Cape York Weekly FREE – #097 | Tuesday, August 16, 2022
Editor: Matt Nicholls 0477 450 558 | editor@capeyorkweekly.com.au
WEIPA BUZZING
Great to be home
MEGASTAR athletes are nice but meat pies, roadhouse burgers and hugs from daughter Talei are what really fuel this truckie. Cooktown is the latest stop for Junior Virantuleo, whose amazing basketball journey took him from the cabin to courtside at the Tokyo Olympics last year. And after touching down recently following a stint with the Utah Jazz, the man who made a living hauling prime movers just 18 months ago quickly proved he’s still the same bloke. “I got off the flight at five-am and got a Big Mac straight away,” Viranatuleo said. “The meat and the salad just taste so much fresher here. “After the burger, I really felt like an old-fashioned meat pie – just plain – and it was so good.” Full story – Page 25
Junior Virantuleo and Patty Mills embrace before a game between Utah and Brooklyn. Picture: Matthew Adekponya
RODEO ROYALTY TO APPEAR AT CAPE OF ORIGIN Coverage Pages 8 & 9
COUNCIL CEO FED UP WITH GROG ISSUES
It breaks my heart By SAMUEL DAVIS
SLY grog swindlers peddling cask wine and spirits are fuelling a spate of senseless and violent acts in western Cape York, angry community leaders say. Pormpuraaw Aboriginal Shire Council CEO Edward Natera has made an emotional plea, calling
on residents to curb their antisocial behaviour within the township. And as a last resort, Mr Natera said he’s even taken to posting notices throughout the community in a bid to solve the problem. “It’s really bad. Everyone’s drunk and out in the street,” he told Cape York Weekly. “The sly grog has been bobbing
up for the last three weeks. There are people not turning up to work, threatening managers. “If they say things are cool and calm, that’s a load of bullshit.” Mr Natera said a recent late night incident where a man allegedly damaged the security grill and window at the community store – forcing it to remain closed until it
was repaired – was “unbecoming”. “What is our community coming to? At the end of the day, it’s about personal responsibility,” he said. “Don’t blame others. They had to close for four hours (while the door was repaired).” Pormpuraaw has a four-person police station but in recent months
has used additional resources to curb the amount of sly grog being smuggled into the community. Sergeant Matt Dowling said March through July had been a difficult period in the community. “The antisocial behaviour stems from the influx of alcohol into the community,” he said. Continued – Page 2
E VER Y T HURSDAY 5 – 7.30PM
JAG THE
JOKER
JACKPOTS $100 EVERY WEEK UNTIL THE JOKER IS FOUND! T&C apply ~ one ticket per transaction between 5 – 7.30pm