FEBRUARY 13, 2019 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS + SPORT + THE WEST’S BEST PROPERTY GUIDE
(Pictures: Damjan Janevski)
Leaping into dance fame Two dancers from Spotswood are heading to Portugal to compete for world titles after each being crowned Dancer of the Year in the Showcase Australian Dance Championships. Lexi Robertson, aged eight, and Isabelle Bitsikas, 11, won their respective categories after competing against dancers from across Australia and New Zealand. Lisa Hammer, director of The Dance Company in Spotswood, said they both started with the studio aged about three. “We were training every day leading up to the competition,” she said. “Their prize was to fly to Italy to attend the World Dance Movement and they will compete in the Dance World Cup in Portugal in June. “They have a chance to win a prestigious title overseas, which is exciting.” More than 12,000 dancers from around the world, aged four to 25, try to qualify for the Dance World Cup final, which is held annually in a different country.
ISABELLE BITSIKAS AND LEXI ROBERTSON
Goya Dmytryshchak
MPs beg for care rethink Services for some of the west’s most vulnerable residents may not be privatised after mounting pressure on councils from Labor heavyweights. State and federal MPs are urging Hobsons Bay and Maribyrnong councils not to outsource home care for the elderly and younger people with disabilities given the likelihood of an imminent federal Labor government. As reported by Star Weekly, both councils began a tender process to sub-contract domestic assistance, personal care and in-home respite due to proposed changes in federal funding. However, Hobsons Bay council cancelled Tuesday night’s ordinary meeting, at which a decision on the tender was expected to be made,
after receiving a joint letter from Labor MPs. The letter addressed to chief executive Aaron van Egmond, dated February 4, was jointly signed by Williamstown MP Melissa Horne, Footscray MP Katie Hall and Western Metropolitan Region MP Ingrid Stitt. It urges the council not to outsource the service given an “imminent federal election”, implying that funding arrangements could change if Labor wins government. “Our constituents are concerned that the contracting out of these services will lead to poorer care outcomes for vulnerable community members,” the letter states. The letter requests an explanation from the council on why it no longer wants to provide in-home aged care services “given the high
level uncertainty in the broader environment, namely the aged care royal commission and imminent federal election”. Australian Services Union organiser Luke Cherry said an identical letter was sent to Maribyrnong council. Mr Cherry said federal Opposition Leader and Maribyrnong MP Bill Shorten and Gellibrand MP Tim Watts also opposed moves to outsource the service. “The position is, an incoming federal Labor government has got in the federal platform that they will review the models, that they will investigate ways to keep the services in-council in Victoria, and basically maintain it by councils being providers of direct home care support,” Mr Cherry said.
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“There is likely to be a change of federal government who may well maintain all of the funding and, also, we’re at the commencement of a royal commission into aged care. “While all of that’s going on, and the funding is guaranteed until mid 2020 and is expected to be extended regardless, why on earth would they privatise it now?” Mr van Egmond said no decision has yet been made by the councillors. Maribyrnong community services director Clem Gillings declined to comment. Last night’s scheduled meeting of Hobsons Bay council was deferred to next Tuesday, when both Hobsons Bay and Maribyrnong are expected to make a decision on the matter.
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By Goya Dmytryshchak