Established in 1924 as the
proudly serving Brimbank and the North West
16 MARCH, 2021
12477071-CG03-21
SIGN UP NOW!
(Damjan Janevski) 231030_05
Cafe born out of COVID A Caroline Springs couple who had to shut their cafe in the city due to COVID-19 are back in business as co-owners of a new cafe at the Bunnett Business Park. Peshala Liyanagamage and Nixson Thambithurai have joined forces with co-owner Ange Marinakis to open The Rogue Squirrel Cafe. The Sunshine North cafe opened last week. Mr Marinakis said the cafe was meant to open in October but was put off until last week due to lockdown. “When we started the concept last year it was during COVID,” he said. Mr Marinakis said Ms Liyanagamage and Mr Thambithurai were on JobKeeper until they decided to get involved in the new venture. They had run a cafe at Victoria University in the CBD, which closed due to a lack of international students and foot traffic. Other locals have been employed at the business as well. Mr Marinakis said the cafe provided high quality food that you wouldn’t expect to find in a business park. The company will look to host functions, high teas and other events. NIXSON THAMBITHURAI AND PESHALA LIYANAGAMAGE
Tara Murray
Record pokies spend By Tara Murray Brimbank council is calling on the state government to reduce gaming venue opening hours following the biggest monthly spend on poker machines in the municipality since the introduction of machines in 1992. Data released by the Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation shows $14.7 million was spent at Brimbank’s 15 gaming venues in December 2020 and $13.8 million in January 2021. The amount of money fed into poker machines in January was 26 per cent higher than the same time last year – the largest
increase of any Victorian municipality. The top three venues in Victoria, ranked according to increased daily expenditure, are all located in Brimbank. Brimbank mayor Ranka Rasic said that the area can’t maintain such a high pokies spend. “Brimbank has been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with increasing unemployment, growing reliance on income support, and significant impacts on local business. “Following my letter to the Minister of Consumer Affairs, Gaming and Liquor Regulation in December, the importance of reform has been reinforced with the
continuation of distressing losses shown in the January figures. “On behalf of council, I’m calling on the Victorian government to act immediately to modify the licensing conditions of all gaming venues in Victoria, to limit operation to a maximum of 16 hours per day.” In September 2020, Brimbank joined 12 other councils in signing an open letter to Premier Daniel Andrews calling on the Victorian government to limit operating hours for gaming venues when they re-opened. Through the council’s 19 Point Action Plan for COVID Response and Recovery, the council is also advocating for the government to invest
3 NEW DENTURES ARE GST FREE 3 QUALITY DENTURE CARE 3 HEALTH FUND REBATES 3 PROMPT APPOINTMENTS • New Full and Partial Dentures • Implant Retained Over Dentures • Metal Framed Dentures • Sports Mouthguards • Repairs • Relines • HICAPS Available • Veteran Affairs • Victorian Denture Scheme Accepted
www.knddentureclinic.com.au like us on Facebook KND Denture Clinic
in a dedicated Community Resilience and Fairness Response for Brimbank. As part of this the council is seeking funding for improved gambling harm prevention measures. Gambling reform advocate Anna Bardsley said it was imperative that the government learned from the pandemic. “The amount lost in Brimbank says so much about how dangerous these machines are, and how much damage they do to our communities,” she said. “Almost $30 million has been lost in Brimbank alone in just two months. Imagine the harm that is coming with that, and the loss that represents to the local economy. Our communities deserve better.”
FREE:
INITIAL CONSULT AT AND AD ION VISE
Kathy Danoucaras, Nick Danoucaras and Sam Robertson KND Denture Clinic, 192 Main Road East, St Albans 9364 3677 Also at: Suite 8, 242 Caroline Springs Boulevard, Caroline Springs. 8361 9722 & 491-495 King Street, West Melbourne, 9329 7077
Australian Dental Prosthetists Association (Victoria)
12484435-SN12-21