Tuesday, 25 February, 2025
Casey candidates debate reforms
Newly drafted AFLW player makes school visit
Survivor recounts Faraday kidnapping in author talk
See Real Estate liftout inside
PAGE 5
PAGE 9
PAGE 12
PAGE 19
A Star News Group Publication
Phone: 5957 3700 Trades and Classifieds: 1300 666 808
Eagle gets a lift in Monbulk By Shamsiya Hussainpoor A distressed wedge-tailed eagle was rescued in Monbulk on Friday, 14 February, by volunteers from Vets for Compassion. The bird, grounded and struggling to fly, was quickly attended to by Jacquie Withers and other team members, who safely captured it using nets and blankets. The eagle was transported to the Australian Wildlife Health Centre at Healesville Sanctuary, where it was treated for anaemia and a fungal infection. Veterinarian Sarah Panigas said the bird’s condition was improving, though it is not yet ready for release. Vets for Compassion chief executive officer highlighted the importance of their work. “We’re filling a critical gap that no one else seems able to address,” she said. Vets for Compassion relies on public donations to continue their rescue efforts. Full story page 8
The bird was grounded and struggling to fly, leading to a call for rescue. (Supplied)
Ranges Trader Star Mail mounts six-week investigation into ...
The CCTV question From smashed shop windows to bin fires, robberies to assaults, incidents across the Yarra Ranges of this kind have concerned communities for years. The promise of a working CCTV network aimed to relieve these concerns by deterring crime and protecting businesses, community groups and community infrastructure. While eliminating this behaviour was never the aim, CCTV increases the capacity of police investigations and may prevent some people
from acting in an anti-social manner or committing an offence. But since the funding of projects across the Yarra Ranges, maintenance and the operation of the CCTV network has been called into question numerous times after an incident occurs. This Star Mail edition marks week one of a six-week campaign initiated by the editorial staff to explore and determine the value of CCTV, as well as the current state of the network across the municipality.
Over the coming weeks, we will speak to police who have been on the frontlines attempting to investigate and respond to incidents throughout the region. We will look back at the incidents that have plagued townships in recent years, both in words and photos. We will touch on the psychology of CCTV as a deterrent for crime by speaking to experts and where CCTV has been effective elsewhere. We will speak with traders, township groups
and community advocates about their desire for a working CCTV network and the safety concerns they have for their businesses, customers and staff. We will look at the reverse and understand the privacy concerns people have in being captured on camera at all times. We will also document the challenges in upkeep and management of this system. To begin, reporters Callum Ludwig and Mikayla van Loon explore what triggered this campaign and the history of funding on page 2.
CHARLES REAL ESTATE
12735584-MS02-25
K
K AY E
All p a nel a nd p a int w ork | 14 - 16 Ma in Rd , Monb ulk | Ph 8 736 8 238 12744606-MP04-25
Shop 4/260 Main Street Lilydale
Ph: 9100 3600 12723183-AV42-24