Thursday, 12 December, 2024
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Path to home Community organisation Nas Recovery Centre celebrated the achievements and visions for its major drug and alcohol support program Path2Home on Friday 6 December. Starting around August last year, the eight-week program provides evidence-based and culturally informed drug and alcohol education and harmonisation strategies to communities from African backgrounds. The sessions run both in-person and online in psychosocial groups with different topics for each week. Board chair Ella Rose said at the celebration ceremony that the past year had been particularly very transformative for the organisation. Story page 10
African dance performance at community organisation Nas Recovery Centre’s Path2Home end-of-year celebration. (Stewart Chambers: 448546)
Time for a change By Violet Li Casey Council has moved its council meeting start time from 4pm to 6pm beginning in 2025, following a motion passed at the December council meeting. The initial recommendation from the council officers to shift the time to 5.30pm was voted down 3-9.
Councillor Michelle Crowther proposed a 6pm start, seconded by Cr Lynette Pereira, which was carried with a 10-2 vote. Cr Crowther said that the change addressed the community’s call for greater transparency and accessibility, allowing more residents to attend after work hours to participate in council processes.
Cr Kim Ross opposed the later start and said people made decisions best earlier in the day. She raised concerns about the time’s suitability for certain groups, such as parents with young children or those relying on public transport. She also stressed that council meetings were just one of many forums for resident engagement. The Casey Residents and Ratepayer Asso-
ciation welcomed the change but suggested a 6.30pm start for better alignment with neighbouring councils. CRRA also called for reinstating the practice of reading public questions regardless of the questioner’s attendance to enhance community engagement further. Story page 3
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