Tuesday, 23 September, 2025
Animal cruelty spikes in Yarra Ranges
Importance of social connection for recovery
CWA stalwart celebrates 100th birthday
See Real Estate liftout inside
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A Star News Group Publication
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Champion inspires By Dongyun Kwon Coldstream Boxing Club coach Hayden ‘H-Bomb’ Wright gained another title WBF Heavyweight Champion on Saturday 13 September. Wright took on Thai boxer Sunthon Pankhui at Melbourne Pavilion. Thanks to a lot of hard training with his mates, Zac Thompson and Chris Hume, Wright was able to push the opponent strongly from the first round. After hanging one more medal on his neck, the Coldstream-based boxer officially retired from professional boxing. “I am very proud of all the hard work and dedication; 25 professional fights over the past 10 years, to become the new heavyweight champion and bring it back to the Yarra Valley to inspire kids,” Wright said. “My next move is to train the young kids and hopefully, they can become a champion one day.” Turn to page 31 to read the full story
Coldstream Boxing Club coach Hayden ‘H-Bomb’ Wright took on Thai boxer Sunthon Pankhui for the WBF Heavyweight Champion of Victoria title. (Marty Camilleri/Marty’s Knockout Photography)
Health staff fury By Mikayla van Loon A privatisation push from Eastern Health has been met with worry and frustration from employees who fear the change. Healthcare support workers across Eastern Health’s Box Hill, Maroondah and Yarra Ranges locations were told in August that the health service was considering shifting their employment to a labour hire firm.
With the backing of the Health Workers Union (HWU), patient services assistants, like Greg, an Eastern Health employee of 36 years, took part in a demonstration outside Box Hill Hospital on Tuesday 16 September, calling on both the hospital and the State Government to halt this move. It’s estimated that around 300 to 400 jobs would be outsourced. HWU lead organiser Jake McGuinness said
that what was adding to the anger of Eastern Health staff was that this privatisation announcement had come during an enterprise bargaining agreement period. Greg said the potential shift to a private company made him feel “undervalued” and “forgotten”. Eastern Health said in a statement it was “proposing a transition to a single, externally con-
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tracted model” and that “consultation with staff and industrial partners is underway, and no decisions have been made.” The Victorian Government also deferred responsibility to Eastern Health but said it would support all parties to “ensure proper process is followed”. To read the full story, turn to page 5
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