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Two OAMs for family
Public drunkenness reform concern
Warriors missing in action
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Join the pride march
Library a place for everyone The message that new library service provider Myli wants to promote is that there is no change to your service at the Pakenham Library. Myli, a not-for-profit organisation, took over from Casey Cardinia Libraries, late last year. But all book borrowing services, free internet and opening hours all remain unchanged. You don’t even need to get a new library card. Librarians Fem, Verona, Kelly (back) with Vicki, Abigail and William (front). 316715 Picture: ROB CAREW
Service to tennis An Officer woman has been honoured for her dedication to local tennis clubs in the Australia Day Honours List, announced Thursday 26 January. Betty Lukas received the The Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her service to tennis. She was the co-founder of the Narre Warren Tennis Club in 1982, where she served as president (1985-2004 and since 2020), secretary (1983-1984, 2007-2011) and treasurer (1996-1999).
She is also the record keeper and a life member of the club. Ms Lukas also served as president of the Berwick and District Tennis Association from 1999-2011 and has been vice-president since 2015. She is a club representative and life member. In addition, she was a tennis junior convenor (1996-2007), a Tennis Victoria representative (1999-2011) and a funding committee member from 2019-2021.
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The late Reverend Neville Muir, formerly of Beaconsfield, was awarded an AM. He received his nod for significant service to the deaf community, and to the international Christian ministry. Mr Muir was the founder and international director of Deaf Ministries International, the founder and missionary for World Opportunities International and served as a teacher at the Victorian College for the Deaf. Kenneth White of Drouin South also received an OAM for service to the community
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of the Cardinia Shire. He was a senior development officer from 1976 to 2022 at Cardinia Shire Council, a member of the technical committee for the Victorian Planning Authority, a board member for the Ellinbank and District Football League since 1996 and current vice-president, former president, treasurer, secretary and current life member of the Longwarry Football Club and life member, past secretary and club delegate of the Longwarry Bowling Club.
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By Shelby Brooks
NEWS
Open invite to Midsumma Cardinia Shire Council is welcoming community members to march behind the Cardinia Shire banner at this year’s Midsumma Pride March in St Kilda on Sunday 5 February. The march, now in its 28th year, will commence from Ian Johnson Oval and take a onekilometre route along Fitzroy Street in St Kilda. The Cardinia Shire marching group will be assembling at the marshalling area on the oval from 11am. Cardinia Shire mayor Tammy Radford encouraged locals to join the celebrations and show their support for the LGBTIQ+ community alongside family, friends, and partners. Cr Radford said council’s committed to fostering a sense of belonging for all people within the shire. “Demonstrating our support for our LGBTIQ+ community is something we’re proud of and attending this event each year is one way we can do this,” she said. “We are very proud to be able to march together with our local community and the broader Victorian community, reaffirming our commitment year on year. “I am proud to live in such a vibrant and inclusive community. The council holds that everyone has a right to feel safe, respected and secure within our society, regardless of how we may express and identify ourselves as individuals.” Following the march, the celebrations will continue at Catani Gardens, with participants able to enjoy afternoon festivities. “We would love to see a strong body of walkers representing the Cardinia Shire,” Ms Radford said. “All our LGBTIQ+ community and friends, parents, family and supporters are very welcome to walk with us.” For more information about the Midsumma Pride March, visit midsumma.org.au or contact council’s Customer Service team on 1300 787 624.
The council invites local LGBTIQ+ community, friends, parents, family and supporters to join in the Midsumma Pride March. Cardinia Shire Council encourages a sense of belonging within the shire, supporting an inclusive community comprised of people
from diverse backgrounds, including and not limited to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people from cultural and linguistically
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diverse (CALD) backgrounds, those identifying as LGBTIQ+, people of faith, and people of all ages, genders and abilities.
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Bus passengers rescued Passengers on a V/Line bus had to be rescued after the coach became stuck in a ditch in Garfield Tuesday night, 24 January. Seven CFA units from Bunyip, Nar Nar Goon and Tynong, as well as Pakenham SES, police and ambulance were called to Railway Avenue/Jefferson Road around 7.30pm to reports a bus was stuck in a ditch or gutter on the side of the road and couldn’t open its doors to let people off. A CFA spokesperson said crews found a bus that had slid off the road into a small ditch. Fourteen passengers were on board and rescued safely. A Pakenham SES spokesperson said the bus was bogged at about a 30-degree angle and rescue crews gained access via the emergency window. Passengers had to exit via the window and a ladder, they said. A spokesperson for Ambulance Victoria said paramedics were called to the incident but no emergency treatment or transport was required.
The bus stuck in Garfield.
Picture: SUPPLIED
‘Blood, sweat and tears’: Father and son awarded OAMs By Eleanor Wilson
Justin (left) and Terry Dowel are two of a handful of South East Melbourne residents to be Picture: ROB CAREW honoured in the Australia Day awards. 316755 But arguably, Justin’s largest impact on Natures Organics has been through the company’s philanthropic work, which was sparked by a trip to Nepal in 2006. “When we were in Nepal, we found that there were lots of kids living in the street who had nowhere to go, many of them without parents, so we found an orphanage and asked what was going on and if we could help fund the kids,” Justin said. “That started our journey from there.” A trip to Cambodia’s infamous rubbish dump at Steung Meanchey the following year was another eye opener for Justin.
“There were three and four year old children with plastic bags melted to their arms... it was the most horrific thing I’ve seen in my life,” he said. “There is so much we can do as humans to help beyond looking in our own backyard and I decided I would dedicate my life to doing everything I can to support these people. “When you see these these kids now are at university and it’s just amazing to see the change it’s had.” Today, the company makes monthly contributions to various charities, The School of St Jude Australia, Cambodian Children’s Fund, Free to Shine, Reaching the Un-
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For Natures Organics managing director Justin Dowel, earning a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for services to the community through philanthropy is a huge honour. But what is most special to the Narre Warren North man is that he gets to share in the experience with dad Terry Dowel, who is also being decorated with an OAM in this year’s Australia Day honours. “That’s pretty big, from a business point of view Dad founded the company and I’ve seen him work six to seven days a week, blood, sweat and tears, for many years,” Justin said. “He’s given his whole life to this company, so it’s a huge honour for me, I’m very proud to receive an award with him.” Terry Dowel, who lives in Beaconsfield, founded Nature Organics - known for leading environmentally-minded cleaning and personal care lines such as Earth Choice, Cove and OC Natural - in the 1950s. The company has also pioneered the use of recycled packaging and plant-derived formulations throughout the 1990s and 2000s in Australia. Justin began working with the business aged 21 on the warehouse floor, quickly proving himself to his hardworking Dad and working his way up the company - first as sales manager in 1993, general manager in 1996 and managing director since 2004. He has been largely responsible for the multi-million-dollar growth of the business, forging deals to get Natures Organics products into Coles and Woolworths even in his earliest days, according to Terry.
reached, Catherine Hamlin Fistula Ethiopia and the Jane Goodall Institute Australia. “We always give an allocated portion to each group every month, no matter what, because the biggest challenge for a lot of charities is finding sustainable income,” Justin said. “The hard part is the economy is so bad now that the first thing big companies do is pull back their charity funding. “We’ve found it as hard as anyone to maintain the performance of the business, but we have that commitment to the organisations we support and we won’t back down from that. “We always say we aren’t here to give once, we’re here for a lifetime.” The community-minded ethos is equally as evident in Terry. “We’ve always been grateful for the community supporting us and one of our biggest motivations is to give back where we can,” Terry said. “You do your best to make a reasonable profit, but out of those profits you have to share it with those who are in a bad way. “It gives our company a much greater purpose and gives us something to be extremely proud of.” Terry’s Australia Day honour also made mention of his passion for and commitment to his namesake car collection, which is made up of roughly 150 rare, vintage cars and memorabilia. With the collection, which includes a 1948 Tucker, along with the first Holden prototype ever made in Australia, Terry established the Australian historical memorabilia public museum for Australiana and historical motor vehicles.
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STAR NEWS 3
THE LOWDOWN Q&A
with Royal Botanic Gardens Cranbourne team leader Nicole Ebert
Tell us a fun fact about yourself! I grew up on a 1000-acre farm and now work in a 1000-acre garden. What do you love about the work you do with the Royal Botanic Gardens? The interaction with visitors in such a unique setting within the native gardens and the work staff are doing behind the scenes to present the plants and protect the native fauna. What would your last meal be? Sticky date pudding with vanilla bean ice cream. What is your most memorable moment? Visiting Disneyland and seeing my husband’s smile when riding the Teacups – a childhood dream – we were in our 40s. What event past or present would you like to witness? Seeing the world at the time of dinosaurs! Which three guests, dead or alive, would you invite to dinner? Nelson Mandela, Dalai Lama and Richard Branson. What are you currently listening to, watching or reading? Listening to ’70s music like Led Zeppelin, watching Itchy Boots YouTube channel, and reading The Elephant Keeper’s Daughter by Julia Drosten. If you had to compete on MasterChef, what dish would you cook? Sri Lankan chicken curry, brinjal, yellow rice and dahl. Where is your dream holiday destination? The Caribbean – sunshine and warm – and somewhere I haven’t been yet. What were you like as a kid? Quiet, shy and I like being crafty, creating things. What was your first job? Working in a deli making coffees and selling
Nicole is team leader of visitor experience, access and tourism at Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria. Picture: SUPPLIED cheeses and roast chickens. What are the three most used apps on your phone? Google, Weatherzone and Photos – I love look-
ing at photos taken and remembering the time. What’s one question that you have always wanted answered? What are my dogs thinking?
THREE … native Australian trees
1
Silver Wattle The feather-like leaves (up to 13cm in length) of Acacia dealbata are silvery and bark streaked grey, white and green. It displays round scented yellow flowers from July to October.
2
Blackwood A tree with dark bark and deep green foliage (up to 15cm in length). Acacia melanoxylon displays round, creamy yellow flowers from July to October.
3
Mealy Stringybark A tree with grey-green and roundish juvenile foliage that does not shed its thick textured bark. Eucalyptus cephalocarpa offers an abundance of white blossoms from March to August.
G R RATIN E G N A D FIRE TODAY
OW CTION N TAKE A
Don’t travel to bushland on Extreme Fire Danger Rating days. If you plan to travel through Victoria during fire season, it’s important to check the Fire Danger Rating every day. If the rating is Extreme or Catastrophic, avoid travelling to high risk bush or grassfire areas. It’s safer to travel to cities or towns for the day.
Plan. Act. Survive. Go to emergency.vic.gov.au
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Thursday, 26 January, 2023
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Reform concern for Battin By Eleanor Wilson Berwick MP Brad Battin has hit out at the State Government’s decision not to give police any new powers once public drunkenness laws are abolished in Victoria later this year. The government announced on Tuesday 17 January that Victoria would decriminalise public drunkenness in November 2023, replacing the criminal justice-based approach with a health-based response. But Mr Battin, along with The Police Association, argued that making the changes without putting move on orders in place would pose a risk to the community. “Our view is quite simple, we’re not against the decriminalisation of public drunkenness, but, in line with The Police Association, we have issues around the removal of power for Victoria Police…they need to be able to keep those rules in place whilst we endorse a health response to keep our community safe,” Mr Battin said. Chief executive of The Police Association, Wayne Gatt said the reform plans were “a tragedy waiting to happen”. “The government has written police entirely out of the equation when it comes to dealing with those who are drunk in public,” Sgt Gatt said in a statement. “Under this new response model, soon to be introduced by the government, police will only respond once a crime is committed. That is, when it’s too late.” Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Victorian Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes defended the reforms, stating replacing the laws with move on powers “undermines the whole purpose” of the reform. “These laws are about decriminalising public intoxication, they are not about dilating any further police powers, they are not about ensuring being drunk is an excuse or a get out of jail free card for other offences,” she said. “Police will still have the options of stepping in when somebody is disturbing the peace, causing a scene or have concerns about violent behaviour or the like. We expect that that would be a continued response.” The new response would see intoxicated individuals taken home to friends and family, or to specially designed ‘sobering up centres’ instead of police stations. But Mr Battin, who is shadow minister for police and emergency services, said he holds
Berwick MP Brad Battin fears the government’s reforms could put undue pressure on ambulance services. concerns for the logistics of the plan. “It’s a big concern, which the Police Association has raised as well, in that there’s not actual infrastructure or services currently in place to fix the problem,” he said. Of additional concern is the pressure the changes could put on ambulance and emergency department services, Mr Battin said. “What we don’t want is ambulances being used like taxis for drunk people when they could be assisting people in life-threatening situations,” he said.
The reforms were implemented after the recommendation of a government panel into the death of Yorta Yorta woman Tanya Day in police custody in 2017. In a statement, the Day family said it welcomed the changes, including the government’s decision “not to add or replace already excessive police powers and laws”. “Our mother would still be here with us today if Victoria Police had treated her condition seriously and cared for her with a public health response, but they chose to criminalise her at her most vulnerable time,” the family said.
“She was left to die alone on the floor of a police cell after the officers responsible for monitoring her failed to adequately care for her as required by the Victoria Police guidelines. “As our mother’s case shows, police cells are dangerous places for those intoxicated, especially our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. “No person should ever be locked up just for being drunk in public, and there should be no role for police or police cells in a public health response.”
Lynbrook grass and scrub fire under control within an hour Firefighters from brigades across the South East spent several hours fighting a grassfire in Lynbrook over the weekend. Six CFA units from Hampton Park, Casey Group, Cranbourne, Hallam and Narre Warren responded to a grass and scrub fire in Paterson Drive in Lynbrook at around 1.18pm on 22 January, a CFA spokesperson said.
Crews arrived to find a grass and scrub fire in the wetlands next to the train line, near Lynbrook Primary School. Incident controller Lieutenant Joel Shaw said the fire took several hours to extinguish. “It took us a good hour and a half to two hours, under control within an hour but still a bit of flame,” he said.
A CFA spokesperson confirmed the fire was declared under control at 1.59pm and safe at 3.36pm. Lt Shaw said a cause for the fire had not been determined. The incident has been handed over to Victoria Police. In response to the incident, Lt Shaw said
residents can ensure their safety this fire season by checking emergency smoke and fire warnings, available at emergency.vic.gov.au “A couple of helpful pieces of advice would be to keep your distance from emergency services while they do their job and if you find yourself near a grassfire, walk at least two streets back,” Lt Shaw said.
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STAR NEWS 5
NEWS
OPINION
Charges after online scam
LENSCAPE
Doncaster Police have arrested and charged a Templestowe man following alleged online scam incidents. The incidents relate to alleged fraudulent transactions having occurred over online marketplaces between 3 and 7 December 2022 in Ringwood, Narre Warren, Mill Park, Mitcham and Doncaster East. It’s alleged electronic goods were obtained in person using false documents and a substantial amount of money was obtained under the ‘Hi Mum’ scam via SMS. The scam involves criminals sending messages from an unknown number, claiming to be the recipient’s child. Once the scammer develops a relationship with the recipient over text, they reportedly ask to borrow money. The 21-year-old man has been charged with five counts of obtain property by deception following an investigation over the past six weeks. He has been bailed to appear at Ringwood Magistrates’ Court on 18 July. Police encourage the public to become more informed of current and emerging scams via the ACCC’s website at scamwatch.gov.au
A display of the types of police vehicles in action as part of Operation Amity. 316738
Picture: ROB CAREW
THUMBS UP THUMBS DOWN In August, police cybercrime experts said more than $2 million had been stolen under “Hi Mum” scams. 253041
Thumbs down
Thumbs down
To coin-operated washing machines.
To cancellation of Australia Day parade in Melbourne in favour of a flag raising ceremony at Gov-Gen
Thumbs up To local Andrew Swift. Male Artist of the Year Golden Guitar Winner. You beauty.
Funeral Director
residence.
Thumbs up To Australia Day celebrations. Reflect, respect, celebrate. We’re all part of the story.
Thumbs up
Thumbs down
To Lunar New Year celebrations!
To the Aus Open for not paying ballkids!
Thumbs down
Thumbs down
...the little things make a difference
Thumbs down To my real estate agent who couldn’t find my keys when I went to pick them up from their office. Thumbs up to the champagne they bought me to apologise.
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To going for a walk to the shops on Tuesday night when it was hot and ending up having to run home wearing socks and slides because I got caught in heavy rain on the way back.
Thursday, 26 January, 2023
Casey health boost Casey Hospital is one of 23 health services across the state set to share in $55 million in new equipment and upgrades, the State Government announced on Tuesday, 17 January. As part of the latest round of the State Government’s Medical Equipment Replacement Program (MERT), hospitals will receive new equipment for a range of services, including diagnostic tools such as MRI machines, microscopes, digital X-ray units and CT scanners as well as heart imaging equipment such as fluoroscopy units and SPECT-CT gamma cameras. Casey Hospital will cash in on more than $2.3 million for a new CT scanner X-ray unit, which will boost the capacity to treat patients, part of $35 million earmarked for Monash Health to purchase the latest medical equipment. “While there is always work that needs to be done to improve our health system, fixing primary care must be the Commonwealth’s top priority – so every Australian can get the affordable healthcare they deserve,” Acting Premier Jacinta Allan said. In addition, the Engineering Infrastructure Replacement Program will see 18 health services across Victoria share in more than $20 million to upgrade important infrastructure such as generators, chillers, emergency lighting, nurse call systems, air conditioning systems, patient lifts and alarm systems.
Casey Hospital is set to receive a multi-million dollar equipment boost. 153243 pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au
NEWS
Perera’s retirement twist By Cam Lucadou-Wells In a just-released autobiography, former Cranbourne MP Jude Perera has revealed a falling out with Premier Daniel Andrews played a role in his retirement. The four-term Labor MP’s life, political and health battles are detailed in his just-released autobiography Challenging Incomplete Democracy. The 69-year-old, who was the first Sri Lankan-born and -educated MP elected to a lower house of parliament in Australia, retired in 2018 after a long battle with renal disease and two kidney transplants. In his book, Mr Perera describes then Opposition Leader Mr Andrews dumping him as an opposition parliamentary secretary after missing a division during Parliament in 2014. It resulted in the Opposition “losing a vote we should have won”. He would not regain a Cabinet or parliamentary secretary role. Mr Perera, one of Mr Andrews’s “very loyal supporters”, wrote that colleagues thought his demotion was “very unfair”. “I was sick as a dog and was disappointed with how Daniel Andrews had treated me, a loyal supporter. “This event coupled with my health issues led me to consider retirement.” Mr Perera told Star News that Mr Andrews was a “tough cookie”. “He knows what he has to do to maintain his support in the electorate.” He was not surprised by Labor’s decisive state election win in November. “There was a large silent vote that supported Labor because of its handling of the coronavirus issue.” In his book, he writes that Mr Andrews “seems to put his personal survival first and foremost and is very good at it”.
Retiring incumbent Jude Perera handing out how-to-vote material at the 2018 state election. Picture: STEWART CHAMBERS He described previous Premier Steve Bracks as “appealing to the electorate” who “swept under the carpet” controversial issues like abortion law reform. Caucus meetings were “stage-managed boring affairs” without “serious policy debate”. Former Premier John Brumby was “forthright in dealing with tough topics” but not as electorally appealing as Mr Bracks, the book states. Growing up in rural Sri Lanka, Mr Perera was steeped in left-wing politics in what was a turbulent environment. His father Edmund, a coconut plantation manager, was a leader in the Marxist party Lanka Sama Samaja and hosted meetings with activists around his kitchen table. After dabbling in politics and struggling to make ends meet, he left Sri Lanka with wife Iranganie and two small children for a “better life”. In Australia, he joined the ALP in reaction to the Kennett Government.
In 1998, his political know-how helped him to build local support for ALP preselection in the seat of Cranbourne. In his book, he says many Sri Lankans were intially surprised at his preselection in what was then a heavily Anglo Saxon electorate. “Many asked questions such as, ‘Did they easily give it to you?’,” Mr Perera writes. “What they really meant was, ‘How come a dark-skinned Asian migrant has been selected by the white skin majority to stand for parliament?’” His memoir delves into great detail into his political philosphies. “A lot of (candidates) don’t have a (political) belief,” Mr Perera told Star News. “They think that because there aren’t enough people with ethnic backgrounds, they think they should be in Parliament.” In his book, Mr Perera details recruiting Sri Lankans to join ALP branches as well as the battles for control of the South East between Left and Right factions.
“I came to know that if you have a permanent support base, you are a force to be reckoned with,” he wrote. “If you want to be recognised in the Labor Party, you need to have a membership base under your control; your power base.” He told Star News that the branch-stacking involving former Labor Minister Adem Somyurek, which was recently investigated by IBAC, went “too far”. Mr Perera defined branch-stacking as recruiting members who weren’t involved with activities at the branch or in support of the local candidate. “Adem Somyurek went too far. He thought he could be the king-maker around the ALP.“ Mr Perera appeared as a witness in the IBAC Operation Sandon inquiry into alleged corrupt dealings between property developers, MPs and Casey councillors. Mr Perera told Star News that he agrees that Victoria should follow NSW’s lead and ban political donations from developers. “The issue is that people should not give donations for personal favours.” The Sandon report, which investigated possible law reforms, has yet to be publicly released. Reflecting on his tenure as an MP, Mr Perera is most proud that he helped many with immmigration and visa issues. He says he went beyond the call of duty. And in many cases his intervention helped people migrate to Australia. However, Mr Perera says his health is “not the best”. After two failed kidney transplants, he is back on three dialysis treatments a week. He says he’s listed for a third transplant, but unlikely to receive it due to his age and the extra antibodies he’s acquired from previous transplants. The book Challenging Incomplete Democracy is available at judebiography.au
We’re building big near you and there will be transport disruptions As part of Victoria’s Big Build, we’re building the Metro Tunnel. We’re also upgrading roads and freeways to reduce congestion to make your journey safer and easier. Train disruptions: Buses replace trains in both directions Cranbourne and Pakenham lines
Until 27 January
Flinders St to Westall
Road disruptions: Closed roads and lanes Until 31 January
At McCormicks and Hall roads
South Gippsland Highway, Until 1 February Dandenong South
Between Pound Road West and Carter Way
Narre Warren-Cranbourne Until mid February Road, Cranbourne
Intersection closed at Thompsons Road
Ballarto Road, Pakenham South
30 January to 24 April
Between Healesville-Koo Wee Rup and Cardinia roads
Island Road, Pakenham South
30 January to 24 April
At Healesville-Koo Wee Rup Road
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STAR NEWS 7
NEWS
Sarah Thomas shares some reflections from the community, with the grandkids and their partners assembled on the stage, having just shared their memories.
A tribute piece by artist Cal Osborne, a former member of staff at Star, adorned the stage.
Two lives are celebrated By Garry Howe The two lives of Ian Thomas were celebrated at a packed funeral service at the Cardinia Cultural Centre on Friday 20 January. Ian died beside his beloved Massey Ferguson tractor on the Pakenham property he shared with Dorothy, his wife of 63 years, on 11 January. He was 88. He was the third generation proprietor of what is now Star News Group and devoted 49 years of his life to the company. Son Paul Thomas, who assumed the mantle in 2000, delivered the main eulogy and recalled the day almost 17 years ago that Ian collapsed at the Pakenham Show due to a cardiac arrest. “Miraculously David Harrison and Harry Maas were able to perform CPR until an ambulance arrived. It took 20 minutes to get his heart beating again and he spent the next eight days in intensive care and with the distinct likelihood of significant brain damage if he survived.” Paul said that it was the 17 years of his second chance at life that the family cherished the most - “17 years of extra life and now a man with a whole different perspective on life. His life for the next 17 years would be devoted to his wife, his family and his friends”. Paul touched on Ian’s working life and his long involvement with the Pakenham district community. “He was involved in just about everything across the community in different ways but specifically was a member of the Pakenham Young Farmers Club, heavily involved in the Presbyterian Church as Sunday School teacher and superintendent and Church Elder. “He was a prominent member of the Pakenham Chamber of Commerce for 20 years and served as cub and scout leader for 23 years. “He was a member of the Pakenham Agricultural and Horticultural Society including life committeeman and president. He was a member of the Cardinia Shire Youth Taskforce committee and also the PB Ronald Memorial Trust Committee. He was also patron for the Berwick Pakenham Historical Society and St John of God. “He always took his roles in organisations very seriously and committed 100 per cent. We always knew when he thought other people on the committee were not giving the same level of effort, which in reality was almost never as he worked so hard and his expectations almost unattainable.” Ian received numerous awards as recognition for his service to the community and the newspaper industry including a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2002. Paul said the messages and tributes pro8 STAR NEWS
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Thursday, 26 January, 2023
Piper Callum Pert leads the family into the service playing Good Old Collingwood Forever. vided to the family from friends, family and the general community since Ian’s passing had been overwhelming. “He certainly touched a great number of people. One common thread in those messages is about how much of a gentleman he was and how he always had a smile,” Paul said. “Ian was always an absolute gentleman and had amazing manners that had been instilled in him from his parents. His temperament came from his mother who he loved enormously. He used to visit her every day after Herb died and was the most amazing son.” Close friend Ray Canobie began his eulogy by explaining that when it came to Ian, it was important to point out that he was more part of a duo, than an individual. “He and Dorothy were a team in all respects, where their love and affection for one another, was plain to see - not through grandiose gestures like Prince Harry and Meghan’s constant hand holding, but through their actions and respect for one another every minute of the day,” he said. “Often, we hear of someone paying tribute to their spouse or partner as a major reason for their success. Well, Ian would be the first to say, he owed so much to Dorothy, without whom there would have been little purpose in life.” Ray said his task was to provide a brief insight into Ian “the man we all loved and ad-
mired” - not so much recounting his long list of community activities or business success, but recalling more personal - even quirky events shared over many, many years. “Every one of us is hurting at Ian’s passing how could it be any different? “It’s so appropriate to see the hordes of mourners here today. Ian loved socializing and did some of his best work at funerals - having a good yarn with people he knew well or had even just met. He had a natural curiosity and was genuinely interested in other people’s lives, and he had no trouble talking on just about any subject you might care to nominate. “I suspect many of you will have had regular phone calls from Ian, simply wanting to keep in touch and see if he could help in any way. I always got off the phone from Ian feeling just a little chirpier than before. He could lighten the darkest mood. “Why did we all have such affection for Ian? What is it that sets him apart from the rest of us? In the kindest sense, Ian would have regarded himself as an ordinary bloke. No tickets on himself, no pretention - just honest, genuine and sincere. A man of absolute integrity, who had little inclination to criticize others or trumpet his own successes.” Ray said that ‘ordinary bloke’ came to influence many lives - long before the term ‘influencer’ came into vogue. He characterised Ian’s life into four Fs - family, friends, food and fun.
“In closing, let me just say that Ian’s life was by any measure, incredible. Not bad for someone who probably regarded himself as just an ‘ordinary bloke’. “Ian - our lives have been all the richer for having you as such a wonderful friend, a friend who will continue to impact our lives and remain in our hearts and minds forever.” Another close friend George Blenkhorn said his friendship with Ian blossomed on the organising committee for the Pakenham Show and developed into regular catch-ups in more recent years on the golf course and a dinner friendship group. “After Ian retired, he and Max Jeavons played golf together and I was invited to join them when I retired,” George said. “I still find golf balls don’t proceed as desired. “Max and Liz invited Ian and Dot as well as Sue and I to join him with other friends to dinner at the Middle Pub. This was the beginning of our once weekly dinners together for over 17 years. Recently we have met at different venues within the shire. These dinners were very civilised, the ladies, Dot, Pat, Doreen, Val and Two Sues sat at one end of the table with a bottle of sparkling and the men Ian, Norm, Ron and I at the other end with a bottle of red.” George said Ian was very proud of his family and the group often heard how they were going ahead with their lives. “He really enjoyed having them at home. The grandsons were especially welcome on the farm doing jobs for him. Many of these tasks would have incurred Dot’s wrath if he had done them himself. “We came to realise how dedicated Ian was to his community. He said many times to me ‘do you remember so and so’ who was sick. Ian had phoned them to wish them well. He visited and had many people home who had worked with for many years. He and Dot visited Sue in Rehab some years ago and smuggled a small bottle of sparkling in to her. He last visited Robbie McGregor just before Christmas. He was also well known for writing many letters of thanks or support.” George described Ian as a “gentleman, a friend to his community and my friend”. “I am deeply grateful for knowing him.” Ian and Dot’s seven grandchildren - Tom, Ben, Kate and Simon Rodgers and Hannah, Will and Ollie Thomas all shared memories of times with their beloved ‘Pa’. Daughter Kerrie gave an introductory speech and her husband Greg Rodgers compered the service. The family entered the building behind bagpiper Callum Pert, playing the Collingwood theme song. pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au
NEWS
Continuing to grow By Eleanor Wilson Casey is the third-fastest growing region in the country, according to new data from KPMG Australia. The report, released last week, analysed the fastest growing regions across Australia since 2019, focusing on areas which had experienced an influx of new residents. It showed ‘Casey South’ had grown at an annual rate of 4.5 per cent since 2019 - welcoming 29,400 new residents. Blacktown (North), in New South Wales, posted the second largest increase in population over the 2019-2022 period, with 30,100 new residents, while Wyndham, in Victoria’s South West, came out on top with 34,500 new residents since 2019. The analysis found Australians continue to flock to ‘greenfield’ suburbs, which describe former rural land areas that are being developed for housing, typically with detached houses. Greater Melbourne’s greenfield areas has seen significant growth over the past three years, although growth rates have slowed compared to the previous period, according to KPMG demographics expert Terry Rawnsley. “The growth areas have offered new residents affordable housing compared to most established parts of Melbourne,” Mr Rawnsley said. “Affordable housing, quality amenities and access to local jobs and services has driven this level of growth,” Mr Rawnsley said. In response to the report, City of Casey chair of administrators Noelene Duff said the council is committed to taking the adequate steps to support the municipality’s continuing population growth. “Providing the supporting infrastructure and services in a growth area is crucial,” Ms Duff said. “That is why council is committed to advocating to the Federal and State Governments for the top three areas in which the community wants to see more investment: roads and public transport, local job opportunities, and health services and facilities. “Our $125.45 million 2022/23 budget allocation demonstrates council’s own commitment to providing the community with the services and infrastructure it needs, exemplified by projects like the $4.7 million Clyde
Six teens arrested Police have arrested six South-East teenagers following a pursuit through Dandenong in the early hours of Saturday morning, 21 January. An allegedly stolen red Audi sedan was first spotted by police on the South Gippsland Highway in Cranbourne about 3.30am. With assistance from the Air Wing, the car was followed through Dandenong and stop sticks were successfully deployed on Gladstone Road. The vehicle came to a stop on Gerald Street where six people allegedly fled the scene on foot. A 13-year-old Noble Park boy, a 14-year-old Keysborough boy, a 15-year-old Pakenham girl, a 15-yearold Pakenham boy, a 16-year-old Pakenham boy and an 18-year-old Berwick man were arrested nearby. They are assisting police with their enquiries.
The analysis found Australians continue to flock to ‘greenfield’ suburbs, with the fastest growing areas being suburbs where detached housing is common. Picture: UNSPLASH North Family and Community Centre, and the $2 million Cranbourne West Sports Reserve.” In the past 18 months, developers have delivered over $50m of arterial road and intersection projects to service Casey’s new growth areas, Ms Duff said. “Council is also committed to engaging, facilitating and partnering with landowners and the development sector to deliver connected, sustainable and highly productive employment precincts, for example ESR’s Green Link Estate in Cranbourne West, which promises to create significant local job opportunities.” The council’s Shape Your City community engagement program, which identified the key community priorities for the future of the city, will also support the population growth
Ms Duff said. “These priorities are central to the Vision and Council Plan and have informed our strategic approach in five key areas – economic development; infrastructure; the environment; health and wellbeing; and transformation - to ensure Casey remains a thriving community going forward.” Despite the strict international border closures through the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, Australia has added more than 1 million new residents since December 2019. The annual growth rate nationally for 2022 was 1.7 per cent, the highest since March 2017, with Australia’s population exceeding 26 million people for the first time.
Police officers face charges Two police officers from Transit and Public Safety Command have been charged after they allegedly injured a man during an arrest. The 35-year-old male senior constable and a 45-year-old male senior constable have been charged with unlawful assault and unlawful assault with a weapon following an investigation by Victoria Police and the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission. The charges relate to an incident that occurred at Narre Warren South on February 4, 2022, after which a 58-year-old man was treated in hospital. Both members will face the Melbourne Magistrates Court in March. - With AAP
‘Unacceptable road trauma’: Long weekend crackdown By Sahar Foladi Operation Amity will be in full force this Australia Day long weekend with police issuing a stern warning to those getting behind the wheel when they shouldn’t be. Operation Amity will see police across the state utilise automatic number plate recognition technology (ANPR) to detect and prosecute drivers who are unlicensed, suspended and disqualified. Assistant Commissioner for Road Policing, Glenn Weir said: “We’ve seen an unacceptable road trauma at the start of 2023. We can’t continue to have people lose their lives by making poor decisions so we’ll be out there trying to ensure that people comply with road laws, that people aren’t speeding, driving whilst impaired and particularly aren’t driving when they shouldn’t be.” With the new technology, police will take stern actions against anyone breaking the law - especially, driving when they shouldn’t be. There are 239 highway patrol vehicles across Victoria and each of them will be fitted with the technology as well as additional police cars in regional and specialist areas. Additionally, there will be unmarked police cars with the new technology on the roads as well. “They might be a marked patrol car, a motorcycle or an unmarked car people will not know which vehicle is detecting for driving them when they shouldn’t be. “So I want to make it clear to people, if you run gauntlet of driving when you shouldn’t be, you will be detected,” Mr Weir said. The ANPR technology also picks up a whole range of other factors such as stolen cars and unregistered vehicles. pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au
A display of the types of police vehicles in action. 316738
Glenn Weir, Assistant Commissioner for Victoria Police. 316738
“We have a focus on broader law enforcement, we can input a whole lot of data on the list that can check people who are wanted, people who are a person of interest for a whole range of criminal activity as well,” Mr Weir said. The ANPR technology can scan up to 76 million number plates a year or 8675 number plates an hour. There are more ANPR-fitted police vehicles on Victorian roads than ever before. “We know that people use this short period to get away before the kids could go back to school so places like Phillip Island, Mornington Peninsula and East Gippsland, we will have a strong presence,” Mr Weir said. Police will also be targeting feeder roads.
operation, ANPR helped police detect 1021 motorists who should not have been on the roads - 33 per cent more than the previous year. The media opportunity in the outer suburban area was another road trauma location in 2021. “Last year we ran a lot of operations in and around this particular area and saw a real reduction. All the local police state-wide resources came together really well to reduce trauma.” Police ask roads users to slow down and plan their journey. “We can’t be everywhere at all time - I really want people to take responsibility for their own actions. “Wake up, grow up and arrive safely, that’s what we want,” Weir said.
During the pre-Christmas blitz operation it was clear a lot of people were driving when they shouldn’t have been. Police detected over 1000 such cases, which is why Operation Amity will be enforced for the Australia Day long weekend. “We saw levels of speed and levels of driving impairment, people were over the limit of alcohol or who had drugs in their system, but the one that really stood out was people detected for driving when they shouldn’t have been,” Mr Weir said. It comes as unauthorised drivers were involved in 31 fatal collisions last year, a 29 per cent increase on the previous year which is another reason why this operation is vital. During a recent state-wide road policing
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Firecrackers went off on the day. 315598
Dragon Dance, with locals watching in awe.
There were a lot of different lion dances on the day. 315598
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Springvale was brought to life with the flourishing colours. 315598
Lunar New Year festivities By Sahar Foladi Springvale celebrated its 31st annual Lunar New Year on Sunday 15 January. The free Springvale Lunar New Year festival was back this year with flourishing colours and activities for the whole day. The festival consisted of a vibrant mix of live music, food, traditional and internationals dance, including lion dance, African and Mexican dance and hip hop. There were Japanese drums, firecrackers and loads more to keep everyone entertained. The event took over Buckingham Avenue and surrounds from 11am to 10pm. Organised by the not for profit, Springvale Asian Business Association (SABA) in partnership with City of Greater Dandenong, the event was a hit with a great turnout by the locals. Fireworks erupted from the Buckingham and Queens Avenue intersection at 9.30pm, which marked the end of the celebrations for the day. Established in 1987, the organisation has become widely known and respected for its works in a culturally diverse community.
SABA president Daniel Cheng and Vincent Golf, with the rabbit. 315598
Pictures: GARY SISSONS
Stalls were also available on the day. 315598
The day was filled with culture and fun. 315598
Springvale was beaming with smiles and celebrations. 315598
The crowd enjoyed the dragon and lion dance.
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Daniel Cheng, president of SABA giving a speech. 316063
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pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au
2023 Cardinia Shire
Awards Cardinia Shire Council is proud to announce the nominees for this year’s Australia Day Awards:
Citizen of the year • David & Julia Graham • Shelley Beardshaw
Senior Citizen of the year • Audrey Dodson • Dianne Divola • Janice Crittenden
Young Citizen of the year • Ace Simpson-Braden • Charlotte O’Sullivan • Samuel Nichols
Event of the year • Art Show Pakenham • Cardinia Mens Shed Senior-tivity Day • Emerald Arts Society Annual Art Exhibition 2022 • Gembrook Market • Growing Cockatoo Food & Film Festival • John Dudley Portrait Prize • Pakenham Cricket Club – Pink Stumps Day • Sports Community Leaders Luncheon - Forum Change our Game towards Gender Equality • Trending Art Exhibition
Congratulations to all the nominees and thank you for your contributions to our community. The nominees will be officially recognised and winners announced at an Awards Ceremony on Wednesday 25 January 2023.
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pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au
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Gaz will star as Swing in the internationally acclaimed play Choir Boy. Picture: SUPPLIED
Set to shine on stage By Eleanor Wilson
Bakhtar Community Organisation had to clean up again after a third burglary in its Noble Park warehouse.
Enough is enough By Sahar Foladi As soon as they thought they’ve had enough, the Bakhtar Community was slammed with the news of a third burglary since December 2022. The first two incidents took place in December and now a third incident recently has left the community shattered. CEO Bassir Qadiri said they had a truck load of items, including sewing machines among other items, delivered by the Rotary Club. “At 3pm we put everything inside and we left because we had distribution the next day. Next day at 10am we came to see everything was a mess.” The burglars had left the entire warehouse a mess, leaving the Bakhtar community volunteers to clean it up for the second time now. “Even in main building they smashed all the items and broken a lot of stationery in the office.”
The police have been called for the third time now and investigators are working on the case. The Bakhtar Community warehouse in Noble Park is council land which has been leased to the organisation to carry out their work for the community. They’ve been unable to install a CCTV camera on premises due to lack of electricity. Mayor Eden Foster said: “It was agreed from the outset that electricity would not be provided as it would be a large cost to council, and the building is scheduled for demolition to increase open space in the municipality.” However, the council have been working closely with the organisation to build a fence and place bollards to put an end to the burglaries. “Council will pay for a contractor to have these works completed. Bakhtar Community Organisation will receive a key to lock the re-
No donation box was left unscathed by the burglars. 12 STAR NEWS
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movable bollards to further assist with their operations,” Cr Foster said. Council is also discussing with Bakhtar Community Organisation about the possibility of installing a battery solar powered CCTV camera in the short-term. Meanwhile, the organisation will distribute whatever is left and will delay the distribution for the next week as they plan to get works done with the council. “We promised some people to come take extra packages - we don’t want them to go empty handed. We cannot take risks so we delayed the next delivery, so we’ll have it in February in Hallam. “Once everything is secured, then we will resume the normal operation,” Mr Qadiri said. The organisation is looking forward to its free music night event on 28 January in Keysborough before they can resume normal operations again.
A leap of faith has paid off for a young Hampton Park school teacher, who is set to star in coming-of-age theatre spectacular Choir Boy. After seven years as a primary school teacher at Narre Warren’s Oatland Primary School, it was the pandemic that pushed Gareth Dutlow to reassess his career aspirations. “It’s always been there in my heart to follow this dream, but I’ve been playing it safe for a while,” Gaz laughed. “I went to uni, I did some drama units, but ultimately pivoted towards a more stable career path and fell into teaching. “I have no regrets, I love kids, I love youth and I love mentoring them, seeing them grow and inspiring them to be whatever they want to be, but over the pandemic I thought I’m nearing 30 - if I want to give it a go I should do it now.” Tony-nominated play Choir Boy which was Gaz’s first audition - tells the story of a young gay man of colour, threaded with themes of sexuality, race, hope and gospel. The play premiered in 2012 at London’s Royal Court Theatre, before seasons across the USA and a successful Broadway production. For Gaz, who identifies as queer, many of the tropes of the play bear an uncanny resemblance to his own life experience. The actor and former pastor was raised in the church and tightly connected to his faith, but recently resigned from his pastoral position. “Everything I was looking for in church, the community and the authenticity, I came to find in other places,” Gaz said. “Since then I haven’t found the need to find a church service at 10am on a Sunday to grow in my faith and express my faith.” The Australian premiere of Choir Boy will kick off in Sydney from 14 February to 11 March, before embarking on a national tour - a dream come true for Gaz. “I’m very excited, thrilled. I’m just filled with anticipation of what it will be like,” Gaz said of his first role on stage. “This is a dream to perform in capital cities across Australia… it’s something that little Gaz dreamt of and I’m glad I can bring the inner child in me with me on this journey. “Especially for a show like this, where I can show my faith and my queerness it’s a match made in heaven.” Playing the role of Swing, Gaz said he hopes the show can prompt audiences to come together and find common ground. “At the end of the day, these are human stories and I believe we have far more in common with one another than there are differences,” he said. “It’s insane to me that I can relate to universal stories as a queer person of colour… we are seeing growth in that space in theatre and screen in Australia and it is becoming increasingly colourful and diverse.” pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au
FOCUS ON … BACK TO SCHOOL
Supporting one another St James Primary School is a close knit community where families know and support each other, all children know and include each other and every teacher knows every child. This is unique and a hallmark of small semi-rural school. Catholic identity is at the heart of all interactions and the ethos of the school, however, this does not exclude other faiths and denominations. The school welcomes diversity and encourages students and their families to celebrate their faith and culture, enriching the school in doing so. The Religious Education Curriculum is made relevant to the lives of the students so that they may understand and share the Good News of the Gospel.
There is a strong focus on partnering with teachers and parents to ensure the best possible outcomes for their child, spiritually, academically and socially. “Without these partnerships with parents, who know their child best, school can just become a process rather than an essential and formative part of a child’s life. We never underestimate the trust parents place in us and consider it a deep honour to teach their most precious children,” Bec Kollaris, Principal said. School tours are available by appointment with enrolments available across all levels. For appointments please email office@stjamesnng.catholic.edu.au or call 5943 5700.
St Patrick’s students come from a wide variety of different cultural backgrounds.
Establishing lifelong bonds At St Patrick’s, we are lucky to have an incredible group of students who come from a wide variety of different cultural backgrounds. From our South Sudanese to our Myanmar and Sikh communities plus many, many more, we are delighted to see the wonderful friendships and lifelong bonds that students make at our school. We are a community of faith-filled people, who hold dear the values of respect, safety and co-operation. We listen to the Christian story and discuss how these stories can relate to the issues being faced by our students today. At St Patrick’s, we have a dedicated staff who support and encourage our students and each other. Working as a team, we see the value in combining our talents and efforts to ensure the students are our number one priority and who are developing a passion for learning and a desire to be a responsible and a hard-working member of society.
St Patrick’s offers STEM, physical education and Japanese as part of our specialist program. The school runs speech programs with qualified speech pathologists and education support officers who are trained as speech therapy assistants in working with children. We run literacy intervention programs and also offer counselling and psychological services free of charge to the parents. There are qualified staff in student wellbeing who are dedicated to the cause of working with children with additional needs as well as supporting the teachers and families in ensuring success for all. Contact the office on 5943 9000 or email office@stppakenham.catholic.edu.au to arrange a school tour. Take care and God Bless. Meg Escalante, Principal
St James Catholic School
Committed to your child’s academic, spiritual & emotional development Where every student is known, nurtured & respected.
SCHOOL TOURS AVAILABLE | 5942 5404 St James Catholic Primary School engages individualised learning experiences.
60 Nar Nar Goon Rd, Nar Nar Goon 12567231-MS37-22
We pride ourselves on being a Catholic, welcoming school where everyone is valued and respected. Our committed and professional staff provide a safe, caring environment where we aim to engender a love of learning in every student.
ENROLMENTS NOW OPEN FOR 2024 Ph: 5943 9000 or email office@stppakenham.catholic.edu.au to book a school tour 136 Princes Highway, Pakenham | www.stppakenham.catholic.edu.au | (03) 5943 9000 12584050-KJ04-23
pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au
Thursday, 26 January, 2023
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Top citizens giving back The City of Casey recognised and celebrated a record number of outstanding individuals and groups for going above and beyond in their contribution to the community at the 2023 Casey Community Awards on Wednesday 25 January. Council held a special gala celebration event to announce the recipients of this year’s awards and acknowledge all the worthy finalists across the eight categories. Jo Ann Fitzgerald was named the 2023 Casey Citizen of the Year, Peter Cahill the Casey Senior of the Year, Tanisha Dooley the Casey Young Citizen of the Year, Liesel Kippen was named Casey Woman of the Year, dance group Bandok Tati was the winner of the Lindsay King Art Award, Melanie Bramble was named the Environment and Sustainability Champion and the winner of the Casey Diversity and Inclusion award was the Afghan Australian Philanthropic Association. Not-for-profit organisation Food Pantry was announced the 2023 Casey Community Group of the Year. They were awarded this for their work in supporting Casey residents with food, supplies, and essentials. Maggie Ma’s art program with young Casey girls and women on the spectrum was awarded Highly commended in the Equity and Inclusion award, as was The Friends of Wilson Botanic Park, whose work supporting Berwick’s Wilson Botanic Park was highly commended in the Environment and Sustainability Champion award category. City of Casey Chair of Administrators Noelene Duff PSM announced the winners and congratulated all the nominees for the welldeserved recognition. “It’s fitting that we celebrate the individuals and community groups who give so much to our community and make Casey such a wonderful place to live,” Ms Duff said. “Today we celebrate the many people who give their time, passion and energy to help build a better community here in Casey. “I’d like to congratulate our 2023 Casey Citizens of the Year, along with the award winners and all the nominees for these prestigious awards. Thank you for the contribution you all make to our community.” 2023 Casey Community Award recipients Casey Citizen of the Year – Jo Ann J Fitzgerald Jo Ann is the heart and soul of Neighbourhood Watch Casey (NHW) which has flourished under her leadership. A lifelong public servant, she works tirelessly to ensure the group grows, stays together, is relevant and meets regularly. Jo Ann has established good partnerships with council, police and local businesses to ensure the best outcomes for the community.
Melanie Bramble’s dedication to sustainability and recycling has earned her Casey Environment and Sustainability Champion at the City of Casey 2023 Community Awards. 280796 She manages the group and its community events, including Safe Plates Day, community safety information, and the group’s Facebook page, sharing timely and relevant safety information with Casey residents. She also sits on Council’s Casey Community Safety reference group to ensure NHW has a voice and is represented. Casey Young Citizen of the Year – Tanisha Dooley Tanisha is a mentor with the Casey Youth Action Committee making positive contributions to the group, showing exemplary leadership and a willingness to give her time and support to others. She also tutors on a weekly basis at the Aboriginal Gathering Place in Doveton, using her teaching skills to support young community members with homework assistance. She makes a positive contribution to the lives of young people in Casey. Casey Senior of the Year – Peter Cahill Peter has been a volunteer English language tutor with the Adult Migrant English Service for 17 years. He is a star volunteer and always goes above and beyond developing material to ensure his students can continue practicing and learning. During lockdown and social isolation, Peter ensured his students were engaged and encouraged to participate. He created various
activities via Zoom and Facetime to help his learners continue to practice and grow even under difficult conditions. He also workshops ideas with his students to get the best out of them and ensures he is using the right tools to support them. Casey Woman of the Year – Liesel Kippen Liesel is a teacher by profession and serves as an inspiration to others by making a difference in people’s lives. She raised over $17,000 for the homeless. Liesel also coordinated a care day for the vulnerable in our community before Christmas, offering hot meals, food hampers, clothing, blankets, toiletries and gifts for those who would otherwise go without. She consistently volunteers with a soup kitchen, raises funds for homelessness, collects and distributes warm clothing, has a voice on the Casey Council Libraries group and supports overseas charities too. Liesel demonstrates compassion and positivity in everything she does for our community. Casey Environment and Sustainability Champion – Melanie Bramble Melanie takes recycling seriously, at home and in the community. She funds many different hard-to-recycle recycling options for the community, with her house being the drop-off point. She is passionate about recycling, and
coordinates with her children’s school and her workplace to make sure everything that can be recycled is recycled. She also promotes other recycling programs available to Casey residents. Melanie runs a Facebook page promoting local recycling options available to Casey residents. She has reduced waste in her own home and is keen to learn more about waste and recycling so that she can improve on her efforts, promote the services she offers, and share her wisdom. Casey Diversity and Inclusion Award – The Afghan Australian Philanthropic Association (AAPA) The AAPA provides support and information about education, health, police, housing, and employment to newly arrived Afghan migrants and refugees. Older members of the community are encouraged to stay connected and young people are engaged through sport, specifically soccer, as well as music and dance that enables Afghan culture and heritage to be celebrated. The group supports diversity and inclusion for all, in particular women, who under the Taliban regime were forbidden education, medical support and employment opportunities. Lindsay King Art Award – Bandok Tati Bandok Tati is an Aboriginal dance group based in the City of Casey - Boonwurrung/ Bunurong Country. They are a group of young men aged from 8 to 21 years old who aim to bring more awareness to their culture through song and dance. They pride themselves on their authenticity and power to share their personalities and smiles with everyone they meet. They hope to inspire the broader community, and eventually the world, to learn more about the beauty of the oldest surviving culture in history, Aboriginal culture. Casey Community Group of the Year – Berwick Church of Christ Food Pantry Food Pantry volunteers have been providing crisis care to the community in the form of fresh and non-perishable food, toiletries and nappies for the last ten years. The Food Pantry team have created an environment where clients are respected, valued, accepted and cared for during their time of need. As well as the practical support they provide, the team works to brighten the lives of those they serve emotionally. Their dedication is demonstrated by providing a comfortable waiting space, ensuring privacy is upheld, and supporting specific dietary requirements. The volunteers show their exceptional service and commitment to those going through financial hardship in our community daily.
‘Well loved by so many people’: Gardens’ sign of success By Eleanor Wilson Staff at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Cranbourne are hoping a new sign erected on the South Gippsland Highway will make it all the more easy to visit the award-winning horticultural oasis. The sign, which directs motorists to turn left from the South Gippsland Highway onto Ballarto Road, was installed by VicRoads at the beginning of January. It replaces a similar sign which was taken out by a truck several years ago, with some visitors struggling to find the entrance to the gardens since. Royal Botanic Gardens senior project manager Karen Rosenberg called the endeavour “a triumph of tenacity”. “I took on the project just over a year ago and with Pauline’s help in getting things across the line through VicRoads, we got it done and we’re really happy about that,” she said. “It might be small compared to redoing an intersection or a main arterial highway, but it’s really important to us in terms of that visibility and helping people find our award winning gardens.” She said the gardens frequently receive calls from lost visitors trying to find the entrance to the gardens, which is tucked away behind the highway. “People tell us they were frustrated trying to find us, so to make it a litle 14 STAR NEWS
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bit more welcoming and a bit easier is just great,” Ms Rosenberg said. Cranbourne MP Pauline Richards, who helped bring the project to fruition, said the gardens were a highlight of the local community. “It is in some ways the centre of Cranbourne’s life, because when you go to the gardens, the people who visit represent the best of our community,” she said. “It’s something that’s really well loved by so many people around this community, but it’s also something that is a great feature for other people, to think about Cranbourne as a place where we have this iconic and extraordinary resource.” In 2022, the gardens - located in Cranbourne and Melbourne - were awarded the Major Tourist Attraction prize at the Victorian Tourism Awards in December for the third year in a row, subsequently inducting them into the Victorian Tourism Industry Council’s Hall of Fame. Earlier in the year, RBGV also saw success at the Australian Tourism Awards, winning gold in the Major Tourist Attraction category. “To have those awards, that puts the importance of this project into perspective…as small as it may seem to have signs, it’s why it’s so important to all of us to have thee wonderful signs, to be able to have people find our beautiful gardens,” team leader of visitor experience, access and tourism Nicole Ebert said.
Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria (RBGV) senior project manager Karen Rosenberg, Cranbourne MP Pauline Richards and RBGV team leader of visitor experience, access and tourism Nicole Ebert celebrate with a bottle of champagne in front of the new sign. Picture: ELEANOR WILSON pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au
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World Fare Night a big hit By Sahar Foladi The explosion of colours and entertainment has come to an end after three nights of successful events which saw a total of 23,000 people attend. The last event on Thursday 19 January saw more than 8000 people attend. It featured a Lunar New Year theme with Chinese acrobatic performance, China dolls on stilts, LED blossom tree, red envelope give-
aways and a famous double lion dance. Dandenong Market’s general manager Ian Sumpter said everyone loved the lion dance. “They jumped off the stage and snaked their way into Market Square for an incredible performance. It’s so popular with our community who turned out in droves to celebrate with us.” The burst of entertainment had the locals crazy for the event and some even attended all three.
Confetti was used for the Lunar New Year celebrations.
Lunar New Year themed dress.
The traditional lion dance stole the show.
Pictures: ROB CAREW
Live music entertained the crowd.
FOCUS ON … DANCE, MUSIC AND DRAMA
‘I always feel welcome’: Classes at Cathy-Lea Studios Meet Malaika. She is 15 years old and has been taking performing arts classes at Cathy-Lea Studios for 10 years. Malaika loves to sing and takes private singing lessons in Cathy-Lea’s Music school. Her favourite dance styles are Hip Hop and Jazz. She won the Open Hip Hop solo section at the Southern Dance Festival and Southern Federation of Dance Competition in 2022. She was also a finalist in ATOD Australasian Jazz Scholarships. Malaika is studying Advanced 1 Cecchetti
Classical Ballet having competed her Intermediate exam with Honours. She gained 100 per cent in Elementary Jazz and Honours in Intermediate Tap (ATOD) in 2022. She also takes classes in Contemporary, Lyrical, Commercial Jazz, Conditioning and Acrobatics, trains in the academy’s Elite Training Program. One of her favourite experiences in 2022 was the Cathy-Lea Queensland Dance trip, which included dancing in the Dreamworld parade and taking classes at Dance Force Studios in Tweed Heads. When asked what she likes about training
at Cathy-Lea Studios, Malaika said: “I always feel welcome. It’s like my second (very diverse) family and home. Our teachers are always teaching us new things and providing us with many opportunities.” “There’s never a dull moment in class. Everyone is always laughing and learning, which makes you really want to go to dance, be proud of your studio and strive to achieve your goals.” Cathy-Lea Studios have been training children of all abilities in performing arts since 1991 and offers classes for children from 18 months through to adults.
Programs offered include the award-winning Ready Set Dance Program, Cecchetti International Ballet, ATOD Jazz and Tap, Drama and Musical Theatre, Instrumental Music, Pre-profesisonal Training, VCE Dance and VET Dance. The studio also runs a talent agency to connect students to professional performance opportunities. Find out how you can dance with Malaika at Cathy-Lea Studios in 2023. Visit cathy-lea.com to enrol, make an enquiry or register for a free trial class.
Train with us in 2023 Dance Music & Drama classes
Rock n Roll Classes Beginners & Advanced
•All ages •All abilities •Free trial classes •Fee discounts •Recreational classes •Pre-professional training •Ready Set Dance •VCE & VET Dance
Classes held at Cranbourne & Pakenham CRANBOURNE TUESDAY NIGHTS Starting 31st January at 7pm PAKENHAM WEDNESDAY NIGHTS Starting 1st February at 7pm One of Malaika’s favourite experiences in 2022 was the Cathy-Lea Queensland Dance trip, which included dancing in the Dreamworld parade and taking classes at Dance Force Studios in Tweed Heads. pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au
$10 per night - No Partner required
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WHAT’S ON Kids’ Art Workshops Our Kids’ Art Workshops are designed to give children up to the age of five the opportunity to be creative in a supportive and facilitated environment. The early childhood phase is a critical time for growth and skill development. These workshops will help to build motor skills, encourage creative play, and strengthen the bond between child and caregiver. Kids’ Art Workshops run from 10am to 12pm every Tuesday from 17 January to 28 March in the Waterfront Room at the Cardinia Cultural Centre.
Saturday Night Live Music in the Park Head down to Wilson Botanic Park on Saturday 28 January for a night of music and fun with family and friends. Entertainment by Twice Shy Music, a soon-to-be husband-and-wife duo who will play a huge variety of songs from the ‘60s to now. Cost: $5 donation per person. Children under 12 months are free. Cash or eftpos option on the night. BYO picnic. Responsible consumption of alcohol is permitted.
·
Lang Lang Australia Day Awards Ceremony and Celebrations Australia Day Awards Ceremony recognises the valuable contribution made by citizens in our community. Free entertainment, special guest speaker and sausage sizzle. Thursday 26 January 9.30am at Lang Lang Memorial Hall.
· Warragul Farmers Market ·
Warragul Farmers Market is a local fresh and handmade food market held on the third Saturday of each month from 8.30am to 1pm at Civic Place, Warragul.
Pakenham Tennis Club open day Prior to the commencement of Term 1, PRTC is hosting an open day! Enjoy free court/equipment usage, food and beverages from our cafe, games on and off court, family competitions and much much more. Celebrate the summer of tennis with our team and get excited to kick start Term 1. All are welcome for a day - jam-packed with tennis fun! Saturday 28 January from 10am to 2pm.
·Through My Eyes exhibition
Exhibition by Chris Russo. She will be doing a live art demonstration every day in the arts space until her exhibition closes. Chris is an Australian born artist whose flourishing practice began around 1982. Her art today continues to predominantly encompass watercolour and oil painting that marvels the beauty of the natural world, flora in particular. At Emerald Hills Hub from Monday 16 January to Friday 27 January between 10am and 1pm.
·
· giveaways on the day! Water activities suitable for those aged six and older. Land-based activities suitable for all ages! Join us for good vibes and loads of fun in the sun. Friday 27 January from 11.30am to 1.30pm.
·Bunyip Community Market
New stallholders every month. Food trucks. Bunyip Fire Brigade Running Track. From 8am to 1pm on Sunday 29 January at Bunyip Recreation Reserve.
·
Party at Garfield Outdoor Pool
Bumble Bee Baby and Children’s Markets - Berwick
Fun pool games, exciting activities and great
With up to 65 stallholders, you are sure to snap
Peter Rabbit
up some bargains on new, handmade and preloved baby and children’s goods for all ages! And, of course, we have a coffee van on hand for all your caffeine needs! At only $2 entry for adults (children < 12 yo free) and plenty of free parking, it is the perfect Sunday morning outing! Sunday 5 February 9am to 12pm at Berwick Fields Primary School - 35 Gwendoline Drive, Berwick.
·
Berwick Boutique Craft and Food Market Step back in time and browse the wonderful and unique crafts and design from local mak-
From 6pm to 9pm on 28 January at Wilson Botanic Park - 668 Princes Hwy, Berwick.
ers and unwind from the week. On site parking available at $5 per car. Dogs permitted, subject to conditions. Saturday 28 January 9am to 2pm at the Old Cheese Factory, 34 Homestead Road, Berwick.
·
Tooradin Australia Day celebration Lots of fun is to be had on the Tooardin Foreshore on Australia Day. A free sausage sizzle, outdoor cinema, live music and baby barnyard pet zoo to be enjoyed by the whole family. BYO chairs and picnic rugs. No alcohol permitted. Thursday 26 January 4pm to 10pm, Sawtells Inlet, Tooradin Foreshore.
·
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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
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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Measuring job satisfaction TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS IAN ASH
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How much do you enjoy your job? According to the latest Gallup World survey (State of the Global Workplace 2022 Report), only 17 per cent of employees in Australia are engaged or actually enjoying and actively contributing to their work. That means that 83 per cent of staff are not engaged which implies anything from just turning up and doing what has to be done right through to actively working against the best interests of the employer! Since around 794 to 1185 (the so-called ‘Heian’ period), the Japanese have been aware of a concept known as ikigai. The word ikigai is made up of two Japanese words: iki which means life and gai which means value or worth, so a loose translation might be reason for living. The concept became popular through Japanese psychiatrist and academic Mieko Kamiya’s 1966 book On the Meaning of Life. It is useful because it describes the four key elements necessary for personal self-fulfilment and I use this simple model in my own work to understand business leaders’ current level of satisfaction. In order to be fulfilled in your work, you need to be doing something you love. This is very different from just enjoying or liking what you do, it is what gets you out of the bed in the morning excited to come to work. When you are doing something you love, you never work another day in your life. Being great at it means that you know you
Only 17 per cent of employees in Australia are actually enjoying and actively contributing to their work. have a skill for something and others recognise this in you as well. The opportunity to effectively apply what you know is very satisfying and hence an integral part of ikigai. Being well paid for what you do is a very subjective part of the model.
There is no absolute threshold here and it very much depends upon the nature of the work that you do, but it is essential that you feel adequately rewarded otherwise this can impact self-confidence and even self-esteem. Doing something that you know is required by others is a tremendously satisfying feeling.
You will often hear that teachers and paramedics are underpaid but what tends to keep people in such jobs is that they know just how important and valuable their work is. If you are not feeling self-fulfilled in what you do, which of the four areas are the primary reasons?
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STAR NEWS 17
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New church welcomed The newly developing suburbs of Clyde and Clyde North will have a new church from Sunday 5 February. Proclaim Anglican Church has been established as a project of Berwick Anglican Church with a goal of providing Anglican Christian services for communities in the developing residential suburbs to the south of Berwick. Reverend Reece Kelly will be the Pastor of the new church and is looking forward to welcoming local residents to this new church which will initially meet at the Eliston Community Centre located at 20 Eliston Avenue, Clyde each Sunday for services commencing at 9am. Foundation Pastor Rev Reece Kelly was formally Associate Pastor at Berwick Anglican Church. Rev Kelly was born in Echuca where he attended primary and secondary schools prior to enrolling at La Trobe University in Bendigo to study education. After three years at university, Rev Kelly considered that Bible teaching rather than general teaching was the direction he wished to take. Accordingly, Rev Kelly commenced studies at the Melbourne School of Theology and obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Ministry in 2016. In the following year he took on the position of Youth Minister at Berwick Anglican Church and began further studies culminating in a Graduate Diploma in Divinity from Ridley College in 2018. Rev Kelly became Assistant Minister at Berwick in 2019 and Associate Minister in 2021 during which time he acted as locum during a transition to the new Vicar at Berwick
Rev Vijay Henderson. Announcing the establishment of the new church, Rev Kelly said the growth of Clyde and Clyde North over the last five years was astounding. “We are planting an Anglican church in hopes of becoming a permanent and visible community presence for the people of Clyde and Clyde North.” The suburbs of Clyde and Clyde North have grown substantially over the past six years from a combined population of 10,300 to the current figure of just on 50,000. The original small township of Clyde was a small hamlet, and Clyde North a farming area, but these days they are a thriving community made up of thousands of new dwellings. Proclaim Anglican Church aims to be a Gospel centred, Word-focused community that is on mission in Clyde and Clyde North. The Proclaim Anglican Church at Clyde/ Clyde North will provide a Christian family church catering for all ages, with programs for all. This new district is made up of many young families and it is anticipated that the new church will be a focus for young people, their parents, and older residents looking for a vibrant Bible-teaching place of worship. The first service will be conducted at the Eliston Community Centre in Eliston Avenue, Clyde on 5 February at 9am. All are invited to attend and will be made very welcome – any enquiries may be directed to Rev Reece Kelly at reece.kelly.p@gmail.com
Rev Reece Kelly will take on the role of Pastor at the new church.
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Peacock, the Bird of “Kurinji Land” (The Land of Hills and Valleys) and Tiger, the animal of “Mullai Land” (The Land of Forests).
Tamil Ancient Performing Art has performed in Australia since 2015, thanks to Australia Tamil Arts and Culture Development Centre (ATACDC). Pictures: ROB CAREW
Nature brings us together
Local news from Pakenham & Officer... Find out all the local news for Pakenham & Officer. Pick up the Pakenham Officer Star News from local outlets listed below or subscribe to our digital edition and have it sent to your device each week. To read all the in depth news, sport and information from across the region buy the Pakenham Gazette from supermarkets, services stations and outlets. Just $2 and worth every cent!
years to support their work in the community. Mr Kulendrasingam said this is recognition, responsibility and a motivation for them to do better. “We could plan the event better and make it grand. It’s a big responsibility but we have a commitment to deliver and it has motivated us to add value to this multiculturalism.” Mr Kulendrasingam said the grant would help them to improve in every aspect. “We’ll get more help by outsourcing and get help professionally, bring in good artists and improve the sound system.” Right now the festival is organised by a group of around 80 volunteers who’ve worked hard to put everything together for the wider community to enjoy.
PAKENHAM OFFIC
ER Thursday, Thursday,24 3 March, 2022
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Shift in focus
Show is back on track
Exhibitors, volunteers, sponsors and spectators were Changes are being thrilled to be back made to the Casey at P.B Ronald Reserve Foundation, which Cardinia for klea Pakenham Show the 111th Parsolely as the Cardiniawill potentially be known on Saturday. Foundation. Spoiled with sunny The foundation weather, the is making the show was the first to transition to decision a Cardinia-only Covid-19 shutdownsone back since body to strengthen not for in 2020 and profit organisations help 2021. community. in the It was a bumper Director Paul Thomas tainment with plenty day of entersaid the board yet to approve has of high qualthe new direction ity poultry, sheep transform the foundation. that will and exhibits, reminiscent horticulture “Throughout the of the district’s pandemic, like rural roots. Casey Cardinia Foundation ganisations that director Paul Thomas are philanthropic, most or- says the foundation dation has had the founmay be shifting its little focus to carry out fundraising to no opportunities to Cardinia only. 198803 COVERAGE PAGES - we have continued 16-17 grants process so our the out, but we haven’t funds have been going their own organisation. really had monies ing in because The foundation comJunior Ambassador our fundraising was mainly grants process and currently has an annual through events,” of the Parklea Mr Thomas Pakenham Show is Sheridan Venables per cent of its assets. required to give back four “We took the opportunitysaid. (left) with Senior Ambassador Indi to go strategic review If approved by the Skehan. 271091 over the last couple through a board, the foundation Picture: ROB CAREW years. only give out to Cardinia “The review indicated will based organisations. we need to fund organisation properly Beaconhills College Mr Thomas said the to ensure we’re once the changes fundraise to the Class for VCE Dance.student Ruby Thornton-Mackay has able to proved, the foundation are aplevel we need to, been chosen will and ultimate- at a whole be able to operate to perform at Top ly give out significant new level. funds Picture: SUPPLIED “We will have significantto the community. “It will mean we support from the Cardinia can make a difference Cardinia Shire.” to organisations through Cardinia Shire our grants process,” Mr Thomas councillor Jack said. said it was important Kowarzik “There was an By Jonty Ralphsmith to continue to provide Ruby Thornton-Mac the foundation spreading ourselves argument that we were with financial support. too thin and this Casey also recorded training has paid kay’s 13 years of dance outstanding The“By City reinvigorating us in will hone of Casey recorded off, to a smaller territory. the the foundation of the best students being named one who have VCE performing arts students the third we work withofphilanthropist with 5174 – 231 fewer most family incinumber highest can dents Houses criminal offences completed; who undertook “Cardinia than in 2020. the s in the is growing at such Dance inwere VCE Music Investigation, Music Performance, incommunity. 2021 of any we In better news, Victorian 2021. top location for offences “With the a rapid rate so with 5833 offences localcompletion governmentofarea. deception offences, Music Style can concentratethe number occurring in the of criminal this strategic re- cidents view, Ruby has been some significant public order and position, VCE household. offences, it would inThe the City ofon ects thatinreally Criminal and Combe short Stealing selected to perform VET Music Industry, security Casey was sighted to wrap from a motor Statistics can make the Melbourne down 17.2projfoundation.” vehicle was the most at Drama justice procedures Dance, cent from 2020 to a difference up the community.” its released 2021 data on Thursday Agency Recital in per the common 2021. Centre later this fences. and Theatre Studies. - except drug ofmonth offence, 17 March, revealingCasey as part followed by breach family Caseyjoined Ruby said she was of Top Class The highest number recorded violence order, Cardinia the 19,680 foundation Shire Council Hampton of Excellence, criminal Season ceived offences, of will in 2013 offences only is choosing Park (1868grateful damage,VCE have rebehind Greaterto but cial occurred managed in Cranbourne provide in 2020tocompared Geelong honour make an support to the finan- andCurriculum theft 1453 inthe by theother common assault. (20,018) withfoundation performing exit as Victorian 1863, followed and they 2021), Narreof Melbourne (1629), (33,597). ate their focus her skills- to based dance and by first for the Warren (2627 in Berwick and undergo changesreevalu- years, solo which Narre with five theWarren In Berwick, total Assessment Authority as 2020, 2123 she in 2021), (VCAA). goal to grow (1533), within (1022) theHampton part ofNarre offences were down Warren Northchoreographed foundation a pointand her extermination Park where to to 2157 (352 Cranbourne it will be able 2475 last 2020, 323 in 2021) for withseason theinsubject The North a decrease in all to (999). year.and Narre Warren South run on its own. offence 11 concerts divisions – crimes against presents also recorded the person, property by decreases in the annual number Read moreof and oncrimes. page 2 Continued page 3
Crime concerns
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kick had a demo session at the event.” The decoration of the festival was made to reminisce the way of a farmer’s life, as many Australian Tamils have experienced back home. “There were decorations with banana trees and sugarcanes. “There was a hut, to symbolically note the hut was made with wood which gave the experience as whatever you see in the homeland in Sri Lanka,” Mr Kulendrasingam said. Traditional welcome drinks were also given to locals made with milk water and Mr Kulendrasingam explained it’s the same milk water farmers drink. Tamil Festival Australia had applied for a community grant which was recently accepted with a $1000 grant from 2021 for the next four
12497982-JW24-21
A rich cultural festival was celebrated on Sunday by the Tamil and wider community of Dandenong. Thai Pongal is a thanksgiving to the nature celebrated by Tamils in India and Sri Lanka. This festival has been celebrated as a community since 2011, first by Casey Tamil Manram and now renamed as Tamil Festival Australia, where a collective effort by multiple organisations help to create this platform to continue the Tamil heritage and engage with the wider community. Chairperson of Tamil Festival Australia, Sivasuthan Kulendrasingam said 17 organisers came together to host this event. “We tried to make it an event that enter-
tains any multicultural from any community. It’s a good cultural experience at the same time. “Nature can bring other multicultural community together and same time we can share the Tamil heritage with other communities,” he said. The Tamil community households brought their pots to make sweet rice pudding from freshly harvested rice to offer to nature as thanksgiving. The day was full of entertainment, including jumping castles, rides, photo booth, cultural dance, meals and songs. Mr Kulendrasingam said there were folk artists from India, showcasing instruments and dances. “We had a lot of food stalls, retail stalls. Aus-
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STAR NEWS 19
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Rob Wilson, from Endeavour Hills-Bayside, faces the bowling. 316737
An Endeavour Hills-Bayside batsman hits out. 316737
Rob Wilson, from Endeavour Hills-Bayside. 316737
Veterans bowl up a storm Over 70s veteran cricketers defied time, but couldn’t beat the elements in a washed-out match at Syd Pargeter Reserve. A tight battle between home side Endeavour Hills-Bayside and Warrandyte was nearing completion until play was abandoned due to storms on Wednesday 24 January. “There was a huge bolt of lightning and thunder close by. It was not safe to stay on the field,” Endeavour Hills player Rob Wilson said. Warrandyte was 6/97 after 30 overs, in pursuit of the home team’s 7/127 from 40 overs. The sport was a fun way for seniors to stay fit and active, Mr Wilson said. “We don’t play for sheep stations. We all just like to play. “It’s better than sitting at home watching telly.” The 10-round Veterans Cricket Victoria competition is held weekly up until March. Soon after, Endeavour Hills will have a team of over 60s for a 32-team national tournament in Echuca.
Endeavour Hills-Bayside over 70s veteran cricketers with dog Sophie. 316737 Pictures: ROB CAREW
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STAR NEWS 21
SPORT
Boomerang goes full circle By Tara Murray A Pakenham Warriors star is making an impact on the basketball court on an international stage. Jack Innella is part of the Australian Boomerangs team which recently won gold at the Virtus Oceania Asia Games. The Boomerangs are the men’s national basketball team for athletes with an intellectual impairment. Innella is hoping to head to France in the middle of this year as part of the Australian team for the Virtus Global Games. At just 17, Innella was the youngest in the team in Brisbane “I was selected in the Australian Boomerangs squad when I was 14 years old, but due to COVID and lockdowns we were unable to train face to face… so I didn’t get to meet as a whole squad until early last year,” Innella said. “The selection process for Boomerangs is picked from performances at the Aussie champs, [the] Ivor Burge program. “It has been such an honour and quite humbling to be able to represent your county in a sport that you love, we have an amazing team and incredible coaches and support staff. “The experience was one of the best experiences of my life.” Innella started playing basketball when he was about 10, but it wasn’t love at first sight. As the smallest on the court, he didn’t enjoy it and he went and played football for a season. His parents encouraged him to give basketball another go and the rest is history. “Because of my ADHD my mum and dad really encouraged me to try basketball again so I could keep myself busy,” he said. “I went back when I was 13 and have been playing since then, so I have been playing now for four years consistently. ”We have just moved back to Melbourne after 10 years in Ballarat and have been playing
Jack Inella, back, fourth from left, with the goldmedal winning Australian Boomerangs. 315227
Jack Inella, left, seen here with his Australian Boomerangs teammate Matthew Farrar, is having Pictures: JACOB PATTISON the time of his life playing in the green and gold. 315227 with Pakenham Warriors for the last two years. “I am currently playing for the Warriors Big V div 1 men’s team and also under 20s rep [team].” Innella will represent Victoria at the upcoming Ivor Burge national championships. While he has excelled on the basketball court, he said it’s not without its challenges, which makes it harder for him. He says it’s about making sure he works to his strengths. “I was diagnosed when I was very young with ADHD and a mild Intellectual
disability,” Innella said. “The only problem I have with my basketball is others’ perception of my disability. “I learn a little slower but I work incredibly hard to make sure I am on top of anything my coach requires and spend countless hours going over plays. “I am very dedicated to improving my skill and a lot of time this means instead of playing PlayStation.” Innella’s performances have seen him invited to attend a national performance camp at the Basketball Centre of
Excellence this month. It’s a history-making moment. “This is a program for some of the best basketballers in Australia,” he said. “This is the first time I have been told that a player with a disability has ever been invited to attend a mainstream high-performance camp. “I am truly grateful for this opportunity to learn from some of the best coaches and players in Australia and I hope that others that doubt themselves with their disability can see that anything is possible if you work hard, surround yourself with good people and believe in yourself.” While busy on the basketball court with his various commitments, Innella is keen to test himself against the best players in the world in France. Innella said he’s training six days a week to make sure he’s ready for the opportunity. “To be able to travel overseas and represent your county is something that not everyone gets to experience in their sport, so I am so grateful for the opportunity to do this,” he said. “I am very ready to go and can’t wait to get on the court and compete against the world’s best.” A fundraising page has been set up to help the Boomerangs get to France. To donate: http://ow.ly/JprU50MsaAM
Warriors sitting idle and missing in Country Week action By David Nagel It’s almost six years ago to the day since Aaron Avery and Scott Clark jumped for joy in the middle of Preston City Oval after guiding the West Gippsland Cricket Association (WGCA) to a thrilling Country Week grand final victory over Warragul. It was a magnificent achievement, full of passion, and embraced by players, support staff and spectators with a collective spirit normally reserved for club success on the biggest day of the season. The Division 3 title that day, in early February 2017, lead to a prosperous three-year journey that saw the Warriors climb from the lower rungs of Country Week to the elite-level Provincial Division. Premiers in 2017, then earning consecutive promotions via a grand final appearance in Div 2 in 2018, and playing semi-finals in their first attempt at Provincial in 2019….the then WGCA had built a 9-4 win-loss record and had thoroughly earned the title as one of the most improved cricket competitions in the State. Country Week is the one, the only time of the year, where the senior reputation of a league can be enhanced. But, sadly, it appears the passion for Country Week has faded just as quickly as the WGCA name change to the Casey Cardinia Cricket Association (CCCA) this season. When Country Week begins in full on Monday 13 February…the CCCA will not be represented. And the blame game has begun. Past-players, that embraced the challenge of lifting the WGCA to the pinnacle of Country Week competition, blame the administration of the league for the non-continuance of their legacy. The administration, on the other hand, has a different view, with a lack of interest at club level leading to the CCCA not nominating a team for this year’s competition. 22 STAR NEWS
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Thursday, 26 January, 2023
Celebrating in 2017, back from left, are Travis Wheller, Josh Lownds, Scott Clark, Matt Hutchinson, AJ Walker, Chris Bright and Jason Williams. Front row; Mark Cooper, Rob Elston, Aaron Avery, Dom Paynter, Ben Spicer and Russell Lehman. 164595 Scott Clark, left, and man of the match Aaron Avery jump for joy after guiding the WGCA to Pictures: DAVID NAGEL Country Week glory in 2017. 164595 “One of the things that we did, was the senior Cricket Committee did a survey of the CCCA clubs and there was little or no interest from the clubs to participate in Country Week,” said CCCA president Rob Hansen. “We did that probably six weeks ago, in plenty of time to nominate a team for Country Week. “We also said at the time that if a person or group of people were prepared to put a team together, and represent the association, then we would support that…but nothing has eventuated. “And to be honest, there has been little or no communication from any of the clubs saying they fully support Country Week and why aren’t we doing something about it. “We haven’t had direct negative feedback, just murmuring in the background. “Admittedly, we didn’t make a massive fuss about it, but we did do our due diligence and communicated with the clubs.” Hansen bristled when it was suggested that the CCCA failed to enter a team due to
the financial obligations involved. “That’s not true,” he said firmly. “We were supportive of Country Week; however we would not have supported the group staying in Melbourne for the week and paying for their accommodation. “If we had a group that were prepared to play, and travel to Melbourne, then we would have supported that group with petrol money and other expenses. “Apparel, merchandise, all those types of things, we were happy to support in that way. “We’ve changed, we’re not a completely rural cricket competition anymore, and we’re a mix of mainly urban clubs and a few from the country. “The dynamics have changed quite significantly.” Hansen agreed that the reputation of the CCCA would be damaged by the decision. “From that perspective, no, it’s not a good look, but it has to be supported by the clubs and the players,” Hansen said. “If the players are reluctant to participate,
then what can we do. “I’m disappointed that we don’t have a team, but it seems that representative cricket has taken a back seat to some extent.” Hansen said there have been steps taken to regenerate representative cricket in the region. “There is a move to rebuild representative cricket in a regional sense,” he said. “The various associations from Region 8 have met, Ferntree Gully, Mornington Peninsula and us, to discuss the possibility of playing rep cricket against each other.” And would the CCCA support the nomination of a team for Country Week in 2023/24? “Of course we would, but it needs to be supported more far and wide.” Ballarat and Hamilton will kick off Country Week on Sunday 12 February, with a Celebration Match to mark 100 years of Melbourne Country Week competition. Sadly, almost six years to the day since joyous celebrations of its own, the CCCA will be sitting idle while the champagne corks are popping. And no matter whose fault that is…the clubs, players, or CCCA for not driving it hard enough…it’s extremely disappointing! pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au
SPORT
There’s a new Chief Executive Officer of the Outer East Football Netball League. 283158
New leader By Marcus Uhe
Gun Pakenham opener Chris Smith flicks one behind square against the Demons. 316269
Picture: GARY SISSONS
Lions on top after overcoming Demons By David Nagel Pakenham (4/191) captain Dale Tormey (81) was once again the headline act as the Lions almost guaranteed themselves a top-two position with a fantastic victory over Kooweerup (165). In front of a raucous crowd, Tormey and Rob Elston (38 not out) guided the Lions to a winning total with a fast finish to the first 40 overs of the match. Lions’ openers Chris Smith (24) and Jack Anning (23) got the Lions off on the right foot before Koowee off-spinner Matt Bright (2/23 off 8) claimed both players in quick succession. In his first over, Bright had Anning stumped by his brother Chris, before trapping Smith in front of his stumps in his following over. Both teams then engaged in a real armwrestle, before Tormey and Elston slowly gained the momentum. The pair put on a brilliant 120-run stand, with Tormey blazing six fours, and an incredible six over backward point, while Elston was typically busy – placing the ball into gaps with little risk of losing his wicket. The duo formed a perfect partnership to
fend off the Demons best challenge. At the tea break…the game was in the balance. But the pendulum soon swung the Lions’ way when Kooweerup’s best batter this year, Luke McMaster (2) had his first brain-fade for the summer, shouldering arms to a straight one from Nick Sadler (1/17). Skipper Michael Giles (9) then went cheaply, leaving Gamini Kumara (31) and Chris Bright (42) to take up the challenge. The pair played beautifully, Kumara using his classically straight bat to play some magnificent strokes forward of the wicket, while Bright used his brute force to keep the Demons right on track with the run-rate. If not for Tormey’s slap-shot for six, Bright’s pull-shot for four off Tommy Tyrrell would have been a leading contender for shot of the day. Bright and Kumara had the Demons on track for victory, sharing a 76-run stand, before both fell in an instant. Bright was caught and bowled by Tormey, while Jason Williams (3/24 off 8) then had Kumara caught at mid-wicket to a wonderful catch by Anning. Stevie Dillon (29), Jess Mathers (18) and
Mitch Davey (17) helped push the game to the latter overs, but the Lions imposing total proved a bridge too far. Williams was outstanding for the Lions, while Tormey (1/27 off 8) and Marcus Martini (2/9 off 2.2) both had significant impacts. The top-of-the-table Lions head to Carlisle Park this week, while the Demons also hit the road to take on Merinda Park. In other games this week, skipper Jake Prosser (52 not out) and keeper-bat Bradey Welsh (29 not out) piloted Cardinia (2/131) to an eight-wicket win over Clyde (128), after Leigh Paterson (3/11), Travis Wheller (3/29) and Lachlan Volpe (2/22) had contained the Cougars before tea. Josh Lownds (47 and 3/8) continued his great form as Tooradin (4/104) made a meal of Merinda Park (103), while Carlisle Park (4/186) is still in the running for the top four after an impressive run-chase against Officer (5/182). The Vikings were 3/22 at one stage before Shalika Karunanayake (69), skipper Teddy Fonseka (57 not out) and Videsh Dassanayake (26 not out) guided their team to victory. Kane Hawkins (50) and Jack James (45 not out) were best for the Bullants.
Veteran sports administrator Brett Connell has been appointed new Chief Executive Officer of the Outer East Football Netball League. Connell stepped into the role on Tuesday 24 January, replacing Aaron Bailey, who announced his resignation in October after six years in-charge. In a statement, Connell said he could not wait to get started. “It is a privilege to be working as part of a great ‘community’ football/netball league, in a region that I respect,” Connell said. “I look forward to working with everyone across the Outer East community in ensuring the competition continues to grow from strength to strength”. Connell previously served as National Growth Channels Lead for Cricket Australia for six months after he resigned as CEO of the Victorian Amateur Football Association in April last year. The league believe his 30 years of knowledge in the field, including his six years as Operations Manager of the Victorian Country Football League, make him the right choice to lead the competition into the future, which they consider to be “exciting times”. “The Outer East Football Netball Competitions Limited Board believes Brett’s experience, passion and knowledge of our region will assist our competition with expansion for the viable growth of our game into the future,” the League said. “Our strategic plan will be his focus, to ensure we continue to grow and prosper. “Having played football at senior level, as well as holding various roles in executive positions at community organisations, Brett’s understanding of community sport in the region will be crucial in achieving this. “We are looking at a review of all current structures, procedures and operations to make our community as effective as possible for all stakeholders, members, volunteers, players and supporters alike going forward.”
Pakenham Cricket Club thanks members and supporters By David Nagel The atmosphere was electric at the Pakenham Cricket Club on Saturday as many familiar faces gathered for the huge game between the Lions and their respected rivals Kooweerup. Life members, social members, past players and sponsors were welcomed by Lions’ president Phil Anning as the club said ‘Thank You’ to the many people and businesses that have helped make the club the thriving sporting hub that it is today. For the record, the Lions defeated the Demons by 26 runs to maintain their position at the top of the Casey Cardinia Cricket Association Premier Division ladder. The Lions next big event takes place on Saturday 11 February when the club becomes a sea of colour for its hugely-popular Pink Ladies Day, raising funds and awareness for the McGrath Foundation. pakenhamnews.starcommunity.com.au
Troy Phelan, Tam Murphy and David Anning were busy in the canteen.
He was more a footballer in his day, but star defender Nathan Brown was loving the cricket with his daughter Genevieve at Pakenham. Thursday, 26 January, 2023
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STAR NEWS 23
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