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13 DECEMBER, 2022
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Jingle bells ring in joy It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at Walter J Smith Reserve in Riddells Creek. Now in its fifth year, Christmas in Riddells Creek is back, with 100 metal framed trees decorated and sponsored by local families and businesses on display for charity. Desley Adams helps to organise the efforts, which is auspiced by the Riddells Creek Lions Club. “We’ve got two beautiful angels at the front gate, sponsored by a local developer and then we’ve got three wise men and a camel, which we’re happy for kids to sit on and have their photo taken,” Ms Adams said. “There’s beautiful, big garland over the gate and then you can walk into the park [where] there’s 100 Christmas trees.” Each year, organisers choose which charity to donate the funds from the sponsored trees to – this year they have chosen brain research. The trend was established by the Romsey Region Business and Tourism Association and now, the metal trees are now dotted throughout the region. “The thing I like too is it’s free … I’m happy about that,” Ms Adams said.
Desley Adams and her decorated tree. (Joe Mastroianni) 311237_03
Cr Dance cleared by VCAT Hume councillor Trevor Dance has been cleared of serious misconduct by the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT). Cr Dance applied to VCAT for a review of a Hume council-convened councillor conduct panel’s (CCP) decision to suspend him from council for three months after finding he had engaged in serious misconduct. The CCP found Cr Dance had breached council’s internal arbitration process by failing to attend two arbitration hearings in June, 2021, in relation to his allegation of misconduct against Cr Jack Medcraft. Cr Medcraft was cleared of the allegation. Cr Dance had cited his mental health for
refusing to attend the hearings, but the CCP concluded Cr Dance “did not attend the hearings because he chose not to attend in circumstances where no medical evidence to support his non-attendance was provided by him”. Cr Dance served two weeks of his suspension before VCAT granted him a stay. On Thursday, December 8, VCAT president Justice Michelle Quigley found Cr Dance’s claims about his mental health should have been considered more seriously. “On the material before me I do not accept the failure to comply was wilful and deliberate in the proper sense. It was not without any
reasonable excuse, ” Justice Quigley said. “He took active steps to participate in the hearings. “Concern for his mental health and psychological safety is a factor which I give significant weight to in forming my opinion of the circumstances in issue here.” In her findings, Justice Quigley noted Cr Dance had asked to attend the arbitration hearings by Zoom, but this was refused. Justice Quigley said when a person claims to have medical concerns, the CCP should ensure they can still take part in a “disciplinary process”. “Particular care ought to be taken when a claim of mental health and
psychological safety is raised,” she said. Justice Quigley also noted the CCP had criticised Cr Dance for his attendance at a social event about the same time as the arbitration hearing, which the panel said contradicted his claims about his mental health. She found that there was a “material difference” between attending a formal hearing where there are a handful of people, “one of whom is the source of a person’s anxiety”, and attendance at an event “where there is personal support”. ■
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Congratulations Congratulations to Sacred Heart College’s senior students for their outstanding VCE and VCAL results. Their hard work, along with the support provided by their teachers and parents, will allow many doors to be opened for them in the world of future learning and careers.
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