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Stepping up for a good cause

Officer set for a helicopter pad

Council care for the needy

Sport succumbs to Covid

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Thursday, 9 September, 2021

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Padding up An online meeting to discuss the formation of a new cricket club at James Bathe Reserve in Pakenham will take place next week. Cardinia Shire Council in partnership with Cricket Victoria is working to establish the new community cricket club. The online community meeting will be held on Wednesday 15 September at 6.30pm. It is anticipated the club will commence with Woolworths Cricket Blast and will focus on juniors for season 2021/22. Cardinia mayor Brett Owen is calling on the community to put up their hand up and help be part of the formation of this new inclusive cricket club. “This is a fantastic opportunity to bring cricket to this brand-new sporting hub and officially call it their home,” Cr Owen said. “We really want to see the continued growth of cricket in our shire. It is a fantastic sport for everyone. “I encourage you to come along to the meeting and take part in the development of this cricket club.” James Bathe Recreation Reserve is on Caversham Drive. Register for the online meeting by visiting trybooking.com/BTUSB.

Cardinia Shire Mayor Brett Owen and his daughter Maggie gear up for the establishment of a new community cricket club set to play out of James Bathe Recreation Reserve with Cr Collin Ross, Mel Pratt and Cricket Victoria’s Jason Mathers and Emma Gallagher. Picture: SUPPLIED

Tennis on move seniors. This move will help create more opportunities and remove barriers to participation in Pakenham by locating the club within the regional tennis centre. “The conversion of 4 courts to artificial grass and the resurfacing of the remaining plex cushion, combined with a new clubroom facility will boost interest and involvement cementing the long-term future of the club. “It now allows all tennis enthusiasts a variety of playing surfaces to choose from. The move makes perfect sense for us and we thank Cardinia Shire Council for coming to the table

and making this happen. “We’re looking forward to Covid-19 restrictions easing so we can get back to tennis.“ Cardinia Shire councillors were pleased the move to Pakenham Regional Tennis Centre had come to fruition. “Pakenham Regional Tennis Centre is a first-class facility and the move signals the beginning of an exciting new phase for the club,” Cardinia Shire Mayor Brett Owen said. “The move to Webster Way brings the club into the current era,” said Cr Ross.

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“Having access to more courts, with more playing surfaces means more options for club players and is a great outcome for tennis in Pakenham.” Pakenham Tennis Club and Aligned Leisure (who run the Pakenham Regional Tennis Centre) offer a full program of tennis activities including junior and senior competition and training, mid-week ladies competition, social competitions and accessibility programs. For more information on the Pakenham Tennis Club visit tennis.com.au/pakenham.

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The Pakenham Tennis Club will make the move to the Pakenham Regional Tennis Centre this October, with resurfacing of four dedicated synthetic courts underway and new clubrooms set for completion in March 2022. President of the Pakenham Greg Menzel said the move will help boost participation and membership. “Tennis is a top ten sport when it comes to participation across Australia,” Mr Menzel said. “Our goal, as a club, is to see participation grow at a local level from kids right through to

NEWS

Time to check... R U O K? By Gabriella Payne Over the past 18 months, the Covid-19 pandemic has dealt us many blows and mental health struggles have been rife throughout the community. Jumping in and out of ongoing lockdowns, Victorians have certainly borne the brunt of the ‘lockdown blues’ and while many have reached out for help and support during these difficult times, there are still some silently struggling to cope. With Thursday 9 September marking R U OK? Day across the country, it’s the perfect reminder for us all to check in with one another and ask that simple little question that can make a world of difference - “are you okay?” We may be separated and unable to get together like normal right now, but Matt Runnalls, the CEO and founder of Mindfull Aus, a mind and behavioural health not-for-profit, said that it is so important for us stay connected and look out for one another during these difficult times. “It’s no secret that the last 12 - 18 months has been a really challenging time for Victorians,” Mr Runnalls said. “What we are seeing is a massive increase of people presenting with mental health challenges. “It’s really positive that lots of people are being forthcoming and stepping into their vulnerabilities during these difficult times - we’re seeing lots of people accessing help and support for their first time, which is a courageous and beautiful thing - but reaching out for help has been challenging for a lot of us as well,” he said. “So R U OK? Day has come at a really good time - it’s a gentle reminder for people to start these meaningful conversations and find that space to hold them in.” Mr Runnalls said that each year, R U OK? Day was the perfect reminder that we can “always do a bit more, help a bit more and always

Matt Runnalls and the Mindfull Australia team are working hard to promote mental wellbeing for everyone from a young age. Picture: SUPPLIED touch base with the people around us” - but it shouldn’t stop there. “The beauty of R U OK? Day is that it starts these conversations, but we hope to see these conversations happening more frequently and consistently, so that [mental health struggles] become more mainstream,” he said. “Unfortunately, we are losing a lot of people right now, but that’s because we never held the space for them to feel comfortable to share.” Mr Runnalls said that there are plenty of ways to check in and provide that safe space for your loved ones through lockdown, and often just lending a listening ear can make a huge difference. “I would encourage people where possible - especially in this day and age - to interact where we can see facial interactions, whether that’s via Facetime, Zoom or going for a walk, where we can pick up on more of the intricacies going on,” he said. “Alternatively, let’s pick up the phones, send a message, drop an inbox, write a letter… let’s just make sure we are checking in with one another.” “When we own things, life becomes a lot simpler and also a lot lighter - there’s no need to carry around that excess baggage.”

Matt Runnalls from Mindfull Aus has some poignant advice for those doing it tough during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Works continue near you and there will be transport disruptions As part of Victoria’s Big Build, we’re removing level crossings and building the Metro Tunnel. Train disruptions: Buses and coaches replace trains in both directions Pakenham Line

10.30pm to last train, 14 Sep

Dandenong to Pakenham

Cranbourne and Pakenham lines

8.30pm to last train each night, 15 to 16 Sep

Westall to Cranbourne and Pakenham

8.40pm to last train each night, 27 to 30 Sep

Caulfield to Westall

Until 9pm, 2 Oct

Flinders Street to Caulfield

From 9pm 2 Oct to 3 Oct

Flinders Street to Oakleigh

Each night, 27 to 30 Sep From 9pm 2 Oct to 3 Oct

Southern Cross to Pakenham

Gippsland Line

Road disruptions: Closed roads and lanes Skyline Way, Berwick

Until 13 Sep

Closed at O’Shea Road

Koo Wee Rup Road

Until late 2021

Lanes closed and speed reductions

Clyde Road, Berwick

Until early 2022

Lane closed southbound between Enterprise Avenue and Reserve Street Lane closed northbound between Sir Gustav Nossal Boulevard and Jane Street

Soldiers Road, Berwick

17 Sep to 4 Oct

Closed at O’Shea Road

MTIA6509

These works are progressing with strict COVIDSafe Plans in place. The health and safety of our workforce and community remains our top priority. For more information and advice about coronavirus (COVID-19), please visit coronavirus.vic.gov.au

Find a detailed list of disruptions at bigbuild.vic.gov.au Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne

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Thursday, 9 September, 2021

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NEWS

Lagging in the race to vax By Gabriella Payne New data that reveals a breakdown of Covid vaccination rates by local government area was recently released by the federal Department of Health, and it appears that both Casey and Cardinia are lagging behind in comparison to the rest of Victoria. The data revealed that as of Sunday 5 September, 56.9 per cent of Cardinia’s 86,129 eligible residents (aged 15 and over) had received their first dose, but only 32.3 per cent had been fully vaccinated. The City of Casey’s figures echoed those from Cardinia, with 54.3 per cent of it’s 273,232 eligible residents having rolled up their sleeves for the first jab, but only 31.7 per cent had received both doses so far - proving there’s still a lot of room for improvement. The data interestingly showed that while communities like Cardinia and Casey still had a way to go (as did much of greater Melbourne), it’s Victoria’s rural and regional communities that are leading the way when it comes to getting vaxxed. Granted, many rural communities had smaller populations to vaccinate - but it appears people in these areas are coming out in droves to do their bit in the nationwide vaccination race. According to the data, the best perform-

ing local government area for vaccinations is Queenscliffe, with 91.8 per cent of the community’s 2,610 eligible residents having already received their first dose, and 71.8 per cent being fully vaccinated. In comparison, the bustling municipality of Melbourne is coming second last in the race, with only 47.3 per cent of the community’s 168,298 eligible residents having received one jab, and 26.7 per cent being fully vaccinated (‘Unincorporated Vic’ is bringing up the rear, with just over 30 per cent of it’s 768 residents having received one dose). With Covid cases continuing to climb in Melbourne and the vaccination ‘race’ well and truly on, residents in the south eastern suburbs are being encouraged to roll up their sleeves and book in for their jab as soon as possible so that we can all get back to a sense of normality sooner rather than later. To view weekly vaccination rate updates, head to the federal department of health’s website at www.health.gov.au For a full rundown on the most recently released data, visit: https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/ files/documents/2021/09/covid-19-vaccination-local-government-area-lga-6-september-2021-covid-19-vaccination-local-government-area-lga.pdf

Residents across Melbourne’s south eastern suburbs are being encouraged to book in for their vaccination as soon as possible. 239577

Officer man is stepping it up for cerebral palsy By Gabriella Payne During these challenging times, it’s hard to get up and motivated to do exercise - but one Officer local is pushing himself to the limits as he strives to help a worthy cause. Throughout the month of September, Brad Taylor will be going above and beyond to reach his ‘STEPtember’ goal of walking 40,000 steps per day - a whopping 1.2 million steps over the space of just 30 days. This mammoth goal equates to about 32 kilometres per day, or “the equivalent of walking from Sydney to Melbourne” according to Brad - an epic endeavour and one he is working hard to achieve. “The standard challenge is 10,000 steps a day, but I really wanted to try hard and put an extra leg in and see how much money we could raise for doing something above normal, and came up with the idea of doing 40,000 steps per day,” Brad said. “So it’ll be quite the journey - but it’s definitely worthwhile, because we are raising money for a good cause.” It may be a mighty task, but Brad said he’s proud to be taking part in such a worthy fundraiser for the second year in a row, with all money raised going towards equipment, therapy and services to help children and adults living with cerebral palsy. “I’ve always loved the idea of giving something back to the community,” he said. “Last year I had a pretty good crack at it, I think I just got over the million mark last year, but I’ve turned it up another notch this year.” Being stuck at home in lockdown, Brad said that he’s found a few good walking and running circuits in his Kaduna Park neighbourhood - but even when he’s inside he is working hard to get his daily step count up. “I just do laps around the streets and I’ve got a little track that’s about 1.2km, so I just keep running laps of that and go for walks in between to get the steps up - but it’s also the little things, like if I’m on the phone I’m always pacing up and down,” he said.

Brad said that getting out for the cause was not only a great fundraiser, but it helped boost his mood and it was great to get active too. 249871

Brad Taylor is proud to be taking part in STEPtember this year, and is working towards his 1.2 million step goal for the month. 249871 Pictures: GABRIELLA PAYNE

If you see Brad getting his steps up around Kaduna Park, make sure to cheer him on! 249871

While Brad said he’s “one of the lucky ones” who’s been able to work from home during the pandemic, the lockdown had been hard on his mental health as well - but having a project like this had been a great mood booster and something he could focus his energy on. “The lockdown has been hard on a lot of people,” he said.

“But for me, having this project to work on is great because I’m getting my fitness up, raising awareness and doing something good for the community at the same time.” Brad works for Kmart’s head office and said that a few of his colleagues were also taking part in the challenge (with a 10,000 step per day goal) - something they had all done together last year as well.

While his 40,000 steps per day were a challenge to say the least, Brad said he was keen to raise as much money as possible and help spread awareness about cerebral palsy in the community, and he encouraged others to get involved. To help support Brad in his mission and donate to the cause, head to https://www. steptember.org.au/fundraisers/BradTaylor

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Thursday, 9 September, 2021

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Surprise backyard guests By Shelby Brooks The last thing Pakenham’s Sarah Finlay expected her son to scream was, “there’s a crab in my shoe!” But alas on Tuesday 7 September, Cooper came running into the house terrified about what appeared to be a crustacean having a nap in one of his runners. “It is very strange!” Sarah said. “It was one hell of a surprise for my six-year-old.” Sarah, who lives off Ahern Road in Pakenham said clawfish, or land yabbies, had taken up residence in her backyard. “We’ve had the holes in the yard since we moved in a few years ago and once found a small claw once but had never actually seen what was making them until yesterday afternoon,” she said. “There’s no water source from what I can see but our yard has always been super wet and muddy. “Last year during lockdown we had a massive flood due to the construction site behind our house.” About eight mounds have been dug by the yabbies in Sarah’s backyard, somewhere the kids spend a lot of time during lockdown. “I don’t want the kids getting hurt or scared but also don’t want to hurt the crawfish. It’s their home too.” According to Museum Victoria, residents of south-eastern Australia, especially of the Dandenong Ranges near Melbourne, may find round holes appearing on their lawns built by land crayfish (also known as land yabbies). Sometimes, if left alone, high chimneys of soil grow up from the holes. Land crayfish live only in damp environments, which is why the hilly regions of eastern Victoria and Tasmania are home to most species. Here, they are found in swamps, near streams, eucalypt forests or rainforests.

Cooper, Sophia and Declan were surprised to learn they share a backyard with land yabbies.

The offending yabby that was found in Cooper’s shoe.

Picture: SUPPLIED

Picture: SHELBY BROOKS

A yabby burrow.

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Thursday, 9 September, 2021

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NEWS

Helicopter pad set to land By Shelby Brooks A helicopter hanger could be built in Officer South if a planning permit is approved by Cardinia Shire Council. Parklea Air Services is hoping to construct a helicopter landing site and shed (hangar) at 290 Officer South Road, Officer South. The site is zoned as part of the Urban Growth Zone of the Clyde North precinct structure plan,. However it actually sits outside the PSP, however the site is within the land earmarked for the future Officer South employment PSP. Permission was obtained from the owner of the land adjacent who sits within the required 250 metre exclusion zone under the EPA Noise Control Guidelines. The planning permit states the hangar would be used privately only, with only one helicopter entering and exiting the site. Except in an emergency, the use is pro-

posed to operate from 7am to sunset Monday to Friday and 8am to sunset Saturday, Sunday and public holidays Operation not proposed to exceed 15 movements within 30 days and has a maximum of six movements within a 24 hour period. Overall, there would be a maximum of 156 movements per calendar year. Three flight paths have been notated on the submitted plans that demonstrates a primary flight path and two back up flight paths in case of strong winds. No decision will be made on the permit before Friday 10 September.

Helicopters will soon be a familiar sight around Officer. Picture: GENERIC

This Pakenham garden is now blooming marvellous! By Gabriella Payne It seems the first signs of spring are well and truly upon us. The birds are chirping, the days are getting warmer and throughout the Cardinia Shire, colourful flowers are beginning to bloom - and that’s certainly the case in one Pakenham backyard. For nearly 22 years now, Norman Crumplin and his wife Maggie have watched their small yellow orchid blossom and grow into something truly spectacular, and now it’s back in bloom once again. “It’s quite amazing when it does come into bloom,” Norman said. “It’s just beautiful!” Having been given the orchid as a gift many years ago, it sat dormant in a forgotten corner of Norman’s garden for several years before he and his wife noticed a small flower peaking it’s way out. “We’ve had it for about 22 years, it was given to us in a little plastic pot originally,” Norman said. “It was virtually dying and we just stuck it behind some bushes for years and almost forgot about it when we noticed a flower poking out.” Being not much of a green thumb himself, Norman said it was quite a surprise discovery and after re-potting the plant, it soon went from strength to strength. Now, over two decades later, it has grown into quite the show-stopping garden feature. “Since we’ve had it, I’ve never split it, it’s just stayed completely all together,” he said. “So now it’s like a jungle!” It may be massive, but the orchid’s delicate yellow flowers are a welcome spot of

The beautiful flowers are bringing a spot of sunshine to the Crumplins backyard during these trying times. 249566

Norman Crumplin and his orchid were featured in the Pakenham Gazette back in 2013 - it’s grown a fair bit since then! 105221

Norman Crumplin with his show-stopping orchid. 249566

sunlight in these trying times and Norman said that it had certainly brightened up his and his wife’s days in lockdown. “Last year there were about 35 flowers and this year there are about 62,” he said. “It will be continuing to bloom for the

next three or four weeks at least - there are still new ones coming in.” According to Norman the orchid is fairly easy to care for - although he did have to build a special shade structure to protect the plant from the harsh sun, as running out with an

Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS

umbrella every time extreme weather came along proved fairly tricky to keep up with. With a bit of tender loving care, Norman’s orchid has blossomed into a truly magnificent plant and one that will continue to bring joy for years to come.

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pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

Thursday, 9 September, 2021

STAR NEWS 5

NEWS

OPINION SOCIALLY SPEAKING

LENSCAPE

To celebrate Father’s Day, we asked you to come up with your best dad jokes! Here’s what our readers came up with: Rebecca Blackmore: I saw a coffee go into a police station. He was mugged. Elsewhere on social media, on Monday 6 September a story was shared to the Cranbourne Star News Facebook page regarding the sentencing of Jessie Moore, who murdered her great aunt, greyhound trainer Karen Leek, in 2020. Here’s how our readers responded: Gaye Guest: Hope her children are being well cared for. Another tragedy that will have ever lasting repercussions.

Federation University’s Berwick campus. Picture: SUPPLIED

New degrees open up at Fed Uni

Elmo is on the move from Backpacks 4 Vic Kids charity op shop in Cranbourne. 249846 Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

THUMBS UP THUMBS DOWN

Federation University Australia has launched four new degrees at its Berwick campus to help tackle the skills shortage in health and education fuelled by a population boom in Melbourne’s south eastern suburbs and growing suburban fringe. Cardinia Shire is the sixth fastest growing local government area in Australia, according the Australian Government’s Centre for Population, while the population in the growing suburbs of Cranbourne South, Cranbourne East, Beaconsfield, Officer, Bunyip and Garfield are expected to double by 2036. The new courses include industry experience to ensure students are job-ready and connected with local employers throughout their studies, with flexible study options to suit both students and employers. The Bachelor of Secondary Education provides students with a deep knowledge of two specialist teaching areas combined with valuable classroom experience. The Bachelor of Secondary Education (Health and Physical Education Teaching) will continue Federation University’s long-standing reputation for producing highly skilled, passionate and resilient health and physical education teachers. The Bachelor of Sport, Physical and Outdoor Education prepares student for either a career in community sport and recreation or in outdoor education or health and physical education teaching. The Bachelor of Cognitive Enterprise is a new business degree that equips students with the skills and knowledge to use disruptive technologies like artificial intelligence and blockchain technology. This degree, co-designed with IBM, has been created in response to future industry needs. The new degrees will start in 2022.

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And on Berwick Star News on Friday 3 September, we shared a story about hoons tearing up land on Chadwick Road in Harkaway. Here’s what our readers had to say: Janine Jefferys: No respect. Hayden Morin: the Karen’s have spoken (sic).

Thursday, 9 September, 2021

Thumbs up To Lynbrook Post Office for their excellent service.

Thumbs down To Casey Council for putting the rates up again - for what?

Thumbs up To Kelly’s for giving complimentary pints of beer for Father’s Day weekend!

Still a big thumbs down To all the car hoons in Cranbourne/Cranbourne West. What is even more frustrating is that literally nothing gets done about it. Even after one lost control in our street this year and crashed into a powerpole then did a runner. Nothing. Nada. Has never been done.

Big thumbs up To Cranbourne Turf Club for a very well run vaccine centre.

Thumbs up They found the three year old boy.

Thumbs down To those not following the rules. Thumbs up to those of us that are.

Thumbs down To the short sharp lockdown.

Thumbs down To funeral limit still.

Thumbs Up Thumbs Down is your chance to have your say. Malicious or defamatory submissions will not be accepted. All submissions must include a full name address and daytime phone number. Contributions over the phone will not be accepted. Contributors will not be identified. The Star News reserves the right to edit submissions. To submit a Thumbs Up Thumbs Down email to dailyeditor@starnewsgroup.com.au fax to 5945 0777 or post to P.O. Box 9 Pakenham 3810.

Committed to care By Margaret Edwards, Casey Cardinia For Refugees Two weeks ago as our attention was focused on the fall of Kabul, 33 refugees detained for more than two years in Australia were quietly released into community detention on Temporary Protection Visas (TPVs). This means they are provided a house and a small payment fortnightly. They are free to move about in the community (in the absence of lockdown restrictions), and have support from a government-funded service such as Life Without Barriers or AMES. These men were brought to Australia under the Medevac Bill from Manus Island ( PNG ) over two years ago because of extreme physical and mental health needs. The legislation which enabled their evacuation for urgent medical attention was passed in early 2019 but repealed in December of that year on the casting vote of Senator Jacqui Lambie. Many of the refugees who were released had been held on Manus Island in very cruel and harsh circumstances for six years or more. Anyone who is interested in learning more about conditions on Manus and the story of one particular refugee who fled Myanmar and later managed to escape from Manus Island, should read the recently released book, Escape from Manus by Jaivet Ealom. Refugee action groups do not know why these 33 refugees were released, or how the selection was made. It would appear to be random and the men themselves have received no explanation. It is bittersweet for them as many of their close friends remain locked up. They had been detained in the Mantra Hotel in Brisbane and Park Hotel in Carlton, as

YOUR VOICE well as in the MITA detention centre in Broadmeadows. Twenty-five of the men were released from Melbourne detention. Five of them (that we know of) have been placed in community detention in the City of Casey. They are from Pakistan and Iran and are all young men who should be in the prime of their lives but are now struggling with their mental and physical health after what they have endured for the best part of their 20s. They are intelligent, gentle men who now struggle with depression, panic attacks, anxiety and PTSD as well as physical health issues. Their resilience has enabled them to survive their years of incarceration, where some of their friends took their own lives. But though they are now living in houses in our community and to us, it may seem they are “free”, they have been given no certainty from the government. Their futures remain in limbo and they live every day with the ongoing trauma of not knowing what their future will be or if they will have any chance to resume a “normal” life in Australia or perhaps in the USA or Canada. They are under stress all the time. Casey Cardinia for Refugees is a local refugee action group which has been providing financial support to refugees in off-shore detention for over four years. We also stage a weekly vigil at the Berwick Village main intersection on Saturday morn-

ings (when able) to raise awareness of refugee issues. We write regularly to the Pakenham Gazette, other media outlets and our elected parliamentarian Jason Wood, who ignores our ongoing requests to meet with him. Casey Cardinia for Refugees has been able to reach out to some of these recently released refugees who now live in our community. We are extending friendship and support where possible. They are in need of money to buy groceries, clothes, phone cards etc as their Government payment does not cover all these things. Anyone who would like to donate to Casey Cardinia for Refugees is most welcome to contact us at caseycardiniaforrefugees@gmail. com. We also help support the refugees in PNG who are in dire situations living in Port Moresby in a hostile dangerous environment with very little support. We send them money for phone cards and food. There are still close to 277 refugees and asylum seekers held in detention in immigration centres or hotels across Australia. Thirty-seven of these men are in the Park Hotel Carlton. When restrictions lift, the daily vigils on Lygon Street held by refugee action groups and concerned individuals will resume, to remind these men that they are not forgotten. We deplore this treatment of people who have come to our country seeking safety and security from places like war-torn Afghanistan. They should all be released into the community and be provided with Covid vaccinations and full and necessary support immediately. pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

NEWS

Delivering care Cardinia Shire Council has packed and delivered 600 care packs to local community partners working directly with vulnerable community members. The packs contain personal care items including shampoo, soap, toothpaste, laundry detergent as well as health support information. The packs were distributed this week to our emergency relief providers including Bless Collective, ADRA, Gurudwara Siri Guru Nanak Dabar, Cockatoo Community House, Emerald Community House, Bunyip and District Community House, Outlook Community Centre, Living and Learning, Beaconsfield Neighbourhood Centre, ERMHA, Parks Victoria, Planet Shakers (Empower Australia), Turning Point Church Kooweerup, St Luke’s Cockatoo, Meadowvale Retirement Village, Pakenham/Emerald Library, Gurudwara Baba Budha Sahib Ji, Salvation Army, Maternal and Child Health Nurse and Youth Services. Cardinia Shire Mayor Brett Owen said the care packs are one way the council was supporting the community during these tough times. “We are helping locals get through these challenging times and I thank everyone for being involved in delivering these care packs,” he said. “You can also jump on to our website for a copy of our directory with info about local services such as food relief and rent assistance. “There’s also business grants available through Victorian Government and council’s business concierge service is here to help you navigate the application processes. “I also encourage anyone who feels like they might need a bit of additional emotional or mental health support to reach out to a support service such as Head to Help in Officer, Lifeline, Kids Helpline and Beyond Blue.“ Councillor Tammy Radford, who chaired

Complaints The Cardinia Shire Council are calling for community feedback on their new draft complaints policy - so now is the time to share your thoughts! Having developed their draft complaints policy in line with the requirements of the Local Government Act 2020 and formal recommendations made by the Victorian Ombudsman, the council are now opening it up for community consultation and want to hear what locals have to say. The policy is part of the council’s wider efforts to ensure that community members have the best service possible when it comes to council matters. They hope that this will ensure a fair, transparent and consistent process for our community if residents wish to make a complaint. The draft policy is a formal expression of the council’s commitment to providing a consistent process for customers when they wish to make a complaint, and explains the details on how complaints will be handled in future. Community members have until 5pm on Tuesday 28 September (just over two weeks) to submit their thoughts on the draft policy. To have your say or for more information, head to www.cardinia.vic.gov.au/ haveyoursay

Meadowvale Retirement Village resident Tess Moss. the council’s Covid-19 community recovery committee, thanked the committee for their ongoing contribution to help the community. “A number of planned projects the committee were involved in were impacted by Covid restrictions and lockdowns however the team’s support for these care packages is appreciated and will greatly assist our community. A big thank you to all involved.” The care packages were funded by a Victoria Government grant to support the community during the pandemic. For more information, visit cardinia.vic.gov. au/coronavirus.

ADRA receiving Cardinia Shire Council care packs. Pictures: SUPPLIED

Community members have until 5pm on Tuesday 28 September to submit their thoughts on the policy. 138931

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Thursday, 9 September, 2021

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Mr Cini and Sasha - aka, spider man and spider girl, look out!

Sasha getting ready for a big night out!

Ready for the main stage? Maggie is looking gorgeous in her pink tutu.

Doggies dressing up By Gabriella Payne If you’ve been feeling a bit blue lately, have we got the perfect remedy for you… yes that’s right, it’s doggy dress up time! Variety Australia’s annual ‘Petember’ doggy dress up competition is back bigger and better than ever, and with all of us stuck at home in lockdown, a huge number of locals are ‘paw’ticipating in this year’s fun. For each week of September (aka ‘Petember’), entrants must come up with a fun, creative look for their pooch based around a theme - and it’s all in the name of a good cause. Berwick local Kathren Bucknell said that her family and their beloved dog Maggie were thrilled to be taking part in this year’s competition, as it was a bit of much-needed fun but also a great campaign raising both money and awareness for Variety’s assistance dogs. “For me, it was a fun thing to do, but also the fact that it raises money for assistance dogs is so great,” Ms Bucknell said. “These lockdowns aren’t going to go away anytime soon, so if we can provide help for assistance dogs for other kids - not just guide dogs, but for therapy dogs and emotional support dogs - then that would be amazing.” Ms Bucknell said that Maggie had joined her family during last year’s lengthy Covid lockdown and had been such an incredible support to both her and her kids during these difficult times. “Without Maggie, honestly lockdowns would have been so much harder,” she said. “My two kids adore her, they cuddle her, they come on walks (which I never thought they would) and she’s been really good for their anxiety during all the lockdowns, especially this sixth one.” “Whenever they’re upset they give her a hug, and I just see how much that’s helped,” she said. Jake Cini, another Berwick local, has also gotten into the spirit of ‘Petember’ with his beautiful dog, Sasha.

What a beautiful pup!

Miss Maggie is looking stunning in her red carpet look! After taking part in the competition last year, Mr Cini said he was inspired to do it all again as it is a fantastic cause and a great way to brighten up people’s days. “I adopted Sasha last year during the first wave of Covid. She’s a dog that has anxiety issues, so she’s a bit misunderstood, but I found that we really connected,” he said. “I’ve always liked Cosplay and stuff, so we started dressing up and going on our walks in matching costumes, and people would see us walking and wave and smile.”

Pictures: SUPPLIED

“And then I heard about ‘Peptember’ and thought that would be perfect for us!” he said. “Raising money for the assistance dogs is just fantastic and it gives us something to do in lockdown too.” Mr Cini said that last year, he and Sasha had managed to raise over $800 for Variety Australia and they hoped to raise even more this time around, as he had plenty of creative ideas up his sleeve. “The first week’s theme was the ‘red carpet’, so Sasha got dressed up and we did a ‘pooch

party’ with two other dogs that are friends,” he said. “It’s ‘sports’ this week and she’s a Collingwood supporter, so I think we’ll get her in her guernsey.” Mr Cini said that it was great to see so many people getting involved in this year’s competition as it just went to show how important doggy companionship is, particularly after the year we’ve all experienced. “All these other owners and dogs are coming together to share their experiences of how they’ve connected with their dogs, and we can look at each others stories and pictures - I just find that amazing,” he said. You can donate and keep up to date with Sasha and Jake via their page: https://fundraise.variety.org.au/fundraisers/sashajake Or to check out and support Maggie and Kathren’s lockdown looks, head to: https:// fundraise.variety.org.au/fundraisers/kathrenbucknell

Proposed Open Air Fires Local Law 20 The local law will be on public exhibition until Friday 17 September and details the proposed local regulations for open air fires - commonly known as ‘burning off’ – outside of the fire danger period.

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Cardinia Shire Council’s Draft Local Law 20 – Open Air Fires is now on public exhibition.

To view the proposed Local Law 20 – Open Air Fires, visit www.cardinia.vic.gov.au/haveyoursay

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Thursday, 9 September, 2021

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Building a home of hope By Danielle Kutchel A cancer diagnosis turns your world upside down. For Berwick residents Jade and Adam Jenkins, being told their five-year-old son Henry had Stage V Nephroblastoma (Wilms) in August 2020 was a massive shock. Even after they visited the doctor to find out more about Henry’s illness, Jade said “cancer was the furthest thing from our minds”. “Henry presented very well. Even when we took him to the GP and for an ultrasound, it didn’t cross our minds that he was about to be diagnosed with cancer.” The diagnosis changed everything. For much of the last 12 months, the family – including Henry’s two younger brothers – have been in and out of hospital as Henry undergoes extensive treatment including surgery and 21 rounds of chemotherapy. The five-year-old has had to repeat his fouryear-old kinder year but still attends when he can – and his prognosis is positive. Jade said he’s shown remarkable resilience for someone so young. “He’s quite amazing in that he just gets on with it. “When you’re five you don’t really understand it; he knows cancer makes you sick and you need to go to the hospital and get better, but he doesn’t fully understand the extent of what that means.” They’ve been lucky enough to receive support from My Room Children’s Cancer Charity, a volunteer-led organisation that helps families and patients get through the cancer journey. “Henry had access to the dietician and physiotherapist and both of those are funded by My Room,” Jade said. My Room has a goal of reaching a 100 per cent cure rate for childhood cancers. This month, My Room will undertake one

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Henry and his parents in the hospital.

Henry, centre, has been courageous over his cancer journey. of its biggest fundraisers of the year, the 2021 Home for a Cure charity auction. Satterley and Porter Davis Homes will donate a house and land package to the auction, with the funds raised going to My Room. The single-storey, four-bedroom Porter Davis home is being built in Satterley’s Arcadia community, in the heart of Officer. Proceeds from the house and land package will be donated during Channel 9’s popular My Room Telethon later this year. Jack Homann, Satterley’s general manager of Victoria and Queensland said he was proud Satterley would be a central part of the auction for the fourth time. “It goes without saying that the most important part is that we’re raising funds for an incredibly important cause,” he said.

Pictures: SUPPLIED

Shaun Patterson, general manager sales and marketing at Porter Davis said the company was thrilled to be part of the auction. “Being able to lend a helping hand to kids who need it most, while building a quality home in which someone can create a lifetime of cherished memories, made our decision to support this year’s Home for a Cure an easy one.” The home will include almost $100,000 worth of upgrades and inclusions including high-quality fixtures, fittings and appliances from Porter Davis Homes. Adriatic Furniture has donated $42,000 worth of home furnishings, Fleming’s has donated $15,000 worth of landscaping, Bunnings will provide $5000 worth of outdoor furnishings and Salt and Pepper will offer $5000 worth of homewares. The successful bidder will also receive

a 12-month subscription to The Age and a 24-month subscription to Stan. My Room’s chairman Maurizio Marcocci said the proceeds from the home auction would go towards supporting the organisation’s four funding pillars: family support, medical equipment, clinical care, research and clinical trials. “It’s only with meaningful donations from our major partnerships like Porter Davis Homes, Satterley and Nine, that we can make a greater impact to funding research and clinical trials that could lead us to our goal of a 100 per cent cure rate,” Mr Marcocci said. Jade said the support her family received from My Room helped get them through an extraordinarily difficult time. “They’re a quiet background support doing really good things for childhood cancer. “I certainly think their help is highly beneficial not just to my family, but many families. “They 100 per cent helped us along the way.” The Home for a Cure charity auction will take place later this year. Further details will be announced in the coming weeks. To be kept up to date on the build, partner announcements and the auction, please visit homeforacure.com.au

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Thursday, 9 September, 2021

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Thursday, 9 September, 2021

NEWS

Global sports commentating star Michael Schiavello.

Pictures: DAVID ASH

At the top of his game By Danielle Kutchel In a career spanning 30 years, Narre Warren South resident Michael Schiavello has beamed into millions of homes, bringing sport to life with an electric energy. He’s rubbed shoulders with some of the world’s biggest sports stars and worked on massive global events. But it wasn’t always his dream to be a sports commentator. In fact, as a year 10 student looking for work experience, Mr Schiavello had his heart set on being an architect. When none of the architecture firms he wrote to offered him a work experience position, Mr Schiavello’s mother encouraged him to try radio instead. He applied to Triple M and received a confirmation letter on his birthday. The team put him in the newsroom for his work experience tenure, and Mr Schiavello said he quickly fell in love with the gadgets, the microphones and flashing buttons. “From that moment on, all thoughts of being an architect disappeared and all I wanted to do was radio and broadcasting and media.” His mum, it seemed, had been on to something. In year 11, as a “means to wag class”, Mr Schiavello joined some mates in commentating a school athletics event at Olympic Park. Finding he had a real knack for the craft, he went on to work at the local community radio station where he scored interviews with some of the world’s biggest sports stars. By the age of 20 he had found his groove commentating fight sports. Since then, Mr Schiavello’s passion and enthusiasm for sports and commentating has taken him all over the world to commentate major sporting events, including commentating the boxing events for over 130 countries in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the boxing in the 2006 Commonwealth Games. He’s worked in 27 different countries, from Jamaica to Hungary, England to France, the USA to Poland and all throughout Asia. He’s a two-time winner of the Asian Television Award for Best Sports Presenter/Com-

mentator and is the most watched Australian sports television commentator, broadcast to 154 countries with Nielsen-rated viewership of 81 million globally. He’s hosted his own prime time interview show in the US, ‘The Voice Versus’, where he interviewed big names like Steven Seagal, George Foreman, Hulk Hogan and ‘Sugar’ Ray Leonard. He counts ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin as his best ever interview – and to this day, the nowretired wrestler calls Mr Schiavello for interviewing advice for his own television shows. Now, Mr Schiavello has released a book, called ‘The Commentators’, celebrating 100 years of sports commentating. 2021 is the 100th anniversary of the profession, and Mr Schiavello’s book delves into the greatest sporting moments in history and the commentators behind them. Some of the world’s best commentators have contributed sections to the book, including Vin Scully, who has been voted the number one sports commentator of all time. With such an impressive CV, it might look like there’s little left to achieve – but Mr Schiavello said he still has a few things on his bucket list, like commentating a Wrestlemania. But for now, the Narre Warren South resident is enjoying commentating for ONE Championship, the third most watched sports broadcasting company on the planet. He hopes his story can serve as an example of how far passion and enthusiasm can take you. “I was just a regular kid with a regular background, no formal study ad no diplomas on my wall, but I made it to the top of the TV world and sports commentating world,” Mr Schiavello said. “I’d like that to be an inspiration to anyone out there, that if you have a passion and enthusiasm you can do it. “Do what you love, and if you love it, do the best you can and no matter what anyone says keep ploughing through.” Find out more about Mr Schiavello’s book at wilkinsonpublishing.com.au/book/ the-commentators

Michael Schiavello in his element. pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

NEWS

MPs making Afghan stand By Danielle Kutchel Three Federal Labor MPs have joined forces to slam the Federal Government’s reaction to the crisis in Afghanistan. Bruce MP Julian Hill, Isaacs MP Mark Dreyfus and Holt MP Anthony Byrne released a joint statement on Monday 30 August, criticising what they see as a failure of the Federal Government to act soon enough to save Afghans who supported Australia’s mission in the country and speed up visa processing times. Mr Hill, Mr Dreyfus and Mr Byrne said they had received an “overwhelming number of calls, letters and emails to our offices from families desperate for news of their loved ones and seeking urgent help to get their relatives out of Afghanistan”. “The Afghan-Australian community has a right to feel angry that the Morrison-Joyce Government ignored persistent pleas for more urgent action for so long and failed to act until it was much too late,” the MPs said in the statement. “For many months, veterans, former prime ministers and Labor have been calling for urgent action from the Morrison-Joyce Government to fulfil Australia’s moral obligation to the Afghans who have risked everything to support our mission and to speed up the processing of family, partner and other visas. “This humanitarian crisis was foreseeable, and many people seeking protection here could have been spared the deeply distressing

scenes we witnessed at Kabul airport had the government acted sooner.” But La Trobe MP and Assistant Minister for Customs, Community Safety and Multicultural Affairs, Jason Wood, called the comments “misleading”. “The comments made by Labor are misleading and seek to politicise a desperate situation,” he said. “The Morrison Government is committed to supporting our 70,000 strong Afghan-Australian community. “My office has been working directly with both the Afghan community and with Minister Hawke’s office to assist with emergency visas.” He said the recently wrapped-up evacuations from Afghanistan were part of “one of our largest humanitarian airlift operations in our history”, with around 4100 people airlifted out of the country on 32 flights. “The Morrison Government also granted protection visas to around 1800 Afghan former locally engaged employees before the recent military supported airlift,” Mr Wood added. “We are unapologetic about maintaining a strong and fair immigration system but Labor’s open door policy with no caps and no security checks are exactly why they should stay in Opposition.” Mr Hill, Mr Dreyfus and Mr Byrne said they were “grateful” for the Australian Defence Force’s work in carrying out the evacuation mission and pledged to stand by the AfghanAustralian community “in the difficult days ahead”.

Plant voucher giveaway Cardinia Shire Council is encouraging schools, kindergartens, community groups and owners of properties more than 4000 square metres to apply for free $100 native plant vouchers to help green Cardinia. Cardinia Shire Mayor Brett Owen said the free plant voucher would encourage mass plantings of native species to help support local wildlife and to increase carbon capture and storage. “Due to the overwhelming success of our residential plant giveaway in April, we’re scaling up and encouraging more mass plantings, in line with Council’s commitment to our Aspirational Energy Transition Plan,” he said. The goal of the Aspirational Energy Transition Plan is to capture and store carbon. The most effective and efficient way to achieve this is to mass plant large, woody trees where possible. Large land holdings lend themselves to this type of planting. The council offered plant giveaways for smaller landholdings and other residents in April 2021 and will again in 2022. “Tuesday 7 September is National Threatened Species Day so it’s the perfect time to think about how we can continue to support endangered plant and animals in our shire. Schools and kindergartens may choose to use these vouchers to create a butterfly or bird attracting garden or even a sensory garden,” said Cr Owen. “For farmers and owners of larger properties these vouchers can be used for shelter belts, waterway protection, soil stabilisation, planting out following weed removal or even creating wildlife corridors. “The council is proud to support our community to create a greener, cleaner Cardinia Shire through the investment of 5500 native plants for our community to plant.” Online applications for vouchers will go live at 9am on 7 September and be open while stock lasts. Applicants need to provide their contact details, property size, and, using an easy drop-down menu, explain how their planting will deliver environmental benefits.

Deep Creek plant giveaway. Picture: SUPPLIED Successful applicants will be able to choose from a selection of indigenous trees, shrubs and grasses as tube stock. Species include indigenous plants such as Gum trees, Wattles, Banksia, Correas, Lomandras, Dianella and much more. CEC Nursery at Deep Creek Reserve is located at 62 Cameron Way, Pakenham. Plants can be collected once vouchers have been issues and COVID-19 restrictions have lifted. For more information about the nursery, visit cecinc.net.au/cec-nursery or email nursery@cecinc.net.au 12510053-BL37-21

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Thursday, 9 September, 2021

STAR NEWS 11

NEWS

Judging book, not cover A team of 14 students from across St Paul’s Anglican Grammar School’s Warragul and Traralgon Campuses recently met together virtually to vote as Shadow Judges for the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s (CBCA) Book of the Year Awards. Over six weeks, these dedicated students had their heads immersed in various adventures, busily reading and assessing the CBCA’s six shortlisted books in the Younger Reader category. Shadow Judges are groups of readers who have been selected to be part of a CBCA Book of the Year Awards program and St Paul’s was one of five schools to vote in the Younger Reader category. Shadow Judges are given the task to read, discuss and share a response to each shortlisted book against the same criteria used by the CBCA Judging Panel and decide on a

winner for the category they are judging. The St Paul’s students’ votes were very closely contested between The Stolen Prince of Cloudburst by Jaclyn Moriarty and We Are Wolves by Katrina Nannestad with The Stolen Prince of Cloudburst just edging in for a win. The CBCA has since announced this year’s winners and the students’ elected book received an Honours Award, with the winner being Kate Gordon’s Aster’s Good, Right Things. The students will also submit creative responses for the CBCA’s Shadow Judging web page. Although the students’ votes do not officially count towards the CBCA’s Book of the Year, this co-curricular activity has been a great opportunity for them to understand the CBCA’s award and judging process to ultimately pursue their own potential in the analysis of literature.

St Paul’s student Lucia Trenton presents her favourite choice of the shortlisted books for the Younger Reader category.

St Paul’s student Sukhmani Walia presents her favourite choice of the shortlisted books for the Younger Reader category.

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St Paul’s student Addison Tucker presents his favourite choice of the shortlisted books for the Younger Reader category.

Stirring trouble By Mitchell Clarke

Stirring trouble By Mitchell Clarke It was the initiative that dished up smiles during lockdown, but now a decrepit looking Spoonville site in Pakenham is providing any-

It was the initiative that dished up smiles during lockdown, but now a decrepit looking Spoonville site in Pakenham is providing anything but joy. During the one hour exercise limit - which is now a distant memory - Spoonville sites across Cardinia Shire were the most popular place to visit. Despite the fad having died down entirely, the Cardinia Lakes community was understandably upset at news their local site appeared to have been targeted by cruel vandals. Estate resident Laksika noticed the destroyed site during her daily walk on Sunday 24 January. “I think someone has just walked over it or kicked them all over. It’s very sad to see it. We always used to stop there and have a look for new ones,” she wrote on Facebook. The reaction from her neighbours was similar. “Absolutely disgusting. The highlight of our walk is our toddler stopping to look and admire the spoons,” one local woman said. “That’s so disappointing. My kids had spoons in there,” another woman added. Pakenham Hills Ward councillor Jack Kowarzik said the news was “really frustrating”. “Spoonville was created by locals for the enjoyment of local children and to see it vandalised is disappointing,” he said. Cardinia Art Society president Jillian Ronald described Spoonville as an “amazing initiative” during Melbourne’s lengthy lockdown. “It’s given joy and positivity in some very dark times and I just think it’s really disappointing that, when the community put together a project to support each other during a difficult time, that someone would take the trouble to destroy it. They’d be better off going home to create a spoon and putting it with

St Paul’s student Harry Gargan presents his favourite choice of the shortlisted books for the Younger Reader category.

In happier times - Maci, Willow and Aubrey at a Pakenham Spoonville site. 214450 the rest,” she said. “I’d suggest there’s much better things they could do with their time.” The ‘Spoonville’ trend was born out of Winnersh, England, in an attempt to improve mental health by simply making people happy as they were out and about during daily exercise. The quirky saga soon made its way to Cardinia - after Australia’s first ever site was constructed up the highway in Longwarry. Within weeks, the site had spread to Pakenham, Officer, Garfield, Nar Nar Goon, Emerald and Beaconsfield.

Ms Ronald acknowledged the Spoonville craze had now hit a dead end. “They’re getting a little bit tired, so maybe it’s time for the spoons to come home,” she said. Ms Ronald, who commissioned the two local sites at Lakeside in Pakenham, encouraged community members to collect their spoons from their local sites. She added that in mid-February she’d look to clean up all remaining Spoonville’s and relocate any leftover spoons to an “undisclosed location”.

The once popular Spoonville trend appears to have hit a dead end. Picture: FACEBOOK

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Thursday, 9 September, 2021

Shadow Judges for this year’s CBCA Book of the Year in the Younger Reader category: Pictured are St Paul’s Warragul Campus students Harry Gargan and Husni Mohamed Fahmi and Traralgon Campus students Will Szkwarek, Asmi Pathania, Sahanna Harikrishna and Mitchell Rong. pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

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Thursday, 9 September, 2021

STAR NEWS 13

THE LOWDOWN Q&A

with Jill Sparkes, Casey U3A secretary and Berwick Evening VIEW club member

Jill Sparkes.

Picture: SUPPLIED

Maya Angelou. An incredible life, lived rich and powerful. I love listening to her voice reading her poetry. If you had to compete on MasterChef what dish would you cook? Vegemite toast. I dislike cooking, would rather read a book. If you were Prime Minister for a day. What would be the first thing you would do? I would add volunteering to the curriculum for all school students, and make companies pay their employees to volunteer for a up to a week throughout the year in an organisation of their choice. Volunteers are becoming fewer as the older people who grew up with the idea of giving back through volunteering are disappearing. It’s such an easy thing to do, to volunteer some of your time, and what you get in return is invaluable.

What are you most looking forward to when lockdown ends? Seeing my family face to face and hugging my grandchildren. Why are volunteers so important in the community? So many programs would be impossible if not for volunteers. For example, I was asked if I would like to volunteer for Riding for the Disabled at Myuna Farm and did so for a couple of years. What an incredible group of volunteers they have. The children who take part in their program have a very diverse range of disabilities and all are cherished by this band of wonderful people. Covid has of course put a stop to their seeing the children, but the horses are still fed and tended every day. If you look around, volunteers drive a lot of things we take for granted. For instance, we would not have op shops which provide us with a great source of “treasures” for inside or outside our homes if there were no volunteers. A few of my friends are addicted to these little treasure houses and just can’t go past one. Op shops in turn provide funding for many voluntary organisations Volunteers also help with feeding the homeless, animal shelters, Special Olympics, community choirs, National Trust, hospital volunteers, Scouts, Plant a Tree, Vic Parks and Gardens, to name a very few. The list is long and increasing. What do you love about the Casey Community? I love the fact that Bunjil Place exists and I can see amazing events there. I also love that all the people I have met in Casey are caring, and giving back in some way to their community. I love the trees and parks around my neighbourhood in Berwick, and feel very lucky to live in such a lovely area. If anyone is interested in making enquiries about Casey U3A they can look up our website at Casey.u3anet.org.au, contact us at caseyu3apr@gmail.com, or contact the membership officer at U3aenrol@gmail.com.

Baby birds are known by different names depending on their stage of development. They can be called nestlings, hatchlings or fledgelings. They may also have special names depending on their species - for example, baby swans are called cygnets

Bread is bad for ducklings and cygnets. It doesn’t contain the nutrients they need to grow into healthy adults. Feeding them bread can also cause them to become dependent on humans.

It’s best to watch from a safe distance. If you get too close, the parents (and babies) may get upset. Steer clear and use the zoom function on your camera to get a better view. Keep kids, dogs and cats away from where baby birds are feeding and playing and watch them grow up in peace.

12512329-AV37-21

Why did you choose to join View? I was invited to join View by a friend from U3A. They are a fun and interesting group and are very committed to helping young Australians with their education through the Smith Family. What does your work in U3A involve? I am currently the secretary of Casey U3A which is dedicated to providing courses and classes that give those 55 and over, and who are retired or semi-retired, a chance to meet and make friends with others of the same age and interests. Pre-Covid (and during the short bursts of freedom from lockdown) we offered up to 53 different classes which have been taken up by over 400 members. During lockdowns we have been able to supply things for our members to take part in. Zumba, Ukulele Beginners, Gentle Meditative Movement and Guided Meditation and Bookclub come to mind, all run on Zoom. Our development team is always trying to find interesting things for our members to take part in and all classes are offered for a very low, oneoff yearly subscription of $35. We are also one of very Victorian U3As whose membership has grown during the pandemic. I have done a lot of courses and still take part in Drawing, 4 Medium Art, Table Tennis, Bookclub and Games club. Not only have I been able to dabble in things I have always wanted to do, I have met some wonderful people who will no doubt be friends for life. Tell us a fun fact about yourself! I took up the sport of archery in my 50s and loved it. I have not yet found a club to call home here but the Olympics have certainly rekindled the flame and I am determined to find a club (preferably indoor) not too far away that I can join. What is your favourite cuisine? Vietnamese. Who is your biggest inspiration? That is a big call but if I had to I would chose

THREE … facts about baby birds

14 STAR NEWS

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pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

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Improvement starts here TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS IAN ASH

If you are a business leader with people responsibilities, being aware of how others perceive you is critically important. ing which puts a very different perspective on things. In fact, his challenge was to listen harder to others. If you are a business leader with people responsibilities, being aware of how others perceive you is critically important otherwise you can continue to make the same mistakes over

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“That is what the people are like at the next village” said the old man. Happy with this response, the young man continued his journey. The following day, another young man was making the same trip along the track from village A to village B and he too spotted the elderly man sitting by the road around the half-way point. This young man was also keen to find out what might be in store for him at village B. The old man asked him “what were they like at village A?” to which this young man replied that they were unfriendly, anti-social and he was glad to be rid of their company. “That is what the people are like at the next village” said the old man. The point here is that when we start to see patterns emerge in the relationships that we have with others, whilst we may have previously thought that ‘the others’ were at fault, if we tend to see the same problems reoccurring for us, it might be time to start to take a more critical look at our own actions and behaviours. This is not to necessarily say that we are always in the wrong, but it may be a question of style or perhaps we are filtering the information we receive through a strong personal belief system which causes us to view things differently to most. As an example, I recently coached a talented young man whose consistent complaint was that ‘people didn’t listen to him’. As we explored this further, it became clear that for him, ‘not agreeing’ meant they weren’t listen-

Dir ty on dining

By Gabriella Payne

Pop-up dining spaces sprang up throughout the city last year as Covid safe practices restaurants and forced cafes to turn to the streets for space, and after a successful summer initiative is set to run, the be months - a decisionextended over the coming that has left some munity members comvery unhappy. The pop-up outdoor dining program originally developed was as a way for businesses to adapt to the ever-changing Covid ronment and saw temporary platformsenviseating areas quite and literally “pop up” Cardinia, with seating around spaces in many areas, taking over car parking including in Pakenham’s Main Street. Whilst many people are enjoying making use of the new al fresco spaces, longtime enham local and Pakactive community Jack Mitchell said member that the lack of cleanliness and maintenance of the Main Street was “an absolute disgrace” and neededspaces addressed by the to be council. “I travel all over the state and I have seen a main street never in as bad a shape Street, Pakenham,” as Main Mr Mitchell said. “It’s just dreadful, everywhere, there’s there are cigarette butts bird and the street pavementspoo all over the place Outdoor dining spaces are falling apart. are proving quite “Why anybody divisive along Pakenham’s would want to Main Street now go to the Main Street. is beyond me,” Mr Mitchell said. Picture: CARDINIA The other, less glamorous SHIRE COUNCIL view of the Main Street outdoor dining Mr Mitchell has be going anywhere lived in the area area. anytime soon, as since 2004 dinia Shire and said he has the Carraised Picture: JACK MITCHELL dinia Shire Council this issue with the Car- sions of Council are now calling for expres- dining spaces had proved popular interest for businesses mer and helped over many times, but avail. to support businesses sum- the shops - but it’s to no new, free “parklets” to apply mainly the dirtiness after a the problem,” - hoping to see more for difficult year. that’s “They told me porary outdoor he said. temthat they’ve got seating areas spring “Outdoor dining but it’s just getting big plans, Cardinia. “We have this big, certainly brought up across the worse,” he said. low-hanging tree a buzz to and streets of the shire outside all these parrots following a tough “Taking away the Cardinia Mayor keep coming along year. It’s great to see parking out the Brett Owen said making a mess. of the shops for and the community front a successful summer that after Cardinia some embrace venues and show trial of the parklets, unbelievable - most outdoor seating is just council Yesterday the council them some much the needed love,” were excited of the seats can’t came because she said. used.” complained to even be ing areas installed to see more outdoor dinwe them and they But the owner and throughout the area. said ‘yes, it’s very dirty’, but Mr Mitchell said “We trialled the they told us that Kebabs, Sam Bayraktar operator of Pakenham clean that the council parklet concept we should sending “someone should be mer in it up.” told over Star News that he sum- and other business Pakenham and we’re down there to clean as the council are owners on Main now on the look- that it up” out for new Mr Bayraktar said Street felt “accountable” for the restaurants, cafes that the area had the spaces are worthwhile ensuring the shire ly become “a dumping recentand bars across saster outdoor seating areas had been that would love to “a difor us”. ground” for people and usable if they are going to be taking leave rubbish and host a parklet from to March onwards,” Cr Owen unwanted junk as up car parking spots. “It’s a total mess,” said. that he didn’t have well, and Mr Bayraktar said. However, the pop-up Councillor Tammy the resources or “We can’t even use dining spaces won’t to be cleaning up the time the seating, it’s so highly of the concept, Radford also spoke less. the “ridiculous” point- side. mess outstating that the al fresco First of all we lost “It’s become more our car parks in of a dumping ground front of and an eyesore than something nice,” he said.

“About Children, Being Children”

202102197591_1-SN09-21

It was the Scottish poet Robbie Burns (1759 – 1796) that once said: “O, wad some Power the giftie gie us To see oursels as others see us!” which in modern English simply states ‘if only we could see ourselves as others see us’. If we are serious about improving performance in our own business role(s), whatever they may be, then it is important to start by understanding how we are doing. I clearly remember at an early stage of my managerial career being involved in what was termed an ‘upward feedback survey’ (also known as ‘360 degree feedback’) in which anonymous feedback is provided by your peers and team members as well as your boss on your own performance. I also remember the CEO at the time saying that this was not something you should necessarily “read from the top of a tall building” as you invariably get some unpleasant truths fed back! Sometimes you can be left wondering how your actions could have been interpreted in the way they were but equally you do also get some pleasant surprises as well. My point here is that we all try to behave in ways we consider reasonable but what may be ‘reasonable’ to us, may not necessarily appear so to others and so understanding how our behaviours are showing up to others is key. Here is an old Chinese parable that highlights the point: A young man set off walking from village A to village B along a well-used track, a journey that was going to take him most of the day. As he approached the mid-point, he saw an old man sitting beside the road. They chatted for a bit and curious to know what lay ahead of him, he asked the old man what the people at the next village were like. The old man asked him “what were they like at village A?” to which he responded that they were very friendly, hospitable and he really enjoyed their company.

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Final care funding needed By Danielle Kutchel To paraphrase Benjamin Franklin, death is one of only a couple of certainties in life, and a south eastern group is looking to make it as comfortable as possible. Palliative Care South East (PCSE) needs a new home to continue its work in providing a welcoming place for people to experience palliative care. The not for profit had been co-located with Monash Health in Cranbourne for 30 years. They have purchased a block of land on Victor Crescent, Narre Warren, which will be central to the growth of the population the organisation serves. But as a charitable body, they need a bit of help from the government to get construction of their new building over the line. PCSE currently serves the LGAs of Casey, Cardinia, Greater Dandenong and Kingston. The majority of its clients – 53.9 per cent – come from Casey. And with the south eastern region continuing to grow, chief executive officer Kelly Rogerson predicts PCSE’s client base will also increase too. From 2018 to 2020, PCSE saw a 63 per cent increase in admissions. There has been a 65 per cent increase in palliative care requests since the pandemic started, as people in care choose to remain in their homes, staying connected with the community or their family – especially during lockdown, when visitor numbers to clinical settings are tightened. The new site will replicate and expand on the work the not for profit currently does from Cranbourne, Ms Rogerson said. “We’ll have a purpose-built environment to welcome people to and demystify and improve communication around the benefits of palliative care,” she said.

Matilde, Sheri, Mel, Rob, Jayanthi, Wendy and Linda from PCSE. 249066 “Palliative care is a right for individuals – not a nice-to-have, it’s a must-have.” PCSE’s mix of services caters to the whole individual and offers comfort at a difficult time: nursing and medical care, art and music therapy, counselling services and spiritual care. PCSE also supports carers and relatives for 13 months after the death of their loved one. Around 1200 people are currently on PCSE’s books for bereavement support, while more than 400 are receiving active management and palliative care services. All of this is achieved with just 65 staff and 50 volunteers. “The team is extraordinary, they give so much and are so committed and dedicated,” Ms Rogerson said. They’ve approached La Trobe MP Jason Wood for support with funding for their new home. He suggested setting up a petition to gauge support for the cause within the wider community. That petition, seeking $4.7 million in funding to finish the new Palliative Care Commu-

Kelly Rogerson, CEO of PCSE, is urging the community to sign the petition. 249066 Pictures: STEWART CHAMBERS nity Hub in Victor Crescent, is currently open. “We just want to keep doing the work we’re doing, but we need a capital injection,” Ms Rogerson said. They receive block funding from the Victorian Department of Health but haven’t had an uplift in funding commensurate with their costs, which increase every year. Mr Wood said the high level of population growth in the area had placed pressure on health services, including PCSE. “Palliative Care South East have already purchased the land for the new building, now they need your help to secure the funding for the Palliative Care Community Hub which will serve every member of the community who needs their care, skills and support,” he said.

“With this funding they will be able to complete the building and ensure their service can support additional people annually, making a significant difference to those living with a life limiting illness in our community. “That is why I have started an online petition, to secure federal funding and demonstrate public support for this great service.” Ms Rogerson urged the community to sign the petition. “You only die once, you don’t get chance to do it again, so you want to get it right,” Ms Rogerson said. To sign the petition, visit https://www.research.net/r/XQB9RNX?fbclid=IwAR10WpTe6 5zj1KhZBiNhoafVmG-e_yCX2t_TkSZGxmrHCHUhs9fxmFITLa8

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Thursday, 9 September, 2021

STAR NEWS 17

SPORT

Local leagues pull the pin By Nick Creely and David Nagel It was inevitable, but now it’s official. There will be no more local football and netball in 2021, with the latest lockdown extension until at least the 23rd of September dispelling all hopes that a finals series could be possible, with leagues now set to turn their attention to 2022, and hopefully no more disruptions after two Covid-riddled seasons. After no competitions in 2020, and just half a season in 2021, it’s a bitter blow for sportstarved communities. Ongoing uncertainty surrounding the longterm duration of the current Covid-lockdown - and subsequent restrictions - has caused the West Gippsland Football Netball Competition (WGFNC) to abandon its 2021 season effective immediately. The WGFNC released the following statement on Friday, 3 September, acknowledging the difficult situation facing all governing bodies of community sport in Victoria. “On the back of Wednesday’s state government announcement to extend the lockdown in metropolitan Melbourne the WGFNC, in consultation with member clubs, will abandon all grades of football and netball for the 2021 season“, the WGFNC statement reads. “Despite the intention of the WGFNC to complete a 2021 finals series, the current restrictions, and no clear timeline on easement of restrictions has forced the decision. “The WGFNC are committed to working closely with their member clubs, AFL Victoria, AFL Gippsland, and Netball Victoria to manage the associated issues related to the cancellation of all competition and working towards a return to play next season. “The teams who finished on top of the WGFNC ladder will be recognised as the 2021 minor premiers and the 2021 Best and Fairest Vote Counts will take place online with presentations to be arranged in due course. “We wish to take this opportunity to thank all clubs, players, parents, volunteers, officials, umpires and league partners for your patience, support, and cooperation throughout the 2021 season.“ On Thursday 2 September, the Metropolitan Melbourne leagues - Eastern Football Netball League, Essendon District, Northern Football League, Southern Football League, Riddell District, VAFA, Western Region and South Metro Juniors issued a joint statement to get the ball rolling, confirming that they have mutually agreed to end all 2021 competitions. “This decision is an extremely difficult one and has not been made lightly,” the statement read. “All leagues have been working diligently in the hope of enabling the remaining games in the 2021 season to be played. “However, it is now apparent this will not be possible in the current environment.” The Metro leagues said it was now time to

There will be no more local football or netball in 2021. 242702 focus on a return to play next year. “All leagues are committed to working closely with their member clubs, AFL Victoria and Netball Victoria to manage the associated issues related to the cancellation of all 2021 competitions and working towards a return to play next season,” the statement read. “We wish to take this opportunity to thank all clubs, players, parents, volunteers, officials, umpires and league partners for your patience, support and cooperation throughout the 2021 season. “We urge all associated with our respective communities to heed the advice and regulations in place by order of the State Government. “We all have a role to play in ensuring our community remains safe and healthy so we can all return to football and netball next season.” The AFL Outer East announced on Friday morning that its senior and junior competitions are cancelled for 2021, informing clubs on Thursday night. “While we understand this is an extremely disappointing decision, which was not made lightly, Outer East has exhausted all avenues possible in the hope of enabling the remaining games in the 2021 season to be played,” the league said. “Across September, we will be releasing and announcing our players awards for season 2021 to recognise the achievements of players

across our various competitions. “We would like to take this opportunity to thank all clubs, players, parents, volunteers, officials, umpires and league partners for your patience, support, and cooperation throughout the 2021 season.” AFL South East has also made the difficult decision to pull the pin on 2021, announcing that its competitions will be cancelled effective immediately. This applies to competitions such as the Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League, South Eastern Womens, South East Juniors, Frankston District Junior Football League, and AFL South East Top Age football. “This is an extremely difficult decision and we had continued to hold hope that we would be able to complete our season,” AFL South East said. “However, it has become clear over the last 24 hours that it will not be possible to return to football in the Greater Melbourne area in the near future. “We wish to thank all club officials, players, volunteers, umpires and our partners for their willingness to remain flexible and for their understanding throughout the whole year in very difficult circumstances.” The AFL has also announced that the VFL season will officially be called off. Despite trying valiantly to find a way to navigate a finals series, ongoing lockdown and state border closures have made it impossible

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS for football to find a way through. Footscray has been recognised as the 2021 VFL minor premiers, but there will be no premier or Liston Medal awarded. “The 2021 season saw multiple schedule changes, several match cancellations, postponements and weeks of hiatus for many clubs, and all clubs, players, officials and umpires should be congratulated for their relentless pursuit to play matches,” AFL Head of Talent Pathways and State League Competitions Tristan Salter said. “All levels of the game across Australia have been impacted by the health pandemic this year and it has been another challenging year for everyone connected to football. “Footy clubs are the heartbeat of many local communities and the identity of our clubs and our league will not be defined by the outcome of the 2020 and 2021 season.” The Ellinbank and District Football League has also cancelled its 2021 senior competitions due to the lockdown extension. “As we played half a season it is very disappointing there was not a satisfactory conclusion to the senior season however all persons involved with senior football cannot put up with the uncertainty of indefinite lockdown extensions any longer - hence the season is called off,” the league said. However, the EDFL has left the door slightly ajar for potential junior finals, if the lockdown is lifted in Regional Victoria.

Online meeting to discuss new cricket club in Pakenham Cardinia Shire Council and Cricket Victoria are working to establish a new community cricket club to play out of Council’s newest sporting precinct, James Bathe Recreation Reserve in Pakenham. The James Bathe cricket club development is now live to register. Individuals can find out more info and register via the link below. The meeting will be open for all regardless of experience or involvement in cricket or clubs. Cardinia Shire and Cricket Victoria are hoping to develop an inclusive and welcoming club, commencing with Woolworths Cricket Blast. Date: 15 September 2021 Location: Online event Time: 6.30–7.30pm Cost: Free To register visit - https://www.cardinia. vic.gov.au/.../new_cricket_club...

· · · ·

18 STAR NEWS

James Bathe Reserve could be the home of the newest cricket club in Pakenham. 202910

Thursday, 9 September, 2021

Picture: SUPPLIED pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

SPORT

Sports succumb to Covid By Nick Creely Football Victoria (FV) has confirmed that all of its Metropolitan Melbourne competitions have been cancelled for 2021 after the latest extension of the Covid-19 lockdown. With many of the planned scenarios eliminated in recent weeks, FV had no choice but to make the announcement, and set it sights on an uninterrupted 2022 season. This applies to the NPL Womens (NPLW including Senior & U19), Victorian Premier League Womens, Womens State League, NPL Junior Girls, NPL Junior Boys, NPL Mens (NPL NPL2, NPL3, including Senior, U21 and U19), Mens State League, Mens Metropolitan and Masters, Metropolitan Community Juniors (U12-U21) and Metropolitan MiniRoos (U7U11) competitions. The south-east is a soccer rich region, hosting a vast range of clubs in these competitions, including the Dandenong Thunder, Dandenong City and Doveton SC which play in the NPL. FV released a statement, expressing its utter disappointment at the cancellation of the season. “2021 has certainly been another year of ups and downs for our state, and for football,” the statement read. “We brushed off the cobwebs of 2020 and saw a positive return to football in 2021, enjoying some exhilarating runs of play, giving us all hope that we could complete the football season. “But COVID-19 has proved to be a truly fierce adversary and, sadly, we once again find ourselves in a very challenging landscape for football.”

Community sport such as soccer has been cancelled. 235198 “We would like to express our gratitude to our football community, who have engaged in roundtable discussions, completed surveys and provided direct feedback to the team, all of which has been absolutely essential for us to best align with the needs of our community.” FV has, however, left the door ajar for a possible return to play for Regional Victoria,

Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS

should the lockdown lift in time. “We are so pleased that there is still the possibility for players in Regional Victoria to return to football, once Government restrictions allow and subject to FV’s Return to Play conditions,” FV said. Basketball Victoria has also made the tough call to cancel its competitions, with the Big V,

NBL1 South, and VJBL seasons all ending. The Big V competition, which hosts local outfits such as the Pakenham Warriors and Casey Cavaliers, released a statement saying it did everything it could to get basketball up and running. “While the league’s intent was to play finals and grand finals at the start of September, the extended lockdown has removed all available weeks remaining in the schedule to accommodate the return to the season,” the statement read. “An unfortunate ending to a remarkable season, with players, coaches, team staff and administrators having navigated every up and down along the road to put the best possible product on the court each (available) week. “Following the cancellation of the season and no finals series, there will be no 2021 championship winners declared.” The Dandenong Baseball Association (DBA), where the Pakenham Pumas and Berwick City Cougars play, previously announced on 21 August that its Winter Season would be cancelled effective immediately. “This decision has not come lightly, and it certainly isn’t the decision we wanted to make,” DBA said. “Further delays in lockdowns and restrictions, together with the unknowns of when and how we can return to baseball in the near future were major factors in this decision process, as well as the consideration for our members safety out in the community. “We understand that this decision will come hard to our clubs and our members, especially given the season has presented many challenges.”

There’s no doubting the horse-whisperer Julien Welsh By David Nagel Julien Welsh is one of the most respected people in horse racing and a man who has broken in 36 group-one winners for some of the biggest trainers in the country. Current-day Pakenham trainers Peter Moody and Phillip Stokes are just two of the big names to have benefited from the time, skill and patience that Welsh invests into more than 350 yearlings that pass through his horse-breaking business each season. Welsh was a familiar face at the old Pakenham track on Racecourse Road for many a long year, and has continued his local presence from his property in Nar Nar Goon. But as well as being a great educator for others, Welsh also finds the time to train a small team of his own, with his stable star Don’t Doubt Dory taking out the $130,000 Open Handicap (1600m) at The Valley on Saturday. The five-year-old gelding, out of 2013 Melbourne Cup winner Fiorente, gave Welsh one of his biggest thrills in racing on May 22 this year, giving the popular local his first winner on the famous track at Flemington. Don’t Doubt Dory was then spelled after pulling up with an illness after that 1800-metre run at headquarters. “He had a bit of a virus after his win at Flemington, and it wasn’t really my idea to give him this spring, we had to put him out, and he came back at the right time,” Welsh told Racing.com after Saturday’s impressive win. “I don’t know where he really sits at the moment. “I know that he wants a bit more ground than a mile, so there might be a nice little race over 2000, 2400 over the spring for him, but we don’t know which one yet.” Welsh praised the ride of jockey Carleen Hefel, who pierced a needle-eye opening down the short Valley straight to give the daughter of Doubt No More who second city win on the trot. “That was an unbelievable ride, she didn’t move off the fence, showed the patience of a senior jockey and used the weight advantage to her advantage, so congratulations to Carleen on a fantastic ride,” Welsh said. pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au

Don’t Doubt Dory pushes through a needle-eye opening to win the last race at Moonee Valley Picture: REG RYAN/RACING PHOTOS on Saturday. 249826 Hefel and Don’t Doubt Dory have struck up quite the partnership, with the pair coming out on top in a tight finish for the second time in two starts. Hefel followed the lead of champion jockey Damien Oliver, who weaved a similar passage on Superstorm in the previous race to take out the Group-2 Feehan Stakes (1600m). Hefel found the fence easily early in the race, then travelled with the gun run, third and fourth on the rail, before Craig Newitt slipped slightly off the fence on race leader Toryjoy. Hefel and Don’t Doubt Dory didn’t require a second invitation to pounce. “If Damien (Oliver) can get up on the fence then I can too,” Hefel said with a grin. “He’s just such a tough horse, anything you give him to do he shows that he can do it, he’s sweet on the run and when that small gap appeared, he was there to give his best.”

Don’t Doubt Dory has now won six of 13 starts and accrued more than $270,000 in prizemoney. Pakenham trainer Nick Harnett might have a good one on his hands after his threeyear-old filly Morning Melody remained undefeated with an impressive win in the $35,000 BenchMark 64 Handicap (1200m) at Cranbourne on Thursday. Morning Melody made it two wins from two starts after winning her maiden impressively at Pakenham on August 3. The three-year-old daughter of Spill The Beans/Holly Bee, led early, was crossed by Write Enuff, but peeled out rounding the turn, hitting the front, before holding off a game rails challenge from Dean Holland on Rinnova to win by a half-length on the line. Harnett said it was a big effort from Morning Melody to win in 64 company after jumping from a maiden win on debut.

“She’s very tough and still very green, she got to the front and had a good look around,” Harnett said. “I think she was quite impressive. It’s very hard to jump to older horses, when you’re a three-year-old filly, so it was a good effort, a really good effort.” Damien Oliver, who has ridden the filly at her only two starts, was also impressed with the performance. “She’s coming along nicely,” Oliver said. “I picked her up as a pick-up ride the other day, and she came on from that run today. “I was saying to Nick before the race that it’s not easy for the three-year olds, against the older horses, at this time of year in any class, so she’s a nice filly.” Oliver said Morning Melody could be competitive in a higher grade this spring. “I think she can be city class, it’s just this time of year you can be a maiden and then stakes class, there’s not a lot in between,” he said. “If he (Harnett) can just find a nice race, without being stakes class, in a three-yearold fillies race in town, I think she’d measure up well.” And Phillip Stokes rounded out a solid week for Pakenham-based trainers when his three-year-old gelding Red Hot Nicc scored a nail-biting victory in the $35,000 Maiden Plate (1212m) at Geelong on Sunday. The son of Nicconi/Glorious Red raced on pace, hitting the front on the turn before fighting off Semilla in a red-hot go to the line, surviving a photo by a nose.. Jockey Ben Allen said it was great to get a win on the board at his fourth attempt on the gelding, with racing on speed making all the difference. “We went in to his last few races with those intentions but he’s a horse who still does a lot wrong…this is my fourth go on him now so it was nice to finally get it right,” Allen said. “It was tight, but I was quietly confident I got the bob, but I wasn’t 100 per cent sure. “He was probably running a little on empty over the last 50 but he really dug deep and he was tough late.” Red Hot Nicc broke his maiden status at the fourth start of his career. Thursday, 9 September, 2021

STAR NEWS 19

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