Tuesday, 19 August, 2025
Dog park strategy seeks feedback
Rehearsals underway for Schools Spectacular
Tell stories, share memories of People’s Garden
See Real Estate liftout inside
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A Star News Group Publication
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Book your next adventure It’s the annual celebration of Book Week this week, as students, libraries and avid readers are encouraged to imagine, explore, and create. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the event, which is organised by the Children’s Book Council of Australia. The theme Book an Adventure is an appropriate one, with many of the students at Birmingham Primary School saying the most enjoyable part of reading is entering into another world or someone else’s life for a little while. From 16 to 23 August, minds of all ages are invited to set out on an adventure, travel through time, explore different lands and learn from what they read. Turn to pages 12 and 13 for some Book Week QnAs
Birmingham Primary School’s library captains Eloise and Joshua are huge fans of reading. (Stewart Chambers: 491680)
Overdoses rise seems to be increasing year-on-year. Associate Professor Shalini Arunogiri said every one of those deaths would have been preventable and represent real people. “These deaths reflect systemic failures - there are effective supports and treatment, and these deaths are preventable,” she said. The most concerning substances, which have
seen significant increases in the cause of death, are heroin and methamphetamine. Ms Bortignon said another concerning aspect of the report was the indication that restrictions or lack of availability of legal drugs may be forcing people to turn to the illegal drug market. To read the full story, turn to page 3
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Drug overdoses have spiked across Victoria over the last decade, a sad reality being witnessed in the eastern suburbs. A Coroners Court of Victoria report released last week identified that 584 Victorians suffered a fatal overdose in 2024, 37 more than in 2023 and the highest number of deaths in one year on record.
The report’s figures were confirmed to be on par with what Anglicare Victoria’s program manager for community services in the east, Stephanie Bortignon, said is occurring across the Yarra Ranges, Knox, Maroondah and Cardinia. In total, 390 people died due to an overdose throughout the Outer East between 2015 and 2024, an average of 39 per year, a rate that only
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By Callum Ludwig