Western Port
Weste rn Port
realestate 25 October 2016
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Insight into Navy life
Here’s how it’s done: Able Seaman Sarah Perry, of HMAS Cerberus, shows a heat detecting device in the firefighting area to Amber Haslem, of Balnarring, at the open day. Picture: Gary Sissons
AN open day at HMAS Cerberus on Sunday gave thousands of visitors a rare glimpse of Navy life, as well as a great day out. Known as the Cradle of the Navy, the base has up to 800 staff and each year trains about 4000 members in all three defence forces. Commanding Officer Captain Stephen Bowater said the 30 military activities on show included interactive displays by Navy clearances divers and even cooking demonstrations by Navy and Army cooks. Training faculties were open for inspection, and there were displays by the Indigenous Dance Group and commando skydivers. The Navy’s 816 Squadron conducted wet winching evolutions. Those with an interest in history inspected rare collections housed at the HMAS Cerberus Museum. “Our emphasis is to train our men and women to the highest of professional standards so they’re well prepared to be part of the Navy and Australian Defence Forces,” Captain Bowater said. “The Open Day is a great opportunity for the public to see the range of training we offer and speak with our people about life in the ADF.”
Costly path to protest Keith Platt keith@mpnews.com.au THE high legal cost of protest is the latest stumbling block to face residents angry at plans for concrete paths at Somers. Faced with unforeseen fee increases at VCAT (Victorian Civil Administrative Tribunal), the owners of about 25 per cent of properties in the town were yesterday (Monday) facing the prospect of only being represented at half
of the scheduled four-day hearing. This week’s hearing was the latest instalment of a long running campaign against the footpaths by three groups associated with the Somers Village Community Association (SVCA). The fight has already highlighted deficiencies in the shire’s use of special charge schemes to finance footpath construction, prompting an internal investigation that recommended abandoning one scheme, reviewing others and deferring nine. However, the shire has given the
Somers pathway project high priority and proposes an exposed aggregate shared pathway along Camp Hill Rd and the northern end of South Beach Rd with an exposed aggregate narrower meandering footpath along Parklands Av, Tasman Rd and the south end of South Beach Rd. On Monday the Somers protesters were “left with uncertainty” when their application for a waiver of fees was turned down by the principal registrar at VCAT. Dr Chris Atmore, advocate for two
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scheme, including a video taken from a moving car of trees earmarked for removal. Dr Atmore said two of the three groups of objectors from Somers would be unable to afford to attend the final two days of the hearing. She said the costs of mounting an appeal could “put a lot of people off and yet, here on the wall [at VCAT] is the motto Fairness for all Victorians. It’s supposed to be friendlier and cheaper than going to court; this really is an indictment of the previous state government”. Page 11
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of the three applicant groups, said increased VCAT fees had exceeded their budgets. She said legislative changes introduced by the previous Liberal-led state government which took effect on 1 July had “drastically increased” the cost of VCAT hearings. “They [increased costs] knock out what can be done by a lone objector who also needs to be represented by a lawyer,” she said. The hearing began with the shire putting arguments for the footpath
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