NEWS
A Word from Cr Peter Hemphill
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Flash of insight saving lives BY GOYA DMYTRYSHCHAK A WILLIAMSTOWN doctor is helping raise awareness of a little-known disease killing the ‘‘poorest of the poor’’ in central Africa. Peter Zammit, together with other parishioners at Christchurch Newport, has formed a group called The Konzo Project to support Dr Howard Bradbury’s fight against Konzo disease. Konzo is a sudden paralysis that occurs in people, particularly children and young mothers, whose diet consists mainly of cassava, a crop from which flour and porridge are made and which contains a natural form of cyanide. Dr Bradbury, an emeritus fellow of Australian National University, has spent 20 years researching and developing means to prevent the disease, which has affected an estimated 100,000 people in the Democratic Republic of Congo alone. Dr Zammit said a simple technique known as the wetting method — mixing cassava flour with water and spreading it out to dry for several hours — allowed the cyanide to bubble off. ‘‘It’s such a simple thing to do and it reduces risk of this disease, which affects the poorest of the poor,’’ he said. ‘‘It cost $25,000
to do the trial in the village that they did.’’ Dr Zammit said he became involved after having a sudden realisation in 2010. ‘‘It was Christmas time and on the news they were talking about how Australia was going to spend $20 billion or something on Gucci handbags and designer jeans for the Boxing Day sales and I was thinking, you know, what an injustice. ‘‘For such a small amount of money the villages of Africa could stop their kids getting sick and the consequences of that sickness, too — the paralysis, the unemployment, or some can’t walk — and just the devastation that a disability is in a developing country. ‘‘And it could be prevented so easily. That’s sort of what moves me. I think it’s an easy solution. ‘‘Let’s see what we can do to help Howard raise some more money to prevent it in more villages. I worked out that if every man, woman and child who lives in Hobsons Bay or visits for business or something gave $10, we’d probably raise $1 million and that would Konzo-proof about 40 villages.’’ For more information, email peter.zammit@bigpond.com
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Hobsons Bay City Council has completed the draft JT Gray Reserve master plan, which sets out new changerooms, social facilities and sports fields for the reserve on Kororoit Creek Road. The proposed master plan was developed in consultation with representatives from the resident sporting clubs, including Williamstown Congregationals Cricket Club, St John’s Cricket Club, Western Suburbs Churches Cricket Association, Williamstown Soccer Club, Barnstoneworth United Junior Soccer Club and Barnstoneworth United Soccer Club. I invite community members to have their say on the draft master plan. Copies are available at JT Gray Reserve, Hobsons Bay Civic Centre, Altona North and Newport Libraries and at www. hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au Feedback is required by Friday, 7th September and can be submitted to the Council’s Recreation Department on 9932 1000 or at recadmin@hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au In other news, the Council, together with the Minister for Children and Early Childhood Development, the Hon Wendy Lovell MP, will turn the first sod to mark the start of construction for the Newport Gardens Early Years’ Centre on Tuesday, 4th September. The new early years’ facility will feature long day care, kindergarten, maternal child health, Yooralla’s Early Intervention Service, Hobsons Bay Toy Library and playgroups. The centre will be unique as it is located on the Newport Gardens Primary School site in Woods Street, providing families with services from birth to school age. It will open in early 2014. This project is jointly funded through capital and infrastructure grants from the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development and will meet the needs of Hobsons Bay families, particularly with new childcare reforms. Finally, The Substation has a host of exhibitions and events coming up. The annual SUB12 exhibition is continuing with the third installment beginning tomorrow. It will run until 16th September Steven Asquith, Sanja Pahoki, Simon Pericich and Masato Takasaka have each been provided a space at The Substation to create large scale works that will be sure to capture the eye. For those who like to get moving, Swingstation is back at The Substation. Strap on your dancing shoes and take a complementary swing dance lesson or simply enjoy the performances and music on Saturday, 25th August from 7.30pm. For details, visit www.thesubstation.org.au To discuss local matters, call me on 0419 762 266 or email phemphill@hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au
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Cr Peter Hemphill Williamstown North Ward Councillor
www.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au [ 6 ] WEEKLY – YOUR COMMUNITY VOICE
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