Connecting people and communities
Friday, 16 November, 2012 Page 1
Surf Coast
Friday, 16 November 2012
Connecting people and communities
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Troupers seek centre for arts By CHERIE DONNELLAN
FEASIBILITY STAGE: Torquay Theatre Troupe’s Michael Lampkin, Maryanne Doolan, Gay Bell and Mark Tonzing in character for their latest production. Picture: TOMMY RITCHIE 90113
TORQUAY’S thespians will ask council to consider a theatre and arts facility in a $250,000 feasibility study of redeveloping the town’s Surf World precinct. Torquay Theatre Troupe’s Gay Bell said Mayor Libby Coker had discussed the proposed facility with the group when she previously held council’s top job 2010. Ms Bell said funding was unavailable at the time but council provided “minor stage facilities” in a $1 million upgrade of Torquay Senior Citizens centre last year. The troupe appreciated the facilities but they were unsuited to most theatre productions for a range of reasons, she said. “There’s a lot we can’t do in that hall.” Ms Bell said advertising the Senior Citizens hall as the venue for the troupe’s productions also deterred younger audiences. “They think the show will just be aimed at older people but we want to do shows that attract a wide audience. “If we had a dedicated arts centre we could provide a space for music nights, theatre and musical productions and hopefully we could have an art house cinema, too, for locals to enjoy. Ms Bell said wanted a similar facility to Drysdale’s Potato Shed, not “a GPAC”. Council has announced that development consultant GHD and Royce would identify “opportunities for improved community, tourism and cultural facilities” as part of the study. Consultations would begin early next year, a council statement said.
‘Let them die their way’ By NOEL MURPHY “EXCRUCIATING.’’ That’s the description Bellbrae’s June Plate offers as witness to the brain cancer death of husband Dieter. She has called for enactment of euthanasia laws allowing assisted death for the terminally ill so they avoid the suffering and indignity her late husband endured. Mr Plate, formerly a leading scientist, was left unable to communicate or walk and was totally
Bellbrae widow’s emotional plea over husband dependent on nurses. Ten days before dying he refused to eat or drink. “This was not how he wanted to die,” Ms Plate told the Independent. “He was a clever man and wanted to die with all his faculties and his family. “For me, it was excruciating, every day, to witness death so slowly approaching. A mangy dog or horse would be given relief but
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injection?’’ she said. “Euthanasia should be allowed in certain cases when there’s absolutely no hope.’’ Mr Plate was appointed leader of CSIRO’s Division of Textile Industry’s Mechanical Processing Group in 1982. He became assistant chief of the renamed Division of Wool Technology and officer in charge of its Belmont Laboratory in 1988.
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Mr Plate retired in 1993 with numerous professional awards and honours to his credit, among them a CSIRO Medal for Research Achievement, a Sir Ian McLennan Achievement for Industry Award, a Warner Memorial Medal of the Textile Institute, an Eliza Forlone Medal for outstanding contribution to the wool industry and a fellowship with Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering.
Dieter Plate.
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not a human being.’’ Mrs Plate’s family and friends also felt humiliated when they were unable to help relieve her dying husband’s anguish. She said her husband died last year as helpless as a four-monthold baby, totally dependent on nursing for personal care and unable to communicate with family or friends. “Why doesn’t the law allow an
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