Tuesday, 19 November, 2024
Phone: (03) 5945 0666 Trades & Classifieds: 1300 666 808
starcommunity.com.au FREE
30-year-mystery plea
Shrine vandalism shock
Councils take shape
AFL draft preview
PAGE 2
PAGE 3
PAGES 4-5
PAGE 19
Food for thought Cornerstone chief executive Naomi Paterson, pictured with placement student Steph, volunteer Neil and community member Wiera, says more and more families are unable to afford groceries. The charity backs a State Parliament inquiry report calling for more funding for food relief agencies and school meals, as well as price controls on supermarket price-gouging and a lift in welfare payments. More on the story, turn to page 8
Cornerstone CEO Naomi Paterson with Steph (Chisholm placement student), Neil (volunteer) and Wiera (community member) (Stewart Chambers: 443887)
Racism scourge Five-time Greater Dandenong mayor Jim Memeti has spoken out against harrowing racist attacks against a recent election candidate. Cr Memeti is strongly favoured to be Greater Dandenong’s next mayor, ahead of a formal vote on Monday 18 November. However, Cleeland Ward candidate Zahra Haydar Big has this week told Star News of numerous racist attacks from voters, including vitriolic abuse and demands for her to abandon her Muslim faith and stop wearing a hijab.
12731428-JB47-24
“It wasn’t a very pleasant experience,” Haydar Big said. “Why should you give up on your religion or facial covering to run for council? “This shouldn’t be about how I appear. This should be about local issues – I’m not here to represent just the Muslim community, I’m here to be a voice for all residents.” Cr Memeti said voters should have given ALP colleague Haydar Big a fair go. “People should have given the candidate an
opportunity to speak for themselves. “It’s worrying and disturbing, and an unpleasant experience to attack someone just because she’s wearing a hijab. “I hope it would be a very small minority.” It follows several candidates in neighbouring Casey Council alleging racist abuse and voting patterns. Cr Memeti said the newest elected Greater Dandenong councillors were culturally diverse and representative.
He also noted that the council - known as Australia’s most culturally diverse - had been proactively promoting a prominent #RacismNotWelcome campaign. Last year, Greater Dandenong also teamed with Casey and Cardinia councils to create SouthEast Anti-Racism Support Network. Greater Dandenong chief executive Jacqui Weatherill condemned the attacks on Haydar Big. More on the story, turn to page 10