AUGUST 1, 2018 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS + SPORT + THE WEST’S BEST PROPERTY GUIDE
Doggies day to remember
(Damjan Janevski)
Bulldogs tragic Beryl Comben has enjoyed a birthday to remember as she chalked up a magic milestone in Footscray. The great-grandmother, who grew up and spent the bulk of her life in Yarraville, celebrated her 100th birthday with four generations of her family at Bulldogs headquarters last Thursday. The party at Whitten Oval was capped off with surprise visits from Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge and players past and present including Dale Morris and club great John Schultz. Beryl’s son-in-law Malcolm Knott said the Western Bulldogs helped put on “an exceptional day” for the life-long supporter. “They gave her a jumper signed by the whole team, and a scarf and some other things as well,” he said. “It was a great day – the Bulldogs couldn’t have been better as far as we were concerned.” Mr Knott said Beryl went to her first Bulldogs game with her father more than 90 years ago when she was just eight. “She keeps up with them on TV or radio or whatever is available,” he said. “She lives with my wife Maxine and I and she really is very good; her mind is very active and she still does her crosswords every day.” Benjamin Millar
Air quality on the table Inner-west community groups are divided over a new state government reference group tasked with tackling the area’s poor air quality. Melbourne’s inner-west suburbs have some of the city’s worst air pollution and associated health problems, stemming from high diesel emissions in Footscray and Yarraville and ongoing dust and odour issues around Brooklyn. The government says the Inner West Air Quality Community Reference Group will help it better understand and respond to air pollution in the area. The group will bring together representatives
from Maribyrnong, Hobsons Bay and Brimbank councils to examine the new air-quality monitoring program introduced in response to the West Gate Tunnel project. But last week’s announcement has triggered a mixed response from community groups. Don’t Destroy Millers Road and the Better West – Spotswood South Kingsville Residents Group, opponents of the West Gate Tunnel Project, argue pollution problems associated with the tunnel project are already being ignored. The Maribyrnong Truck Action Group, which supports the tunnel, has tentatively backed the new group. MTAG president Sam McArthur said the
West Suburban Taxis supporting Williamstown Seagulls in 2018
attention on air quality in Melbourne’s inner west was welcome, but air quality and health experts must have a strong voice on the reference group. Ms McArthur said Maribyrnong adolescent asthma rates were 50 per cent higher than the Victorian average and the area had the highest hospital admissions rate for respiratory illness in Victoria for children aged three to 19. “This population shouldn’t have to pay for the state’s heavy freight load with its health,” she said. “It’s absolutely critical the people involved in this are health experts – our major concern is that this is going to be a panel stacked with representatives of the bureaucracies that are part of the problem.”
Better West argues the reference group is asking the community to solve a problem of the government’s making. Don’t Destroy Millers Road spokesman Chris Dunleavy said the project was being proposed as a solution to get trucks off Yarraville roads, but in doing so it transferred the health problem to Millers Road. “The Brooklyn residential area already has the worst air quality in Victoria,” he said. Environment Minister Lily D’Ambrosio said the new reference group gave the inner west community a chance to have its voices heard. Williamstown MP Wade Noonan said the group followed his campaign to create cleaner air in the inner west.
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By Benjamin Millar