WEDNESDAY, 11 MARCH, 2026
Koay is next big thing Point Cook author Tzeyi Koay is appearing at the Footscray West Writers Festival (FWWF) later this month on a panel entitled The Next Big Thing, but when discussing her decision to give up a legal career to write fantasy novels, it becomes clear that Malaysian-born Koay is a big thing already. “I’m very lucky, I sold my book at auction for six figures so I’m full-time now,” Koay said of the deal she signed with Simon and Schuster to release her debut ‘A Curse Carved in Ink,’ in January next year. Such a deal for a new Australian author is big indeed, though it was the least Koay expected when she began writing a book mixing Chinese vampires with queer culture. “I was really worried it wouldn’t sell because traditionally it’s been harder to sell LGBTQI+ books and books by people of colour.” Fortunately, vampires remain popular with readers, but as Koay explained, the Chinese version is subtly different. “They don’t siphon blood they siphon life or energy,” she said, FWWF is from 27-29 March: http:// www.fwwf.com.au/
Point Cook fantasy author Tzeyi Koay is appearing at the upcoming Footscray West Writers Fest (FWWF). (Damjan Janevski)
Police shortages Staff shortages are behind the decision to close Williamstown Police Station for two weeks. Late last month Victoria Police announced that Williamstown station would close temporarily from Sunday 8 March to Monday 23 March, having earlier announced that reception hours at the station would be reduced. In a Facebook post on 23 February, police announced that the station’s opening hours were being reduced to 10.15am-5.45pm on Mondays and Fridays only. Two days later an updated Facebook post said the station would close entirely for a
two weeks, with police maintaining 24-7 patrols throughout Hobsons Bay and that 24-hour stations were available Altona and Footscray. It’s understood that once the station reopens on 23 March, the previously announced reduced opening hours will apply. In a statement to Star Weekly, Hobsons Bay Local Area Commander, Inspector Damien Madden, confi rmed that high staff vacancy rates were behind the decision. “It is a reality Victoria Police has a significant number of vacancies, and we must put our valuable resources where they have the biggest impact,” Inspector
Madden said. “The best place for highly skilled police officers is out in the community preventing crime and keeping people safe, not sitting behind a desk.” The move comes as Hobsons Bay experiences a spike in crime, with recorded offences increasing by 14 per cent in the year to September 2025, according to data from the Crime Statistics Agency. Last year, Hobsons Bay councillor and Williamstown ward representative Lisa Bentley called for increased opening hours at Williamstown station to address crime in the area. “The community in Williamstown are
concerned about the reduced hours at Williamstown Police Station, in fact many believe this is exacerbating the crime rate in Hobsons Bay,” Cr Bentley said at a council meeting last August. When asked about the station closure, the now deputy mayor referred to a statement from a council spokesperson. “Council is supportive of our local police, and recognises the challenges they face,” the spokesperson said. “We would be supportive of advocacy to provide resources needed to keep the community safe. “Community members can still access the help they need by calling Crime Stoppers, or triple-0 in an emergency.”
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By Cade Lucas