Thursday, 19 June, 2025
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Screwing down on crime Drivers lined up in droves at Neighbourhood Watch Casey’s Safe Plate Day at Marriott Waters Shopping Centre in Lyndhurst on 14 June, a community-led initiative replacing standard number plate screws with theft-resistant ones. “The licence plate thefts are on the rise, and we want to help tackle that,” president of Neighbourhood Watch Casey Damien Rosario said. “We installed anti-theft screws on licence plates for a gold coin donation, and we partnered up with the Hampton Park Fire Brigade and other emergency services,” he said. “All proceeds that we make on the day go to the fire brigade and the emergency services. And they provide the manpower to help us to do the licence plate activity. It’s a great partnership activity. We don’t have a lot of volunteers in our group, and we cover Victoria’s largest council population. Partnerships make sense, and everyone wins.” Other partners included Marriott Waters Club Owners Corporation and Marriott Waters Shopping Centre.
Hampton Park Fire Brigade members Joel Shaw (left) and Leigh Skidmore (right) were working fast to get the new screws on the plates. (Rob Carew: 482738)
Casey grants time By Ethan Benedicto A council debate has seen Narre Warren charity BK2Basics granted temporary reprieve, following a motion amendment and a push by the City of Casey’s councillors to highlight community impact, giving the organisation more time to meet planning requirements.
During the Tuesday, 17 June meeting, councillors voted in favour of an amended motion by Cr Michelle Crowther, allowing the charity six months to update its site plans and address concerns around parking, waste management and safety — conditions which had originally placed the charity’s future in doubt. BK2Basics, which provides food and essential
goods to thousands of vulnerable families in the southeast, had faced a potential shutdown at its current location due to compliance issues raised in the officer’s report. While the amended motion passed with majority support, not all councillors were on board — and not all concerns have been put to rest. Family members behind the charity say they
still feel uncertain about the road ahead, despite the council’s compromise. Several councillors who had previously expressed support for the charity were also forced to sit out of the vote due to conflicts of interest, adding to the complexity of the outcome. For the full story, turn to page 6
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