingly immune from the ravages of H5 bird flu. To the relief of pigeon fanciers, Victoria’s Chief Veterinary Officer issued an exemption to the temporary flying-ban on lofts of more than 50 pigeons. Dandenong pigeon club secretary Neville Arathoon said the racing ban – which lasted less than a week – came nine weeks into the pigeon racing season. The club’s pigeons were building up their endurance, culminating in stages up to 1000 kilometres in October. “We normally fly them an hour or an hourand-a-half a day. The birds are super fit at the moment.” Worldwide evidence had shown the H5 bird flu had not harmed pigeons, Arathoon said. “The pigeon is basically immune to bird flu.” However, in the past decade or so, pigeons had

10 STAR NEWS | Thursday, 20 August, 2026

been ravaged by pigeon paramyxovirus – which had led to vaccinations and high hygiene practices in the industry, he said. “The biosecurity of pigeon fanciers is secondto-none. We all have council permits and inspections. “Our pigeons not like your average feral pigeon. They’re cleaned twice a day, get fresh water and grit – some are fed human-grade grain and no expense is spared.” Springvale pigeon club secretary Daryl Kloprogge said the reprieve was a relief to an ageing industry. Most owners were aged 70 and older. “The real worry is for the chook industry because so many rely on eggs. If they have a big outbreak at a poultry farm, they will have to slaughter the whole lot.” According to Agriculture Victoria, pigeons are considered more resistant to avian influenza than other bird species. However, infection is still possible in pigeons and the disease can be fatal. The most susceptible poultry include chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys and quail.

One of Neville Arathoon’s flyers.

Clean, groomed pigeons in Neville Arathoon’s loft. (Stewart Chambers: 571853) If you find sick or dead wild birds or wildlife with signs of H5 bird flu: ■ Avoid contact with sick or dead wild birds or wildlife and their environment. ■ Record what you see. ■ Report it to the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action using the online form or by calling the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

Jailed after ramming police with stolen car By Violet Li A 22-year-old Cranbourne West man who repeatedly rammed a police vehicle with a stolen car while three officers were inside has been sentenced to two years and nine months in prison. Calay Lyddy was sentenced in the Victorian County Court on Tuesday 18 August, with his term including a non-parole period of one year and 10 months, covering both his County Court offending and a separate Magistrates’ Court sentence under appeal. He has already served 399 days in custody. He pleaded guilty to charges including recklessly exposing an emergency worker to risk by driving, damaging an emergency service vehicle, damaging property as well as drug possession and handling stolen goods. For his County Court offending, Judge Hawkins heard that police spotted Lyddy driving a stolen Commodore erratically in Narre Warren on 15 July 2025, where he performed several burnouts. He later drove around a police vehicle while filming officers on his phone, performing more burnouts and driving on the wrong side of the road. At the Hunt Club Shopping Centre in Cranbourne, police blocked the Commodore with a marked police car. With three officers inside, Lyddy reversed the stolen vehicle into the police car five times before striking two parked civilian vehicles as he attempted to escape. The police car was left undriveable. He was arrested shortly afterwards after the damaged Commodore came to a stop in Cranbourne. Police found methylamphetamine, heroin, MDMA, Xanax and 1,4-butanediol, stolen registration plates, ammunition, a balaclava and lock-picking equipment in his car. Tests showed methylamphetamine and MDMA in his system. Judge Hawkins said Lyddy had “deliberately chosen to create danger” for the three officers and described the emergency-worker offence as “objectively serious”, noting two officers had described their fear during the incident and the cumulative psychological toll such encounters had taken on them. The court accepted Lyddy had significant cognitive impairment, with his intellectual functioning estimated to fall within the extremely low range with a full-scale IQ of 64, but found community protection remained an important consideration given his extensive history of driving and dishonesty offending. The court also heard about Lyddy’s family and personal circumstances. His parents separated when he was four and he was primarily raised by his mother alongside five siblings. He had little contact with his father during childhood, but the court heard his father had recently become more involved in his life. His mother, stepfather, father and sister attended his earlier plea hearing, while both parents appeared by video link for his sentencing. “You’re lucky to be supported by them. They continue to stand by you at this important point in your life,” Judge Hawkins told Lyddy. The court heard that Lyddy started using drugs at 11. “For a young man, you have a substantial criminal record in both the children’s and adults’ jurisdictions,” Judge Hawkins said. “Your history is replete with driving offences, including failing to stop at police direction, theft of motor vehicles, unlicensed driving, reckless conduct endangering life involving a motor vehicle, and driving in a manner dangerous. “You have been prolifically engaged in dishonesty offending and have spent a number of stints in juvenile detention.” Judge Hawkins also dealt with Lyddy’s appeal against a six-month magistrates’ court sentence for earlier offending including vehicle theft, residential burglary and other dishonesty offences. She said Lyddy’s cognitive impairment reduced his moral culpability, while his relatively early guilty plea, youth and rehabilitation prospects were also considered. Lyddy was also fined $4000 and disqualified from driving for two years from July 2025.

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202607092575_1-FR28-26

100 Days of School

Foundation Students Thrive at St James in 2026 Starting school is a major milestone, and for our Foundation students, 2026 has been a year filled with excitement, discovery, and growth. From their very first day, these young learners have embraced school life with enthusiasm, curiosity, and a wonderful sense of fun. At St James, our Foundation students are supported by a dedicated tea, including their teacher and Education Support staff who know each child as an individual. Through strong relationships and a nurturing learning environment, staff work closely with students to support their needs, celebrate their strengths, and encourage them to explore their interests. A key part of learning in Foundation is our Little Learners Love Literacy program, which provides a strong phonics-based approach to reading and writing. This highly successful initiative continues to support students in developing confidence and competence in literacy, helping them build the foundations for lifelong learning. There have been many highlights throughout the year. Foundation students have loved playing in the sandpit, spending time with their senior buddies, creating artwork, participating in special school events such as the school disco and athletics day, exploring mathematics, learning to read, and most importantly, making new friends. As St James continues to grow alongside the thriving communities of Nar Nar Goon, Pakenham East, and surrounding areas, we remain committed to providing a welcoming, faith-filled, and highquality educational experience for every child. For personalised school tours, please contact the school office on (03) 5942 5404.

St James Catholic School Committed to your child’s academic, spiritual & emotional development Where every student is known, nurtured & respected. EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR FOUNDATION STUDENTS 2027 WELCOME

60 Nar Nar Goon Rd, Nar Nar Goon 12830928-JO34-26

pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

Thursday, 20 August, 2026 | STAR NEWS 11

WHAT’S ON centre, 75 Army Rd in Pakenham.

Extended families events

FurKids Rescue Adoption Weekend Saturday, 22 August, Cats, Kittens & Puppies… waiting to meet you!

Not-for-profit Extended Families Present FREE events for disabled, autistic and neurodivergent children, youth and their families at Pakenham Library. The first of 3 events this year is our BOOM BOP MUSIC event with Captain Gratefulness/on Sat 29th August 1:30-3pm. Please RSVP 0406229071 samantha@extendedfamilies.org.au

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Safe Seats, Safe Kids

Do you want to make a difference to a life while opening your heart and home to a furry soul? FurKids is here to help you find the perfect match — whether feline or canine! We’re here to answer all your questions and guide you to your ideal companion. Head to our website: www.furkidsrescue.com.au Adoption Fees Kittens: $350 Adult Cats: $200–$250 Puppies: $900- $1000 Additional microchip transfer fee: $15 (online) Pakenham Lifestyle Centre, 825 Princes Hwy, Pakenham, VIC 3810, Australia

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Safe Seats, Safe Kids offers subsidised child car restraint fittings and safety checks delivered by accredited professionals, giving local families peace of mind that their children are traveling safely. Date: Thursday 27th August - 10am-2pm Event details 1. Cost to families: $10 co-contribution per child car restraint (paid online at booking; max 3 restraints per family). 2. Duration: 4-hour event (2–3 fitters in attendance). 3. Capacity: 24–36 appointments available. 4. Support provided: Public booking link & digital promotional materials. What Families Receive: Each participating family gains access to the Safe Seats, Safe Kids eLearning resource (featuring step-by-step videos and practical guidance) alongside their face-to-face fitting, ensuring they feel confident long after the event.

days, and of course, very interesting guest speakers. Our National Project is supporting Cord Blood Research by funding annual research grants. Next time you have a sausage at a Bunnings sausage sizzle that our Club may be hosting, please come up and ask us what we are all about. We love sharing our Club’s history. If you want to know more about our great organisation, please visit our Inner Wheel Australia website at innerwheelaustralia.org.au or contact our local club by email: iiw.au.pakenham@gmail. com

Civic Concert Band annual concert

Men’s Discussion Group Pakenham

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The annual concert of the Cardinia Civic Concert Band returns at Bunjil Place on Sunday, 13 September, featuring the Cardinia Civic Concert Band alongside special guest John Wood. Following the success of previous concerts together, audiences can once again look forward to an afternoon of outstanding live music, entertaining stories and plenty of laughter. Starting at 2pm, it’s a wonderful opportunity to experience the talent of the band and enjoy a memorable performance with one of Australia’s best-loved entertainers. Tickets are available now through the Bunjil Place website at: www.bunjilplace.com.au/ events/cardinia-civic-concert-band.

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Learn to Play Bridge Berwick Bridge Club is looking for new members. There are two free beginners’ courses. One starting on Friday morning 4 September 2026 from 10am-12pm and the second one on Monday night starting 21 September 2026 from 7-9pm. Both courses run for 12 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 97022348 or email info@berwickbridgeclub.au

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Showjumping Competition The Pakenham Pony Club is hosting another WGZ Series 2026 showjumping competition on Sunday 13 September 2026 starting at 7am with yards available to book with your entry. The event is being held at Huxtable Road Reserve, Pakenham Upper, VIC, Australia. Entry fees: PC: $70, Open: $80

• Prostate Cancer Support Group

A safe space for men suffering or recovering from prostate cancer treatment and their families. All are welcome. We meet on the first Thursday of each month from February to November, 7pm to 8.30 pm, at Outlook Community Centre, 24 Toomuc Valley Road, Pakenham. For further information, phone Span Hanna on 0422 917 386 or email cardyprostate@outlook. com.

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Inner Wheel Pakenham 40th year Did you know that our Club is celebrating its 40th year here in Pakenham? You too can join with a group of ladies who enjoy many hours of fun and friendship, celebrating being a member of the largest worldwide women’s service organisation. We meet most first Thursdays of the month at the RSL Club rooms in Pakenham at 9.30am for a 10am start. Some of our extra activities include movie days, coffee mornings, craft and hobby

CHURCH Uniting Church Pakenham Regional Mission Area “Our vision as a Christian community is to honour each individual’s experience of God, while sharing the love of Jesus Sunday’s service was conducted by Rev. Chang-bae Byan. It was the 12th Sunday of Pentecost and was entitled “have mercy on us” and looked at the Matthew reading (Ch 15 V21-28) about the Canaanite woman who asked for Jesus’ help for her daughter and Jesus did not show mercy to her immediately.

12 STAR NEWS | Thursday, 20 August, 2026

FurKids Rescue Adoption Weekend Cats, Kittens & Puppies waiting to meet you. (File)

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Looking for a decent yarn and a laugh with local blokes? Great Conversation. No Agendas. Just Good Blokes. If you’ve been looking for a place to connect with genuine guys, talk about the stuff that actually matters, and have a laugh along the way, OM:NI Pakenham is looking for you. This is your invitation to connect, share life experiences, and talk about everything from the everyday to the extraordinary. We offer a completely informal, supportive space for senior men—no strings attached, just good company and great conversation over a cuppa. We make it easy to fit into your calendar at Outlook (24 Toomuc Valley Road, Pakenham): Daytime: 2nd Wednesday of the month, 9:15 am – 12pm Evening: 1st Wednesday of the month, 7pm – 9:30 pm Get out of the house, meet some fantastic local characters, and bring your ideas to the table. To lock in your spot for the next session, contact: Darren (Day Group): 0418 300 233 Ken (Evening Group): 0419 574 865

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Pakenham Garden Club Meets on the 1st Tuesday of the month, except in January and November. In November, we meet on the 2nd Tuesday. We visit Gardens, Nurseries, Places of Interest, we have 3-4 Meetings a year, at the Cardinia Club in Pakenham, with a speaker, Raffle, and Plant Share, then lunch at the Cardinia Club. New members most welcome. Contact Mary - 0437 474 452

• Cranbourne Seniors Club

Morning Melodies with Gavin Chatelier, first Friday of the month, 11am-3pm; $15 lunch included. Details: Marilyn, 0432 107 590 or facebook. com/groups/487808127399953

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Probus Club of Pakenham East The Probus Club of Pakenham East warmly invites retired and semi-retired members of our community to join us. We offer a variety of enjoyable activities to suit all interests, including dine-outs, ten-pin bowling, craft groups, walking groups, theatre outings, and gardening—just to name a few. Our meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month at the Cardinia Club, 71 Racecourse Road, commencing at 10:30am. At the conclusion of the meeting, members are invited to stay and enjoy lunch together. For more information or to express your interest in joining, please contact: President John: 0420 936 240

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We had quite a history lesson with Rev Chang-bae explaining that the cities of Tyre and Sidonnot were not part of Israel but in Lebanon and were cities of economic wealth. There were plots afoot to kill Jesus. He was instructing his disciples and it was a time of reflection. The Canaanite woman, Jesus’ disciples and his impending death was a conflict of priorities. The woman compared herself to a dog. She had no religious status. She said to Jesus “have mercy on me”. Jesus was impressed. Even a crumb of mercy is enough for her. This cry for mercy led Jesus to

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Secretary Dorothy: probuspakeast@gmail.com

Pakenham Seniors People interested in a happy, social atmosphere and meeting new friends are invited to visit Pakenham Senior Citizens Clubrooms at 38 James Street on any Monday morning. The club has regular activities. Rooms are available to rent. Telephone 5941 1297.

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Singers wanted Cranbourne Chorale is recruiting for its non-auditioned adult community choir for mixed voices. Our repertoire is a mix of uplifting songs. Feel free to visit us without obligation; the first four sessions are free of charge. Wednesday rehearsals 7.30pm at The Factory, Building 5, 65 Berwick-Cranbourne Road, Cranbourne East. Details: Jenny, 0438 358 032.

Fight Parkinson’s Support Group Do you, or someone near and dear to you. Have Parkinson’s? We invite those with Parkinson’s and their carers to join us for a cuppa and a chat. We meet between 10am and 12 noon on the third Wednesday each month at Officer Football Club at 20 Starling Road, Officer. For further information call Tracey on 0494 562 509.

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Pakenham Probus The Original Club in Pakenham for over 30 years. Pakenham Probus welcomes retired people from the community for fun and friendship. They meet at the Cardinia Club on the first Thursday of the month at 10am. They have the meeting, followed by morning tea and a chat. Then a guest speaker is welcomed to enlighten or entertain. The group then stays at the venue for a pay yourself lunch and chat. During the month, the group provides at minimal costs 10-pin bowling, craft activities, book club, tours, yearly holiday, 2 coffee mornings, dine out and a walking group. You can take part in whichever activities you want. Join and have a great time. Contact John Stitt: 0407766494

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Inner Wheel Pakenham If you are interested in building cherished friendships, serving our communities whilst making a difference in this world, come and see how the largest world wide womens organisation works together. Inner Wheel of Pakenham are looking for more members to join for a new schedule of events this year. Events included talks from guest speakers, movie days, coffee mornings, craft days and other special events. Meetings are held on the 1st Thursday morning of each month. Please check out the Inner Wheel Australia website for more information, nnerwheelaustralia.org.au and contact the local Club at iiw. au.pakenham@gmail.com if you are interested in joining.

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Little learner’s playgroup Join Aspire Pakenham centre every Friday morning from 10:30-11:30am for free playgroup sessions for your little one. It’s the perfect opportunity for children to play, explore and make new friends, with a new theme every week. Hosted by Anglicare Victoria, the event will be held at the community

march to Jerusalem. We should also pray for mercy. Jesus’ boundless grace meets up exactly where we are. Some boxes were place in the office for goods for goods for Cranbourne Food Truck, Hampton Park food collective and Narre Warren North Op Shop. Homework Hub - Each Tuesday 3.30-5.30pm First session 14 July. Playgroup - Wednesday mornings. 9.30am Not during school holidays Elders gathering – 20 August 1.30pm

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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. For more info please phone Maree on 9702 2348.

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Pakenham Central Probus If you are retired or semi-retired, Pakenham Central Probus offers you a dynamic and friendly club. Activities include dine outs, outings, coffee mornings, walking group, craft group, ten-pin bowling, trips as well as concerts and theatre outings. Monthly meetings are held in Pakenham on Thursdays with reports on the Club’s activities, interesting speakers and opportunities to socialise and sign up for any of the activities that interest you. There’s never a dull moment—good company, great experiences, and memories to cherish. Come along for a visit to see if the Club suits your needs. Contact: our Jan 0417 371 004 or email pakenhamcentralprobus@gmail.com

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Garfield Exercise Group As part of the Bunyip Friendship Hub, they meet at the Garfield Football Club rooms on Tuesdays at 10am.

Garfield Sewing Club Come along with your sewing machine or use one of ours and join a group of sewers creating clothes, quilts, crafts, repairing and upcycling. All skill levels welcome but a gold coin donation. This event is held every Tuesday during the school term at Garfield Scout Hall.

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Food Relief with Vegetables, Fruit Available every second Wednesday at 2pm at MoyYan Neighbourhood House in Garfield.

Inner Wheel Club of Berwick The Inner Wheel Club (IW) Berwick is a ladies international friendship club which raises funds to support local charities and other worthwhile causes. They have a dinner meeting on the first Monday of the month and enjoy a range of activities including guest speakers, morning teas, book club and craft afternoons For more information, visit their Facebook page or contact iiw.au.berwick@gmail.com

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Berwick Springs VIEW Club Affiliated with The Smith Family, the Berwick Springs VIEW Club is a not-for-profit organisation, with the aim to fundraise to support Learning for Life students. The club currently supports 10 students of varying ages with their education expenses. The club meets on the first Monday of each month in the Berwick Springs Hotel function room from 11.15am, where members enjoy a lunch and then host a guest speaker. The club is always looking for new members in all age groups. For more information, contact Shirley on 0438 191 759 or email berwicksprings.viewclub@ gmail.com

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U3A Casey Did you know that U3A Casey now has 745 members and operates out of multiple venues across the Casey area? It offers 65 different classes, ranging from exercise/movement/dance groups to literature, crafts, music, discussion groups and more. If you want to keep both your mind and body active after retirement, then visit u3acasey.org.au

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Casey Cardinia Life Activities Club Weekly social activities with dancing, trips away via coach, a weekly morning coffee club, monthly Saturday country pub lunches, monthly Tuesday dine-outs, a weekly walking group, a weekly table tennis group, seasonal daytime musical theatre outings, entertainment function days and more. Thursdays 2pm for socialising and low-key dancing at Brentwood Park Neighbourhood Houseat 21A Bemersyde Drive or Wednesdays 10am for coffee and chats at the new François cafe in front of Myer in Fountain Gate. Details: Garry 0409 785 400

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· Church Council – 20 August 3pm · Friendship Group – 9 September 1.30pm

Please ensure that the doors are locked when you leave the building and the heating/cooling and lights are off. Please continue to contribute to the Lazarus Food Relief which is being run by the COPTIC church who are providing hampers for the community which they distribute each Saturday at 2.00pm. A box is in the foyer for donations. Psalm 67 V1 “May God be gracious to us and bless us.”

pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

NEWS

New Casey leaders at helm By Violet Li Casey has a new leadership team, with Cr Michelle Crowther elected Mayor and Cr Anthony Walter appointed Deputy Mayor following former Mayor Cr Stefan Koomen’s resignation. Cr Crowther was nominated by Cr Jennifer Dizon as a mayoral candidate at a Special Council Meeting on the night of Tuesday 18 August. She was the only nominated candidate, and she had the full 11 votes. She moved up from the deputy mayoral role she had held since the November 2025. Cr Walter was nominated by Cr Koomen as a deputy mayoral candidate. He was also the only nominated candidate, and he secured full 11 votes. Cr Koomen stepped down as Mayor to focus on his campaign as Labor’s candidate for Narre Warren South at the upcoming November State Election. Cr Crowther said her experience advocating for Casey over the past year had encouraged her to put herself forward for the mayoralty. “Over the course of the year, as I became involved in advocacy for Casey in a number of forums, I realised I was skilled in advocating for the Casey community,” she said. “I then started to re-structure my work to be able to fully commit to the Mayoral role.” With only a short period remaining in the current mayoral term, Cr Crowther said her immediate focus would be pushing for infrastructure and service commitments ahead of the State Election. “Clyde Rail and the Thompson’s Rd extension are our key infrastructure projects for the upcoming state election - we understand the frustration of Casey residents who spend considerable time in their cars, especially in our growth areas,” she said. The proposed Clyde Rail Link has long been a major advocacy priority for the rapidly growing south-east, while Council has also been cam-

Cr Michelle Crowther (right) is the new Mayor and Cr Anthony Walter (left) was appointed as Deputy Mayor. (Supplied) paigning for further upgrades and an extension of Thompsons Road. Cr Crowther said she would also continue work already under way in areas including food security, community safety and family violence. “In the short time of my Mayoral term, my key priorities are advocating for the Casey community in the lead-up to the election to help deliver the key infrastructure and services our growing community needs,” she said. “Plus continuing to progress many initiatives

we have already commenced - like community support through food security initiatives, community safety and family violence.” Cr Crowther said during her deputy time, she worked closely with Cr Koomen and learned a lot. “He worked hard to rebuild community trust in council and also supported our councillor group,” she said. Cr Koomen marked the end of his mayoralty in a Facebook post, saying Council was in a stronger position than when the new councillor group

took office. “Elected twice and supported by all Councillors, I’ve given everything I have to this role and our community,” he wrote. He pointed to “rebuilding trust, restoring integrity and bringing Council back to the community” as achievements of his time as Mayor, and said Casey was on track to be debt-free next year while delivering record capital investment. “It has been an absolute honour,” he said.

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pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

Thursday, 20 August, 2026 | STAR NEWS 13

NEWS

Shark fear challenged By Violet Li A marine biologist who has come face-to-face with broadnose sevengill sharks in Western Port said a recent shark bite in Tasmania should be viewed with context rather than fear. Marine biologist, filmmaker and science communicator Sheree Marris, who is currently working on a social impact campaign highlighting the natural wonders of Western Port, has recently filmed the same shark species believed to have been involved in the Tasmanian incident. A diver suffered non-life-threatening injuries near Bruny Island in July after an encounter with what police believed was a roughly two-metre broadnose sevengill shark. Sheree said one particularly important detail was that the diver had reportedly been spearfishing and was retrieving a freshly speared fish when the incident occurred. She said a wounded fish could create multiple signals capable of attracting an opportunistic predator. “A struggling, injured fish can create a sensory cocktail of movement, vibration and chemical cues in the water,” she said. “To an opportunistic predator, that could signal a potential easy feed. “We can’t say exactly what motivated this shark, but context matters. There’s a big difference between a shark randomly biting a person and a shark investigating a situation where a freshly speared fish is involved.” Sheree said she preferred to call what happened a shark “incident” rather than an “attack”, arguing the latter could reinforce the perception of sharks as aggressive animals hunting humans. She said sevengills were opportunistic feeders that could take advantage of struggling, injured or dead animals. “They’re not villains in the ecosystem. They’re part of what makes the ecosystem work,” she said. Sheree has experienced the species firsthand while filming in Western Port and said the encounter initially made her nervous. “It was my first time seeing one. So, I was nervous. I’m not going to lie,” she said.

Sevengill shark. (Western Port Down Under/Jack Breedon) “You have to have a healthy respect. You’re getting in the water with a wild animal. “But once I saw one, I actually became quite relaxed being around them because they’re just such magnificent animals to have a look at. “I would jump back in the water in a heartbeat if I knew I could see one.” She described the sharks as sometimes inquisitive but also capable of being quite shy, rather than the fast-moving and erratic predators often depicted in popular culture. Broadnose sevengills can grow beyond three metres and feed across the marine food web, including on fish, rays, other sharks and marine mammals.

Sheree said predators such as sevengills played an important role in regulating ecosystems and consuming vulnerable, diseased or dead animals. “They’re like a garbage cleaner,” she said. “They have a really important role, and I think if people knew how incredible they are and also knew bits about their biology, people would go, ‘Oh wow, that’s really amazing.’” The species is also unusual among sharks. While most modern sharks have five pairs of gill slits, the broadnose sevengill has seven. They belong to an ancient evolutionary lineage, with fossil evidence of related sharks stretching back more than 150 million years to

the Jurassic period. Each shark also carries a distinctive pattern of spots that can be used to identify individuals, effectively acting as a ‘shark fingerprint’. For Sheree, seeing the species in Western Port also reinforces the ecological importance of the bay. She said sheltered Western Port waters were used by various shark species to pup, while the area also provided nursery habitat for species important to recreational and commercial fisheries. “I don’t want to scare people,” she said. “I want people to actually have this sense of fascination, not fear.”

Cranbourne Hub takes next step as service partners locked in Casey Council has announced the service partners that will be located at the proposed Cranbourne Community Hub. Wellsprings for Women and WAYSS Ltd are the latest service partners to be confirmed at the Hub, joining Peninsula Community Legal Centre (PCLC), Connected Libraries and Council’s Cranbourne Youth Information Centre and Customer Service Centre. To be located at 1-3 Lyall Street, the Cranbourne Hub will create a modern, welcoming destination where residents can access multiple services in one convenient location. Detailed design work has now been completed, with the project progressing through procurement over the coming months. Construction is anticipated to begin in early 2027 and the Hub expected to open to the community in 2029. The Hub has been shaped through community engagement and co-design, with a focus on

creating a welcoming, accessible and safe space that responds to the needs of the community now and into the future. City of Casey Deputy Mayor Cr Michelle Crowther said with all service partners now confirmed, the community can see the vision for the Cranbourne Hub taking shape. “It’s an important investment in both the future of Cranbourne and in making services more accessible for our growing community,” she said. Wellsprings for Women CEO Dalal Smiley said it has been a dream for their organisation to secure a place in Casey to operate from on ongoing basis. “The demand for our services in Casey has grown exponentially in the last five years and the opportunity to operate in close proximity to Council services, WAYSS and Peninsula Community Legal Centre will certainly improve service outcomes for our mutual clients,” she said. WAYYS General Manager Shari McPhail said

they’re proud to be part of the new Cranbourne Hub, a purpose-built space that will strengthen the way community services work together to support people across Casey. “Our tenancy at the Hub will enhance the homelessness, housing and family violence services we deliver locally, while creating new opportunities for collaboration with other organisations committed to safety, wellbeing and inclusion,” she said. PCLC’s CEO Jackie Galloway said they were delighted to work alongside Council services and other community organisations committed to supporting the Casey community. “Co-locating services in one accessible location will make it easier for people to connect with the help they need, when they need it most. We are excited about the opportunities this partnership creates to provide more integrated support and improve access to justice for local residents,” she said.

Connected Libraries CEO Beth Luppino said the new spaces will provide the best environment for our community to connect, learn and thrive. “Having library services located in the Hub with our partners makes perfect sense; it will allow our visitors to access everything they need in one central place,” she said. “We particularly look forward to supporting our growing population of young people with library lending collections, a gaming zone, study areas and free programs planned together with Casey’s Youth Services team – this is a real win for the young people in Cranbourne.” As part of the latest project update, Council has released a new suite of concept renders, offering residents a glimpse of what the future Hub will look like once complete. Residents can view the new renders, learn more about the project and sign up for updates via the Cranbourne Hub project page at: conversations.casey.vic.gov.au/Cranbourne-hub

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14 STAR NEWS | Thursday, 20 August, 2026

pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

NEWS

Church plan faces a vote By Violet Li A controversial church proposal in Cranbourne South will be decided by Casey councillors next month. The planning application for a place of worship at 600 Cranbourne-Frankston Road was formally “called in” amid significant community interest, which means the application will be decided at the council meeting on Tuesday 15 September, rather than being decided by council planning officers under delegated authority. The proposal, lodged on behalf of Dandenongbased Bethel New Life Christian Fellowship, seeks approval for a two-storey, 3515-squaremetre church in the Western Port Green Wedge. Plans previously advertised by council show the $3.5 million development would accommodate up to 300 people for regular Sunday services and up to 400 people for six special events each year. It would include 120 car spaces and upgraded vehicle access to Cranbourne-Frankston Road. Council has received 237 objections to the application.

A concept picture of the proposed church at 600 Cranbourne-Frankston Road in Cranbourne South. (AnC Planning Consultants) Casey Council said councillors called in the application because of the level of community interest and its likely significance beyond the immediate neighbourhood. Council said the process was a normal administrative mechanism designed to support transparency and did not indicate what the final decision would be. The formal 14-day public notice period has

closed, and council said no changes had been made to the application since it was advertised. However, it has republished the full plans and supporting documents online so residents can examine them before the September Meeting. Council officers are continuing to assess issues including traffic and access, environmental impacts, neighbourhood amenity, planning policy and whether the development is appropriate within the Western Port Green Wedge. All submissions received during the process will also be considered. The proposal has attracted opposition from local residents’ groups concerned about the increasing number of urban-style developments proposed for Casey’s green wedge. In May, Western Port Green Wedge Protection Group spokesperson David Cole told Star News the group had “grave” concerns about the scale and intensity of the development, pointing to potential impacts from traffic, vegetation removal, noise, lighting and wildlife disturbance. The Casey Residents and Ratepayers Association also lodged a formal objection, arguing its concerns related to the scale and location of the

proposal rather than the religious group behind it. CRRA president Anthony Tassone said at the time that approving urban-intensity institutional uses could gradually undermine the green wedge’s role as a non-urban break. Bethel New Life Christian Fellowship previously said a place of worship was a permitted discretionary use in the zone subject to a planning permit and that the application should be assessed on its merits. Its planning documents argue the site is not productive agricultural land and is close to existing residential and urban growth areas. The proposal also includes substantial setbacks and landscaping intended to retain the semi-rural appearance of the site. The application comes amid continuing tensions over religious and institutional developments in Casey’s green wedge, where several proposals have faced organised community opposition and planning challenges in recent years. The council agenda and officer recommendation are expected to be published on the Friday before the 15 September meeting.

SEMMA, business groups call for WFH laws’ dumping By Cam Lucadou-Wells and AAP

Victorian Premier Ben Carroll has announced a pause on its proposed work-from-home laws.

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South East and Victorian business groups say the State Government needs to go further than “pause” its proposed work-from-home laws. Premier Ben Carroll announced that the WFH laws’ start date will be pushed back from 1 September to July 1, 2027, with “sensible amendments” to be made to the legislation. “My door will always be open to the business community,” he said. “That is why I’ve delayed these changes, and it’s why I’m going to continue to work with the business community on making sure this policy is right.” Full-time, part-time and casual employees will get the right to work from home two days a week on a pro-rata basis if reasonably able to under the legislation. A grace period was already in place until July 1 for businesses with fewer than 15 employees. Debate on the bill, which has already passed the lower house and was expected to pass the upper house within days, has also been delayed. The bill would still be passed before the November state election, Carroll said. South East Melbourne Manufacturers Alliance (SEMMA) and other business groups such as Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Property Council of Australia have long resisted the reform. SEMMA chief executive Honi Walker said “hitting pause is a good idea”. “It seems Premier Carroll is listening but consultation with business must continue.” She said the laws, if passed, would turn the region crowned as Australia’s manufacturing powerhouse into a “graveyard”.

“If this government is truly business friendly and wants a thriving Victoria, then this government must dump this legislation.” Walker argues that the reform would “repel investment in Victoria” along with the state’s “crippling land and payroll taxes”. “Work from home arrangements should be negotiated between the employer and the employee,” Walker said. “The government need not dictate the terms of employment in private businesses. “If the government insists on this legislation – it should only be applied to the public sector not the private sector and make that clear.” VCCI chief executive Sally Curtain hoped to persuade the Premier to “abandon this destructive course”. “As it stands, this legislation remains a profound risk to our state’s economy.” In its push for the WFH laws, the Government argued that more than a third of workers – including 60 per cent of professionals – regularly work from home WFH saves families money, as well as saving hours on commuting, it stated. Among the more contentious elements of the legislation is a requirement for employers to pay any reasonable costs to allow an eligible employee to work remotely. Employers must respond to a work-fromhome notice within 21 days and propose alternative arrangements if they knock back a request. Shadow attorney-general James Newbury labelled the Labor government “vandals”, accusing it of creating instability for businesses and workers. “This government can’t be trusted,” he said. “Ben Carroll has had four positions on working-from-home in the past two weeks.”

pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

Thursday, 20 August, 2026 | STAR NEWS 15

SPORT

Pumas now focus on finals A1 Pakenham Pumas A1 wrapped up a strong regular season with a hard-fought 5-4 loss to Frankston on Saturday, but there was plenty to like about the Pumas’ performance as they now turn their attention to next week’s semi-final. Pakenham outhit their opponent eight hits to six and remained in the contest right until the end, continuing the determined form that has been a feature of their season. After two scoreless innings, the Pumas opened the scoring in the third when Kenichiro Tanaka produced a triple to bring home the first run of the game. Frankston responded in the bottom half of the inning to take a 4-1 lead, but the Pumas refused to let the game get away from them. They fought their way back in the fifth, with Yoshi Kageta helping spark the comeback with a single as Pakenham drew level at 4-4. Luke Anson was another important contributor through the middle of the lineup, finishing with two RBIs. The deciding run came in the bottom of the fifth, but Pakenham continued to battle and provided them with every opportunity to turn the result around. Aoi Nakaza put together another strong performance on the mound, pitching all six innings and striking out six while allowing just six hits and one walk. Nakaza also impressed with the bat, joining Shun Haga and Tanaka with two hits each as the Pumas finished the afternoon with eight hits across the lineup. While the narrow loss wasn’t the way Pakenham wanted to finish the home-and-away season, it takes little away from what has been an impressive and consistent campaign from the A1 side. The Pumas have played strong baseball throughout the season and have earned their opportunity to compete for a place in the Grand Final. With the regular season now behind them, the focus turns to finals baseball as Pakenham prepares to take the field in next week’s semi-final. A2 Pakenham Pumas A2 endured a difficult afternoon at Robinsons Park on Saturday, going down 15-3 after a big opening inning put them on the back foot early. The Pumas made a positive start and were first on the scoreboard, with Travis showing patience at the plate to draw a basesloaded walk and bring home the opening run of the game. Unfortunately, the momentum quickly swung in the other direction, with Frankston producing a nine-run bottom of the first to take control of the contest. They continued to build their advantage over the following innings, leaving Pakenham with plenty of work to do. Despite the scoreboard, the Pumas continued to battle at the plate and found ways to get runners aboard, drawing six walks throughout the game. Nick was a standout offensively, leading Pakenham with two hits in a 2-for-3 performance. Ethan, Jakob and Travis each contributed an RBI as the Pumas continued to fight for runs. On the mound, Coadhey got the start for Pakenham and recorded two strikeouts before Oliver took over in relief, pitching three innings and adding another strikeout. The Pumas also produced a strong moment defensively, turning a double play to shut down a scoring opportunity. It was a tough result for Pakenham A2, but the side continued to compete despite the early deficit. The team had a tough season but they go away with better skills ready for next season C1 In the final game of the season the Pakenham C1 side travelled to Moorabbin and while we battled hard ultimately went down 5-15. After failing to score in the first the Pumas we were unable to contain a strong Moorabbin side as they scored seven runs and threatened to run away with the game. Coming in as relief in the second inning though Kyle ‘Wild Thing’ Peck had other ideas putting together an impressive performance on the mound. After failing to score again in the second Kyle held the opposition to just the two runs with Larry Pappazo ending the inning with an off-balance catch on a hard hit line drive to right field. The Pumas were then able to open the scoring at the top of the third with Jamie D’Arcy slapping a ball into Right Field allowing Kyle to score from second. At the bottom of the third we were able to hold Moorabbin to just the one run with a hit and three ground balls in the inning. Neither team was able to score in the fourth inning with a strikeout and a couple of ground balls stranding a couple of Moorabbin base runners. In the fifth James Kinsella got himself on base with a cheeky pop up that just landed in front of the shortstop before Peck helped his own cause with a big triple to right field. Angus added a second run with a productive ground out. Unfortunately a Moorabbin were able to push a few more runs across

16 STAR NEWS | Thursday, 20 August, 2026

Kyle Peck produced an impressive performance for Pakenham Pumas C1, including a big triple to right field. (Rob Carew: 547414) the plate but not before Kyle picked up his third strikeout of the game. Making his C1 debut on the mound in relief was Angus who needed just four pitches to pick up his first strikeout. In the sixth back-to-back singles from Larry and Connor Mills-Emmerson paid off as they both came around to score before time and game was called. Not the result we were hoping to end on but another game where we showed plenty of positives and held our heads high continuing to battle for the whole game. Despite results not going our way the whole team can be proud of their performances and the improvements made throughout the season. Hits: 2 James Kinsella, Kyle (Triple), Connor Mills-Emmerson, Jamie D’Arcy, Larry Papazzo. RBIs: 2 Kyle Peck, James Kinsella, Angus, Jamie D’Arcy. C2 Pakenham Pumas C2 endured a tough afternoon on Saturday, falling 20-4 to Frankston despite a promising start and some strong performances at the plate. The Pumas wasted little time getting on the scoreboard, with Andrew Mayberry driving in the opening run with a single in the top of the first inning. After falling behind, Pakenham responded strongly in the second. Greg McCormick came up with a big triple before Blake Hughes added a single, helping the Pumas level the scores at 4-4 and putting the contest back on even terms. Unfortunately for Pakenham, the game swung heavily from there. Frankston regained the lead in the bottom of the second before a seven-run third inning opened up a sizeable advantage. Another big inning in the fourth ultimately put the result beyond the Pumas. Despite the final scoreline, Pakenham produced eight hits and had several encouraging individual performances. McCormick was a standout at the plate, finishing 2-for3 with two RBIs, while Mayberry also collected two hits and drove in a run. Hughes contributed to the Pumas’ early fightback with an RBI single. Mayberry also took the ball as Pakenham’s starting pitcher, working two innings and recording two strikeouts. The Pumas will look to put the result behind them and regroup for the semi-finals starting next week. D For the Pakenham Pumas D Grade, the 2026 winter season was never going to be measured simply by wins and losses. With a team featuring many players completely new to baseball, this season was about learning the game, having a crack, improving each week and, most importantly, enjoying themselves along the way. From their opening game in May, the Pumas were thrown straight into the deep end. There were plenty of tough opponents and some scoreboards the team probably won’t be framing for the clubhouse wall, but the enthusiasm never disappeared. For a group learning everything from pitching and

catching to stealing bases, turning double plays and working out exactly where to throw the ball when things suddenly got hectic, the improvement across the season was fantastic to watch. Adding to the challenge, there were several weeks when D Grade players were called up to fill spots in the higher grades when the club was short. While that sometimes left D Grade scrambling for numbers themselves, it also gave players the chance to test what they had learned at a higher level and showed just how valuable the team was to the club as a whole. For players still relatively new to the game, stepping up a grade was another great opportunity to learn, gain confidence and experience a different level of baseball. There were plenty of individual highlights along the way. Malin, Julia, Ethan, Jakob and Blake all took their turns on the mound, while players including Larry, Carlo, Cooper, Karlee, Katherine, Andrew, Riley, Johanna, Duncan and others regularly found ways to contribute with the bat, in the field and on the bases. One of the biggest highlights came late in the season when Jakob produced a huge three-hit game against Chelsea/Bonbeach, collecting a single, triple and a home run. It was a memorable moment for a team that had spent the winter celebrating every improvement, whether it was a first hit, a stolen base, a strikeout, a great catch or simply remembering where everyone was supposed to be! There were also some terrific team performances hidden among the results. The Pumas produced big scoring innings, turned double plays, showed plenty of aggression on the basepaths and, remarkably, played an entire game against Frankston with only seven players without committing an error. But perhaps the best part of the season was the spirit within the group. They kept turning up, kept encouraging each other and kept finding reasons to laugh, even when things weren’t going their way. Experienced players helped the newcomers learn the game, while the new players brought plenty of enthusiasm and reminded everyone that baseball is supposed to be fun. A huge thank you must also go to Jo, who took on the job of managing D Grade and gave her time, patience and encouragement to a group containing so many fresh Pumas. Jo wasn’t just there to organise a line-up and manage a baseball game; she became a role model for the new players and showed them what being part of the Pakenham Pumas is all about. She helped create an environment where players could learn, make mistakes, ask questions, have a laugh and feel like they belonged to the club from day one. The win column might not tell the story of Pakenham D Grade’s season, but the smiles, friendships and improvement certainly do. A group of new baseballers started the winter learning the great game and finished it with far more experience, plenty of stories and hopefully a love

of baseball that will bring them back again. For D Grade, that’s a pretty successful season. WOMENS WHITE Pakenham Pumas Women’s White wrapped up their 2026 season on Sunday, going down 14-5 to Dingley in a game that probably won’t be remembered for the scoreboard — but certainly summed up a season filled with laughs, improvement and plenty of memorable moments. The Pumas wasted no time getting themselves on the board, with Liz Hubbard drawing a walk in the first inning to bring home the opening run. For a brief and glorious moment, Pakenham had the lead and everything was going exactly according to plan. Unfortunately, Dingley had other ideas. The home side responded with five runs in the bottom of the first and continued to build their advantage over the next two innings. Jessica Moulding battled through three innings on the mound, picking up two strikeouts while doing her best to keep the opposition in check. But Women’s White weren’t about to quietly pack up the bats and start planning the end-of-season celebrations. Christine Sculley and Kaylee Wirski both picked up hits, while Sculley, Wirski, Hubbard and Amelia each drove in a run. Amelia also decided that simply standing on bases was a little boring, stealing two of them as the Pumas finished with four stolen bases for the game. The Pumas also showed plenty of patience at the plate, working seven walks. Whether that was excellent plate discipline or everyone simply enjoying a little extra time in the batter’s box before the season ended, we’ll call it excellent plate discipline. Lorelle McLeish was kept particularly busy, leading the team with four fielding chances. While the result brought the curtain down on the season and Women’s White won’t feature in this year’s finals, the scoreboard only tells a very small part of their story. This season has been about much more than wins and losses. The group has grown enormously throughout the year, with players developing their skills, confidence and understanding of the game — all while having plenty of fun along the way. There have been big hits, great plays, stolen bases, strikeouts, close games, tough games and probably a few moments where everyone wondered exactly what was happening — but that’s all part of baseball. Most importantly, the Women’s White team created a season full of laughs, friendships and improvement, and they kept turning up for each other every week. No finals this time around, but plenty to be proud of — and plenty of stories to tell. That’s a wrap on 2026 for Women’s White. What a fun season it’s been. Now it’s time to get out our pom poms and cheer on the Women’s Black team as they head into the semi-finals next week. - Jessica Moulding

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SPORT

Pakky outmuscle Steelers By Justin Schwarze Pakenham made a finals statement as the Warriors outmuscled Western Port in the Big V Championship elimination final on Saturday night. After finishing third, Pakenham hosted the Steelers at Cardinia Life and reminded the visitors that it was their house, stunning them from the opening tip. The Warriors shook off any finals nerves almost immediately, getting their hands dirty as they operated in the key and applied pressure on the rim. Bridget Mullings used her size to dominate early proceedings, scoring eight points in the term while Bri Whatman connected on three triples. Pakenham piled on 16 points in the paint while locking down on the other end, taking a commanding 28-9 lead into the quarter-time huddle. “I was pretty impressed with the girls and the start they were able to produce in the first quarter,” head coach Elli Gibson said. “They moved the ball really well, they were unselfish, they made the extra pass and they went to where we thought our advantages were and capitalised. “We knew we had a height and strength advantage. “We knew they were going to double the post and collapse so we got the ball down there and moved it to find shooters. “The girls did that extremely well and followed and implemented the gameplan that I put out.” Western Port settled and was much better offensively in the second, but Pakenham continued to apply pressure with consistent and deep scoring. Mullings scored another seven points in the second and Whatman knocked down her fourth three to give the hosts the slight advantage in the quarter and they subsequently led 47-25 at halftime. The third was an absolute slog, with both sides struggling mightily to find scoring avenues as the finals intensity ramped up. Pakenham turned the ball over nine times in the third period, but made up for it by shutting down the Steelers defensively. Western Port couldn’t buy one, shooting 2/17 in the term and being unable to capitalise on the Warriors throwing the ball away. With a 54-31 buffer at three-quarter time, the hosts just had to manage the scoreboard to see themselves into the next round of finals. And that’s exactly what transpired as the Steelers didn’t get any closer than 13 points and the Warriors raced away to win 71-54. Pakenham held Western Port to 30 percent shooting as a team from the floor and forced 12 turnovers in a strong defensive showing. Notably, Stella O’Loughlin restricted Western Port star Clare Breden to just 10 points on inefficient 4/15 shooting. “Just building our team defence over the season and getting everyone on the same page in

Bridget Mullings’ double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds led Pakenham past Western Port. (Rob Carew: 571973) that space has really come together now,” Gibson said of her team’s performance defensively. “Now it’s about girls following an individual scout while implementing the rules depending on who we’re playing. “I feel like we have stepped up in that space which is excellent. “Stella has had a standout season defensively, she’s been a go-to lockdown defender for us and she did a great job on Clare the entire game. “She just works so hard and she’s a nightmare to play against, I thought she did a fantastic job.” Once again, a deep range of scorers bolstered Pakenham’s attack on the offensive end. Mullings led the charge with 21 points and 12 rebounds on ultra-efficient 8/9 shooting. O’Loughlin (13 points), Whatman (12 points and eight assists) and Tazsa Garrett-Hammett (12 points) also chipped in with double-digit scoring. After losing superstar guard and number-one scoring option Grace Graham for the season to an ankle injury, the Warriors have been impressively

sharing the load. “When I put this roster together, I thought it was a balanced roster,” Gibson said. “I didn’t have the mindset of needing to rely on two or three girls to score 20 or 30 for us to win, I went with a balanced roster that if we could execute, anybody could at any given time. “Credit to the girls for buying into that, we have such a good spread of scorers and it could be someone different every game. “If we can have a spread of scorers instead of relying on two or three, I think it makes us so much harder to guard.” Pakenham now advances to the semi-finals where it will line up against Sherbrooke at Upwey Stadium on Saturday evening. The Warriors went 1-2 in their three matchups with the Suns this season, with the lone win coming away from home; something Gibson will be hoping to replicate this week.

Stella O’Loughlin gets to the rim and goes up for the layup at Cardinia Life. (571973)

Warriors put together consistent effort to knock off RMIT By Justin Schwarze Consistency has eluded the Pakenham Warriors Men this season but a consistent four-quarter effort on Saturday night saw the Warriors steamroll RMIT in the Big V Championship elimination final. It was one of Pakenham’s best performances for the season at the perfect time as the Warriors shot 50 percent from the field and recorded 21 assists to run over the Redbacks at Cardinia Life. The hosts started with a barrage from deep, burying four threes in the first term while scoring 10 points in the paint. Harry Love got the start but Atien Acuel came off the bench with just over six minutes to go in the opening term and lit it up from all over the court. He started with a bang, pinning Zach Coleman-Bock’s layup to the glass before cashing out from downtown a couple of possessions later. He then worked his way to the cup for a contested layup, followed by him getting out on the

18 STAR NEWS | Thursday, 20 August, 2026

break for a one-handed jam. Acuel finished the term with 10 points and Pakenham held a 30-25 buffer at quarter time. RMIT wouldn’t go away without a fight, but Ryan Batte connected from deep midway through the second to push the Warriors out to a double-digit lead. At halftime, the hosts took a 57-47 advantage into the locker room. It was then the captain’s turn to go on a run as Jackson Dean poured in nine points in the third while his side’s offence hummed. Acuel splashed a pair of threes in the term and Pakenham built up a game-high margin of 20 points before settling for a 83-66 three-quarter time lead. The Warriors set the tone in the fourth despite holding a strong cushion as Nae Hightower sized up Louse Argon before pulling up and banking in a mid-range jumper. On the next possession, Jamie Blanchard swung it to Acuel for his fifth three, and the hosts never looked back.

Pakenham saluted to go on and win 109-88 after outscoring the Redbacks in every quarter. Acuel led the Warriors in scoring off the bench, providing 27 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks on 10/15 shooting that included going 5/10 from three. Batte and Dean produced double-doubles of their own with Batte posting 22 points, 10 rebounds and four steals while the skipper recorded 21 points and 10 boards. Blanchard was effective as a floor general, dishing out 11 assists to go along with his 15 points. Hightower got busy on the interior, finishing with 18 points, seven boards and four dimes. The Warriors booked a ticket to the semi-finals, where they will face off with minor premier Hume City at Broadmeadows Basketball Stadium on Saturday night. Pakenham split their regular season contests with the Broncos, with the Warriors winning the most recent encounter in round 12.

Atien Acuel throws it down as his big performance lifted the Warriors over RMIT. (Tash Warden)

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SPORT

Lions chase down Rebels By Justin Schwarze A slow start did nothing to deny Pakenham of its perfect home-and-away season as the Lions overran Alexandra at Toomuc Reserve in round 18 of Outer East Division 1 on Saturday. After a couple of weeks facing bottom sides, Pakenham struggled to adjust to the pressure and intensity brought by the premiership-contending Rebels early. The visitors picked up the first six scores, highlighted by star Sam Critchley handballing off to Sam Boots, who snapped the Rebels’ first. Critchley then kicked one of his own, corralling the footy after a very fortuitous bounce before wheeling onto his right and bending it home. Mason Hall kicked the Lions’ first at the other end by guiding home a set shot, before Critchley slotted his second with the last kick of the first term. Alexandra led 3.5 (23) to 1.2 (8) at quarter time. “Going into the game, we were excited about the opportunity to finish the season off playing against a finalist,” Pakenham senior coach Justin Stanton said. “We thought it was going to be good prep going into the finals campaign after the previous two weeks of easier games. “We were mindful that we could be a bit off at the start because the intensity wasn’t at its highest over the last couple of weeks. “To Alex’s credit, they started really well and dominated forward territory. “Our defenders held up well but Alex were able to score and they managed to get a two-goal lead at quarter time.” The Lions responded immediately, with Matt Ryan marking in the square and goaling in the first 10 seconds of the second, but Critchley continued to have his fingerprints all over the game as he reeled in a contested grab and booted his third. Ryan then started a mini Pakenham run by belting home a set shot, as James Ahern then drew a free kick and nailed another. Tanner Stanton made it three in a row with a classy finish from the pocket less than a minute later, putting the Lions in front for the first time in the game. Alexandra briefly snatched the lead back through a brilliant running finish from Justin Coventry, but Josh Haggar ensured the hosts would go into the break with the advantage as he got out the back and made no mistakes from close range. A closely-contested first half saw Pakenham hold a slim 6.5 (41) to 5.6 (36) buffer as the teams headed for the rooms. The Rebels got the first say of the second half, with a sloppy, looping kick-in from Cooper Sheppard being picked off by Critchley in the forward 50. He picked up the footy, handballed to Josh Edwards, who found Coventry for his second. Cameron Bishop then bent one perfectly from near the boundary that bounced through, putting Alexandra up by eight. Hall provided instant relief for the hosts with his second set shot goal, followed by Chris Cardona finding Tanner Stanton alone in the square for a second goal of his own. More importantly, Stanton’s major, which came at the 24-minute mark of the third, gave the

Tanner Stanton booted two important goals for Pakenham in its victory over Alexandra. (Rob Carew: 571972) Lions back the lead at three-quarter time, 8.8 (56) to 7.10 (52). Hall gave Pakenham the perfect start to the final term in a close game with his third via a set shot. Captain Luke Ryan then gave his side some breathing room as he applied forward pressure and intercepted an Alexandra kick inside the Lions’ 50. The skipper made the Rebels pay, splitting the middle with his kick. It was then deja vu a few minutes later as he picked off another Alexandra kick before goaling from distance. And he soon had a hattrick of goals as Haggar marked and swiftly handed off to his captain in space, and Ryan capitalised by putting it through. Kyle Nunn and Hall added the icing to a fantastic fourth-quarter cake as Pakenham raced away to win by 39 points, 14.14 (98) to 8.11 (59), after leading by less than a kick at the last change. Hall had another big day up forward with four goals, while Luke Ryan (three goals) bettered his brother Matt’s two-major haul. Tanner Stanton also kicked a pair. Haggar was very lively at half forward and D’Angelo Taito worked tirelessly in the ruck.

“As the game continued, we were able to play the footy that we’ve been able to play this season,” senior coach Stanton remarked. “Then we got to halftime and three-quarter time and there wasn’t much in it; it was a perfect opportunity to see us be able to find another gear to go to in that last quarter. “That’s something we’ve worked hard on over the whole preseason, we wanted to ensure that we’re fit and capable of running out the games. “At three-quarter time we were pretty confident that if they were going to beat us, they were going to have to match us with our fitness levels in the last quarter. “We were confident that was going to be one of our strengths. “When the pressure was high, the playing group just remained composed. “We weren’t playing or using the footy as well as we can but that was partly because of the intensity that Alex brought to the game, to their credit. “It was just about trying to take our opportunities, and it resulted that way, which was pleasing to see.” AROUND THE GROUNDS Seville legend and former AFL player for North Melbourne Nathan O’Keefe kicked five goals on

Luke Ryan celebrates with Sam Wellwood amidst his fourth-quarter barrage. (571972) his way to bringing up career goal 1000 in the Blues’ 38.20 (248) to 1.1 (7) thumping win over Powelltown. Domenic Aloi also headlined for Seville with nine majors. Belgrave’s impressive 15.10 (100) to 10.12 (72) upset win over Yarra Glen unfortunately wasn’t enough for the Magpies to sneak into finals. Chris Westcott’s six goals led his side to victory, but Belgrave needed Emerald to lose to qualify. Sam Wood stood out for the River Pigs with three majors.

Celebrating a memorable moment for Reid Pakenham celebrated another special milestone at its final home game of the 2026 Outer East season, honouring Charlotte Reid, as she took the court for her 200th game. Affectionately known throughout the club as “Chum”, Charlotte has been an integral part of the Pakenham Netball journey for many years, making an outstanding contribution both on and off the court. Charlotte’s Pakenham story began in the Under-13s after the late Jenny Burridge spotted her playing for another club. With Charlotte’s mum, Sarah O’Neill, already a much-loved former Pakenham player, it didn’t take long for Jenny to convince the Reid family to make their move to Pakenham; a decision that has proved incredibly rewarding for the club.

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Sarah is the current Club Secretary and Life Member. Since then, Charlotte has embraced every opportunity to contribute to the Pakenham community. Her service extends far beyond her achievements as a player, with Charlotte also making an impact as an umpire, coach and committee member. Her talent and commitment on court have been recognised through numerous awards over the years, but it is her character and willingness to support others that truly sets her apart. Charlotte is known for her kind and caring nature and willingness to lend a hand whenever it is needed.

Her leadership, both on and off the court, has made her a wonderful role model for younger players and a tremendous asset to the club. Reaching 200 games is a remarkable achievement and a testament to Charlotte’s loyalty, dedication and love for Pakenham. Her contribution has helped shape the club and has inspired teammates and the next generation of players alike. The milestone provided a fitting highlight to a wonderful final home game of the 2026 Outer East season, with Pakenham proud of the season achieved so far. Now, the focus turns firmly towards finals, with the club ready to embrace the challenge and push hard for success.

Charlotte Reid is all smiles after reaching the milestone of 200 games. (Supplied)

Thursday, 20 August, 2026 | STAR NEWS 19

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