Page 8 The Moorabool News – 31 May, 2022
News
Email - news@themooraboolnews.com.au
Insurance stings possible By Lachlan Ellis Tattoo parlours across the country have been hit by a price hike in insurance premiums, and while a local parlour has been spared to date, a price rise looms as a serious threat. Insurers who will cover tattoo parlours are rare – Arthur J. Gallagher is the main broker – and with tattoo parlours deemed ‘high risk’, prices are on the rise. Co-owner of Compass Tattoo in Ipswich Qld, Angela Nayler, told the ABC that she had been served an ultimatum: pay $30,000 a year on top of their normal expenses, or get out. Kieran Tyrrell owns Disciples of Ink in Bacchus Marsh, and is one of the lucky few who hasn’t been served a steep rent increase, to account for an insurance hike. But the news is of course worrying, and he says if a similar hike hit his business, there’d only be one option. “I haven’t personally experienced any hikes in insurance or other costs on the business … we could sort of wear it to a point, but ultimately, it’d close us down,” Mr Tyrrell told the Moorabool News. “It’d drive everything underground. Basically, we couldn’t have a shopfront, and I like to keep my business separate from my home life. I don’t want strangers coming to my house to get a tattoo, so the shopfront is important. It’s an important separation for our staff too.” A perceived link to organised crime has been blamed for the ‘high risk’ classification, which Mr Tyrrell says is an outdated view of the industry. “That’s the olden days…that’s the way things I suppose used to be. Back then, if a certain crew didn’t like what you were doing, or you were encroaching on their patch, there might be trouble. But nowadays, really, if you’re associated with a gang, that’s rarer,” he said. “It’s only really Gallagher that’s insuring tattoo shops. It’s not exactly fair, but what can you do? We need insurance, we need public liability…there’s a reputation that’s hanging around and doesn’t seem to want to go away.”
Photo - Disciples of Ink
Committee volunteers recognised By Lachlan Ellis Hard-working volunteers from parks and reserves across the Grampians region have been recognised for their efforts as part of National Volunteer Week, including members from four Moorabool groups. The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) oversees around 1,500 Crown land reserves across Victoria, managed by 1,200 Committees of Management – and on Wednesday 18 May, DELWP acknowledged 42 of the most exceptional volunteers. The ‘2022 DELWP Grampians Committee of Management Recognition Awards’ were held online, and featured a thank you message from Victorian Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Lily D’Ambrosio. “The passion and dedication of volunteers across Victoria’s almost 1,200 Committees of Management is simply amazing, and they remain critical to how we manage public land across the state,” Ms D’Ambrosio said. “Whether conserving our natural environment, protecting historic buildings, or taking care of community assets – like halls, recreation reserves, and rail trails – the extra effort our volunteers have made to care for places local communities truly value has not gone unnoticed.” Among the Recognition Award recipients was Dina Bowman from the Gordon Public Park and Recreation Reserve Committee of Management, who served for three years as the Committee’s Secretary and Treasurer. Ms Bowman said it was an honour both to serve on the Committee and, be acknowledged for her work with the Recognition Award. “I think it’s tremendous, it’s great to be recognised.
We’ve served almost three years and made a big difference in the park, so it’s great that that’s been recognised. When we started, I think only about three people turned up to the public meeting, and the park looked abandoned in a way,” she told the Moorabool News. “Working with Ballan & District Community Bank Branch, the Moorabool Wind Farm, Moorabool Shire Council and the Federal Government through Catherine King…after three years, it’s great to see we’ve got a new kitchen, an energy upgrade, an air conditioner, solar system, garden beds and more,” Ms Bowman said. COVID lockdowns proved particularly difficult to navigate for the Gordon Public Park and Recreation Reserve Committee – Ms Bowman said getting people involved and attracting funding had been “hard work, but rewarding”. “It’s been a privilege to be able to make that contribution, and I’m particularly looking forward to seeing the skate space and basketball court all complete or well on the way to being complete by the 30th of June,” she said. President of the Ballan Recreation Reserve Committee of Management, Billy Smith, was also contacted as a Recognition Award recipient, but was unavailable for comment. Other award recipients from Moorabool include Heidi Johnson and Maureen Leverett from the Gordon Public Park and Recreation Reserve, Robert Reid from the Bacchus Marsh Council Trench Committee of Management, and from the Elaine Mechanics Institute: Pauline Lempriere, Kate Banner, Chris Guidotti, Frances Campbell, Zoe Hunt, James Connell, Karren Lempriere, Jade Hansen, and Matt Hansen.
Minister Lily D'Ambrosio thanks the Committee members during the online awards event.
The Gordon recipients were displayed on the screen during the online awards.
“Local papers are the lifeblood of local communities” - Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews
(Victorian Country Press Annual Conference 2019)