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Jamaican festival joy
Jamaican Food and Music Festival organiser Stick Mareebo is excited to see Seaworks transformed into a hub of all things Jamaica for the December 10 event. (Damjan Janevski) 309551_03
From the sounds of reggae, dub and rocksteady to the scents of jerk chicken, Williamstown will soon become a celebration of all things Jamaican. Seaworks will be hosting the Jamaican Music and Food Festival on Saturday, December 10 from 11am to 9pm. Festival co-organiser Stick Mareebo said this year will be the seventh running of the festival, including international music acts in Turbulence (Jamaica) and Rubi Du (New Zealand), local band Ska Vendors, and local First Nations reggae artist Bart Willoughby. “We’re very privileged that we have him performing this year,” he said. Mr Mareebo said visitors can visit three sound systems throughout the event, including a ‘DIY’ solar-powered sound system. “It’s a smorgasbord of Jamaican music,” he said. Mr Mareebo said the festival will be a celebration of Jamaica’s diverse culture, with 25 food stalls covering many cuisines and a children’s zone. “The Jamaican motto is ‘out of many, one people’,” he said. Details: www.jmff.com.au
Footscray’s Green wave By Matthew Sims An increase of support for Greens candidates across inner-city seats has extended as far west as Footscray, with Labor MP Katie Hall predicted to retain the seat despite a 13.6 per cent swing to the Greens. Williamstown MP Melissa Horne has also been re-elected, while Labor’s Mathew Hilakari will represent the new seat of Point Cook and former Tarneit MP Sarah Connolly will represent the new seat of Laverton. Ms Hall secured 54.56 per cent of the twocandidate-preferred vote with 17,354 votes, while Greens candidate Elena Pereyra obtained 14,451 two-candidate-preferred votes (45.44 per cent).
Ms Hall received 14,078 first preference votes (44.24 per cent), while Ms Pereyra secured 7061 first preference votes (22.19 per cent), Liberal candidate Emete Joesika received 5456 first preference votes (17.14 per cent) and Victorian Socialists candidate Jorge Jorquera obtained 3160 first preference votes (9.93 per cent). In the new seat of Point Cook, Labor’s Mathew Hilakari has been predicted to win, despite a 3.2 per cent swing against Labor. Mr Hilakari secured 12,657 first preference votes (40.59 per cent), while Liberal candidate Angela Newhouse received 7705 first preference votes (24.71 per cent), independent candidate Joe Garra obtained 2309 first preference votes (7.4 per cent) and Greens candidate Shamsher Khan received 2009 first
preference votes (6.44 per cent). The Victorian Electoral Commission has begun a recount for the two-candidate preferred vote for Point Cook. “I’ll work hard to make sure our community gets the infrastructure and support that will make our community even better,” Mr Hilakari said in a Facebook post. Ms Newhouse said she was disappointed the Liberals’ pledges to duplicate Point Cook Road, an eco-tourism wetlands centre, and a bike and pedestrian bridge along Queen Street were unlikely to go ahead after failing to attract matching pledges from Labor. Labor’s Melissa Horne has retained the seat of Williamstown despite a 9.55 per cent swing against Labor.
Ms Horne received 62.52 per cent of the two-candidate preferred votes, with 20,771 votes, while Liberal candidate Daria Kellander received 12,452 two-candidate preferred votes (37.48 per cent). Ms Horne said it was an “honour” to be re-elected by the people of Williamstown. Ms Kellander said she would continue to fight for the west. “Our need for better infrastructure, better healthcare, and more jobs in the west won’t change,” she said. On a two-candidate-preferred basis, Ms Connolly secured 68.43 per cent of the vote in Laverton, with a total of 15,530, while Mr Reddy amassed 7166 votes or 31.57 per cent of the vote.