Thursday, 20 February, 2025
Phone: (03) 5945 0666 Trades & Classifieds: 1300 666 808
starcommunity.com.au FREE
A love letter to families
What a show!
Build moves ahead
Smith in a class of his own
PAGE 6
PAGE 12
PAGE 13
SPORT
Victoria Police arrived after the first adjournment. (460126)
Security guards were placed at the Casey Council meeting to maintain order and safety.
A Casey ratepayer from Tooradin was not happy that his questions were not answered at the Casey Council meeting. (Gary Sissons: 460126)
Casey showdown By Violet Li and Ethan Benedicto The first Casey Council meeting of the year was adjourned after heated protests from residents, prompting a police call-out. Held on 18 February, the meeting saw hundreds of ratepayers voice their frustrations and anger over private land use permits, the proposed Hampton Park waste transfer station and other concerns, including governance, transparency,
and maintenance of public spaces. Tensions ran high from the start, with residents booing and heckling official statements. Outbursts escalated when Mayor Cr Stefan Koomen addressed the recent online discussions and media coverage regarding a property in Hampton Park where several unregistered vehicles were removed, prompting aggressive shouts from the crowd. Despite 63 public questions being read, some
Thinking of
Selling?
residents claimed their submissions were ignored. Due to ongoing disruptions, the meeting was first paused for 15 minutes before being adjourned for the night as police escorted officials out. Two officers’ reports were motioned and endorsed by the councillors, the first being Casey to appeal to the Municipal Association of Victoria for telecommunications towers and the Best Start
Best Life early years reforms. The second report was the road discontinuance of a small section of Sofra Road/Bells Road, to make room for a desalination pipeline, a topic that wasn’t in itself all too controversial but is what eventually led to Mayor Cr Koomen adjourning the meeting shortly after.
With Finning's NO SALE – NO CHARGE & SMART SALE platform YOU can't lose.
Coverage inside
Visit our website
Here's your sign!
Call us any time (24hrs) and find out more NOW!
finning.com.au
T 5996 1200 enquire@finning.com.au 12728051-MC02-25