APRIL 5, 2016 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
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(Kristian Scott)
Play’s sure to steal a laugh
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A husband and wife team let their wicked sense of humour run wild as they wrote and directed Sunshine Theatre Company’s latest show. The creators and cast members are making the final tweaks before Wake Me Up Before I Burgle opens on Friday. The story follows a sleepwalking burglar, David, who is driving his wife and local police mad as he unwittingly burgles his own home night after night. Director Faye Lockwood-Rourke co-wrote the show with her husband, Paul. She says the company received rave reviews for last year’s show, Shh … Don’t tell the Bride. “Sunshine has been amazing as a group,” Ms Lockwood-Rourke said. “They remind me of the old days in community theatre when groups were small and close-knit. “This cast of five actors has blown me away with their commitment and dedication to rehearsals. “Wake Wake Me Up Before I Burgle is light-hearted and fun. It’s definitely great for teenagers and adults to come along to and have a laugh.” The show will run on selected nights until April 23 at Dempster Park Hall, 82 Phoenix Street, Sunshine. Tickets are $20. Details and booking at: www.sctheatre.com.au Esther Lauaki
‘Fail’ call on pit bull laws Pit bulls could be back on the streets if the recommendations of a state parliamentary report are adopted. Heavy restrictions were placed on the dogs in 2011 and further changes were made in 2014, but an inquiry has found the restrictions had failed and should be lifted. A report from a parliamentary committee said it was “impossible” for councils to identify dangerous dogs just by looking at them and there was no way to tell if pit bulls were more dangerous than other dogs. Mylo, an American Staffordshire terriercross, was seized from his family’s Sunshine
West home in 2012 after Brimbank council officers wrongly identified him as a pit bull. It required a DNA test, paid for by Mylo’s owners, to win the dog a reprieve after he had sat on death row at the council pound for two years and seven months. During that time there was a legal battle as his owner, Jessica Gray, fought to save the dog. It ended with VCAT declaring that Mylo did not fulfil the standards of a pit bull and allowing him to return home. It has been estimated Brimbank council could have spent between $250,000 and $300,000 on legal costs during the Mylo case. Council development director Stuart Menzies said the council was committed to
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than other dog breeds. Many people who made submissions to the inquiry argued there was a “moral panic” going on against pit bulls and that media reporting of pit bull attacks had been inaccurate. Other recommendations made by the committee include that the muzzling of nonracing greyhounds no longer be required, setting up of a database of all dog registrations and attacks, and greater penalties for owners of restricted-breed dogs who did not register them correctly or keep them securely. Groups including the RSPCA, Animals Australia and the Australian Veterinary Association called for an end to pit bull restrictions.
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promoting animal welfare and responsible pet ownership, and ensuring community safety. “Council welcomes the release of the Legislative Council economy and infrastructure committee’s report regarding restricted-breed dogs,” he said. “Detail of the committee’s extensive report is still being reviewed, but it appears many of the issues raised by council in its submission have been investigated. These include ambiguity of the current standards for restricted-breed dogs and the pivotal role local government plays in animal management.” Studies on pit bull aggressiveness and danger were inconclusive, the report found, and it was impossible to say they were more dangerous
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By Esther Lauaki