News - Pakenham Officer Star News - 9th April 2026

Pakenham residents enjoyed a fun-filled Easter celebration at Circuit Park on Sunday, April 5, hosted by the Lakeside Residents Group. Families flocked to the park

Vandals cut power

By Afraa Kori and Corey Everitt

Vandals have once again cut power to Toomuc Recreation Reserve, doing enough damage this time to force the closure of Cardinia Life, as authorities and user groups responded to the disruption on Easter Monday.

An act of vandalism at Toomuc Recreation Reserve resulted in a power outage to all facilities, including Cardinia Life, with police saying copper wiring was stolen sometime between 7am on Saturday, 4 April, and 1pm on Monday, 6 April. Both the sporting pavilions and Cardinia Life remained closed on Tuesday, 7 April. As of writing on Wednesday, 8 April, Star News was told that power had been partially restored, with works and inspections ongoing.

An AusNet spokesperson clarified that vandals “significantly damaged” both AusNet’s and Cardinia Life’s electrical infrastructure, requiring prolonged repair work.

“AusNet is working with Cardinia Shire Council to prioritise the reconnection of power once Cardinia Life completes its repairs,” the spokesperson said.

All facilities for Pakenham football, junior football, netball and baseball clubs were affected.

The football and netball clubs are gearing up for their first round of the season this weekend, and the senior sides faced Tuesday night’s training without lights due to the vandalism.

Though the council sought a new location for the night, training under lights could not be secured before 8pm on such short notice.

Football seniors coach Justin Stanton instead had the players train from 5pm until they lost light, before finishing the session at a local gym.

The netball club had a few players train until sundown and has refocused efforts towards Thursday night’s season launch.

Club presidents Margaret Jones and Salv Mileto thanked the swift response of authorities and the community from Easter Monday onward, in particular Cardinia Shire’s Sport and Active Recreation Development team leader Jo Kennedy, Victoria Police, AusNet, and the many locals who helped.

“It shows, when things like this happen, that we band together,” Ms Jones said.

The council installed a generator on Tuesday to maintain critical sewer services while the ex-

tent of the damage was assessed. Security has also been deployed at the site.

This incident comes just over a year after the reserve was hit by vandalism in February 2025, when 400 metres of copper cables were damaged, resulting in an outage to the southern pavilions. Victoria Police are investigating the incident.

The council noted that such vandalism is occurring across the shire’s reserves, with damage also reported at Holm Park Recreation Reserve, Gembrook Recreation Reserve, Cardinia Recreation Reserve, and Lang Lang Recreation Reserve in recent months.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or anonymously at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.

Day-long rail disruption

By Violet Li

Commuters on the Cranbourne and East Pakenham lines experienced a major disruption that stretched from the early morning into the afternoon peak on Tuesday 7 April, during the second week of free public transport.

Metro Trains advised the disruption began about 11pm on Monday night and was not fully resolved until about 4.45pm on Tuesday.

An overhead power fault near Clayton forced buses to replace trains between Oakleigh and Westall for much of the day, impacting both Metro and V/Line services.

Metro Trains advised that the power fault had nothing to do with Clayton’s Suburban Rail Loop (SRL) site.

For Pakenham commuter Ratnesh Sharma, the disruption turned a routine trip into a lengthy ordeal.

“I work in the city… normally it takes an hour, but yesterday it took me almost two hours,” he said.

Mr Sharma said he checked the PTV app before going to the train station, and it said everything was running normally, so he went and discovered the opposite reality.

Last week, on Wednesday 1 April, thousands of morning passengers had to take replacement buses between Oakleigh and Dandenong as the Pakenham and Cranbourne lines were suspended.

When asked if he also experienced the 1 April disruption, Mr Sharma, a regular commuter, said he could not remember, but he felt like the disruption had become very common.

“I think there is a growing dissatisfaction in the community,” he said.

“People are very frustrated. If you go and check the Pakenham line, you will see that people are really very frustrated.

“People have stopped taking the train. They use their cars. But because of the petrol prices, and the diesel unavailability, I think people do not have any option but to rely on the train.

“And the train service is worse than what is available in a third-world country. It’s causing a lot of dissatisfaction.”

Mr Sharma said the afternoon commute was even worse, with repeated unscheduled stops leaving him stuck for extended periods.

“At one point, there was an announcement just before, I don’t know which station it was, but just before that, there was an announcement that we didn’t need to take a bus. And we can stay on the train. And the train will go to Cranbourne,” he recalled.

“So, I stayed there. And then I got off at Dandenong. And from there, I switched and went to Pakenham.

“But again, it took two hours approximately because of those unplanned stoppages in the train.”

Mr Sharma said he doesn’t have any option

but to meet his obligation of attendance in the office.

“I can do my work remotely. I’m lucky. But there are these expectations that you need to attend the office,” he said.

Public Transport Users Association (PTUA) spokesperson Daniel Bowen said it’s “obviously incredibly disappointing” to have these regular delays on such a busy and important rail line.

“It plays havoc with people’s travel plans. Metro and the State Government need to work harder to prevent this type of disruption,” he said.

“Whether people are regular passengers or

don’t usually catch public transport and are trying out the train for the first time, this type of issue risks discouraging them from future public transport use, and pushing them back to their cars.”

According to Metro Train’s statistics, in February, the Cranbourne line achieved about 95.4 per cent of on-time rate, while the East Pakenham 95.1 per cent, both higher than the average of 94.3 per cent across all metro lines. The State Government has announced free public transport for April, due to fuel price surge.

Fuel crisis and transport disruptions impact holidays

By Afraa Kori

A surge in fuel prices and widespread shortages has thrown Easter travel plans into chaos across the Southeast.

Petrol has climbed above $2.50 a litre, while diesel has topped $3.10 in some areas. It was reported that some service stations had run dry during one of the busiest travel periods of the year.

The spike follows escalating conflict in the Middle East involving the United States, Israel and Iran, triggering one of the most significant disruptions to the global oil market in recent years.

For some Cardinia residents, like Jenny Black-

ney and Keith Kooloos, the cost were enough to stay home and cancel plans altogether.

Others pressed ahead but with adjustments.

“Stayed with our caravan plans because we were only going a short distance. Picking up our EV, trading smaller cars, on Wednesday,” Tracey Matthies said.

Despite soaring diesel prices, some roads remained busy.

“Too many cars on the road regardless of fuel prices,” Jenny Blackney said.

“Thursday was a convoy of caravans going east so the price of diesel was not stopping them, as well as cars,” Irene Burnett said.

Frustration has also been tempered with humour.

“It was cheaper to buy overpriced chocolate eggs than petrol,” Trent Rayner said. Free public transport, introduced by the state government to ease pressure on motorists during

the Easter break, has been only a partial solution. Many residents have been unable to rely on the network due to ongoing disruptions.

On Wednesday 1 April, services on the Pakenham and Cranbourne lines were suspended, with buses replacing trains between Oakleigh and Dandenong after a fault later linked to vandalism. Commuters reported long lines and overcrowding at stations including Dandenong and Yarraman.

Further disruptions occurred on Tuesday, 7 April, with faults near Clayton causing ongoing delays and bus replacements across the network.

With global tensions ongoing, many residents now fear high fuel prices and disrupted travel plans could extend well beyond the Easter break.

Celebrating nature

Despite the cloudy sky and brisk air on the evening of Tuesday 7 April, Casey locals showed up in numbers for a Nature at Dusk event at Wilson Botanic Park. The event celebrated and recognised the significance of people, plants and place in the City of Casey. Those who attended had the opportunity to experience live music, nature walks, rock painting, self-guided nature journaling, and seek and find turtle scavenger hunt activities. Most noticeably, locals had the chance to see the new long-neck turtle sculpture installation and discover the park’s new nature play cubby house.

Corina’s dedication

By Jensy Callimootoo

More than a decade has passed since Corina Dutlow first took up a part-time position at the Australian-Filipino Community Service (AFCS).

But sitting at her desk at a Doveton church, the now CEO of the non-profit, has a plethora of skills and life experience up her sleeves and she’s ready to pass it on to the new generation.

In recognition of her work and service, on Friday March 27, Dutlow was called up on stage at Bunjil Place to claim the award for this year’s Casey’s Citizen of the Year.

Describing the walk up to seize the title, she says it was like being “put in slow motion”

But upon reflection, it was a welcomed recognition.

“It was very validating to know that not just my team is doing an amazing job but also me as an individual,” she said.

“Sometimes at that level, you don’t really have people telling you how you’re doing.

“It’s kind of lonely, so to get that external recognition that ‘hey, you know, you’re on the right track, keep doing what you’re doing’ , it was very encouraging.”

The AFCS was founded in 1991 by volunteers, as a not-for-profit organisation, aiming to serve the Filipino community in Victoria.

Its intention was to help families and women who are experiencing crises as well as aiding newly arrived families and individuals to adjust to life in Australia.

In the 35 years since its inception, through a connection of culture, customs, language, food and familiarity, the charity has expanded its capabilities — from aged care services, dementia support to charity meals and wellness calls.

The group has also just recently expanded its initiatives to New South Wales.

Dutlow’s work at AFSC first began when she was 19 years old, fresh out of high school she had little ambition to enter the non-profit sector with a career in speech pathology in her eyeline.

But after a stint at developing a social project,

a drive to serve her community was sparked.

“I put on this activity for them and I just saw their faces, I saw how thankful they were and how much it meant to them in that moment,” she said.

“I created this and I was able to actually help someone.

“I think it was empowering for them, which then empowered me to be like ‘oh, your ideas are validating, your ideas matter and can help people’,”

Dutlow first took the role of chief executive in 2023, three years on, she worked tirelessly to cre-

ate new opportunities, gather funding and initiate new services.

Amid the lessons and growth, Dutlow also cites periods of challenges, with societal roadblocks at play, from intergenerational challenges to gendered barriers.

“I’ve come a long way but it hasn’t been easy,” Dutlow told Star News.

“It’s nice now I’m not the youngest in the room but for the longest time I was.

“My ideas would get shut down and tackling that in the community has been challenging.

“Whether it’s a gender thing, there have been those situations where they thought I was just the young girl, that I didn’t know what I was talking about,”

“So there’s a lot of challenges that I’ve had to face and overcome.

“And I’m going to work hard to make sure that that doesn’t happen to other younger leaders or others that want to just help out.”

As she continues to set her mark, the start of 2026 brought with it fresh opportunities.

With a team of three young individuals by her side, the community leader travelled to the Philippines for 10 days — which she says was a lifelong dream.

“It’s been in my heart for such a long time to create a trip that brings young Aussie Filipinos to the Philippines to essentially be immersed in the Filipino culture,” she said.

For Dutlow, with a new accord under her belt, her achievements have long been shaped by AFCS and in turn, she hopes to do the same for those that follow.

Growing up with the organisation, the now CEO often navigates her era in the leadership seat by mirroring her own mentors.

“It (AFCS) needs to be a place where it is welcoming, kind and flexible to be able to harness people’s talents and what they can bring to the table, not focussing on what they can’t bring to the table or their limitations,” she said.

“I really love what I do and I’m excited for the future of AFCS”

Looking into the looking glass for the next three years, Dutlow hopes to target pockets of her community across the country that might not know AFCS exists.

With one guiding phrase in mind, the young CEO also hopes to help young Filipinos garner the confidence they need to take up space while still having a claim on their heritage.

“One community leader, she said to me, ‘a good leader doesn’t just open doors, but holds the door open for others to come through.’” Dutlow said.

New milestone for Australian-Filipino community group

By Jensy Callimootoo

The Australian-Filipino Community Services (AFCS) has been named Community Group of the Year at the 2026 awards marking a significant milestone for an organisation built on grassroots connection and cultural care.

For the team behind AFCS, the recognition is more than just a title, it is a powerful affirmation of their work within the community, says chief executive, Corina Dutlow.

“It was a humbling award to receive that recognition,” she said.

“Sometimes we all sort of just put our heads down and work and serve in the community and don’t take much time to look up and see the impact.”

She describes the award as a source of encouragement, particularly in a sector that often deals with complex and emotionally demanding cases.

“It’s that validation,” Dutlow said.

Noting that the acknowledgment reassures staff and volunteers that their efforts are both seen and valued by the wider community.

In reflection of that hard work, nestled in a church in Doveton, a team of five devoted employees sit at their desks in the early hours of a Tuesday morning tirelessly working for their Filipino community.

From aged-care and dementia support, family crisis support to creating intentional and holistic activities for youths and adults.

The organisation has grown rapidly as a response to increased demand, now supported by more than 50 volunteers and over 60 staff members, with a significant growth in the last decade.

“It’s grown, sometimes, you’re like how did we grow that fast?,” said Dutlow.

The services were first initiated in 1991 by a handful of “driven volunteers” whose only goal was to serve their community, says the CEO.

Rather than a top-down approach, AFCS emphasises participation at every level, encouraging volunteers and staff to contribute ideas and share skills — a sentiment championed by the executive board.

The award also highlights the importance of culturally specific services with AFCS becoming a vital resource for Filipino-Australians, offering

ed in shared identity.

Blitz on the roads

Footy fans heading to South Australia for AFL Gather Round are being warned to expect an increased police presence on Victorian roads.

For the first time, Victoria Police will launch a road policing operation on Thursday to coincide with AFL Gather Round, running for five-days.

Operation Constellate will see police highly visible and enforcing on all major arterial routes and metro feeder roads between Melbourne and the South Australian border, for the duration of the event.

The police presence will also continue over the border, with South Australia Police implementing a major traffic operation on metropolitan and regional routes to Adelaide.

The coordinated traffic operations across both states will ensure a significant police presence is expected for anyone commuting to and from the major event.

Road Policing Acting Superintendent, Sarah Carmichael urges drivers to drive safely and enjoy the weekend of AFL.

“We’ve just come off a major road policing operation for Easter which saw over 7,500 infringements issued, and while we certainly don’t want to be issuing penalties, we won’t hesitate to do so if we detect drivers disregarding the road rules.

“Ultimately, we will be doing all we can to ensure all motorists can make it safely to and from the event.”

Police will be conducting roadside alcohol and drug testing, with motorists warned to expect to be tested anywhere, anytime.

Speed enforcement will also be a major focus of the operation, with police urging drivers to stick to the speed limit to avoid receiving an infringement.

Police are urging motorists to remain alert when travelling to South Australia this weekend, with complacency often leading to driving errors such as excessive or inappropriate speed, unsafe overtaking, failing to stop or give way, fatigue and distraction – all which

have been

Fuel standards dropped

By Sahar Foladi

Motorists are urged not to be alarmed by the return of “dirty fuel” to ease the nation’s fuel crisis.

The Federal government had relaxed the fuel standards by announcing a stockpile release of previously restricted ‘high-sulphur fuel’ to help boost domestic supply and ease the fuel crisis.

This will release an additional 100 million litres of fuel per month, which equates to about two days’ extra supply, and will be in place for the next 60 days

This is despite increased use of this standard of fuel is proven to impact vehicle emission systems, fuel efficiency and components like catalytic converters and oxygen sensors.

But the Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce (VACC), CEO says the impacts are seen over time with higher sulphur levels reinforcing the importance of proper vehicle maintenance and expert advice.

“Modern vehicles are designed to run on low-sulphur fuel.

“For the average driver, you’re unlikely to notice an immediate issue, but prolonged use isn’t ideal for vehicle performance or longevity.

“Let’s be clear, ‘dirty fuel’ doesn’t mean contaminated or unsafe petrol.

“It simply refers to fuel with a higher sulphur content than Australia’s newest ultra-low sulphur standard.”

He says it’s the same fuel used as recently as December 2025 and meets government-approved standards.

Energy Minister Chris Bowen says the country has fuel “well into” May. But he doesn’t guarantee anything after May, saying it’s critical for Strait of

Community conference to be held on $1m Hallam landfill fund

By Violet Li

EPA Victoria will hold a community conference to hear community views on how to spend the $1 million that Veolia was ordered to pay over odour issues at its Hallam Road landfill.

The conference will be held on Saturday 9 May, and the registration has not yet been opened.

According to the EPA, this is the first stage of community consultation on what the funds will be used for, and at this in-person session, the EPA will share the criteria for project submissions and present examples of successful projects.

The session is run by an independent facilitator. They will provide a report to the EPA with recommendations and outcomes from the session.

EPA will make an expression of interest form for the projects available after the community conference.

A selection panel of EPA staff will recommend projects to their CEO for funding in June, according to the timeline.

The CEO makes the final decision on which project(s) are funded.

Once the agreed requirements of the project(s) are met, EPA will audit the project to confirm delivery and expenditure, and they will publish a report of their findings to ensure transparency.

The Supreme Court of Victoria ordered Veolia to make the payment into the Restorative Project Account administered by EPA Victoria in November 2025, after the company admitted breaching

hold a community conference on 9 May to hear community views on how to spend the $1 million that Veolia was ordered to pay over odour issues at its Hallam Road landfill. (FILE)

its licence conditions and contravention of the General Environmental Duty.

The funds are administered by EPA and must be used for one or more projects that benefit the environment and community in the area around the landfill at 274-310 Hallam Road in Hampton Park.

EPA is urging those organisations to attend the conference to hear directly from community members.

In January this year, the City of Casey received $200,000 for a revegetation scheme to provide habitat for the endangered southern brown bandicoot, funded by a restorative project order from SBI Landfill Pty Ltd.

To know more information, visit: epa.vic.gov. au/hallam-road-landfill-restorative-project

Sandcastles adventure

Pakenham Senior Citizens Club members enjoyed a trip to Frankston Sandcastles and the RSL for lunch on 31 March.

Lunch at the Cardinia Park Hotel on 9 April will be the club’s Easter celebration.

The committee is looking at future outings, possibly Cruden Farm, Ballan Park and Frankston RSL for lunch, a picnic lunch and a high tea in April.

Hoy will be held as usual on the second Tuesday at 12.30pm. Carpet bowls is on Saturday at 1pm. Bingo and cards are also held at 38 James Street. Those interested in the Pakenham Senior Citizens Club or rooms to rent can phone 5941 1297.

Two Cranbourne men charged

Two Cranbourne men have been charged for their alleged links to a syndicate behind a largescale conspiracy to import tonnes of illicit drugs into Victoria and traffic drugs around the country.

A 45-year-old man from Cranbourne West and a 38-year-old man from Cranbourne South are among nine men charged following a 10-month investigation into an alleged drug importation syndicate.

The investigation, known as Operation Bruce Cremorne, began in May 2025, when four crew members were rescued after a commercial trawler sank off the coast of Port Albert, Victoria.

The JOCTF began monitoring the movements of the crew due to suspicions about why the vessel had travelled out to sea in bad weather without the equipment usually required for commercial fishing.

Over the following months, police undertook surveillance of multiple local boat crews suspected to be linked to a drug importation syndicate.

It is alleged that the syndicate made multiple attempts to travel into Bass Strait to launch suspected ‘daughter vessels’ to travel to a predetermined drop zone to receive significant quantities of illicit drugs from a ‘mother ship’ passing through Australian waters.

The syndicate was unsuccessful in alleged attempts to facilitate any such transfer, and no importation occurred.

The Victorian Police executed rolling search warrants over the past month across the Victorian suburbs of Morwell, Glenroy, Cranbourne, Cranbourne West, Cranbourne South and Greenvale.

A further warrant was executed in the Sydney suburb of St Clair.

As part of this sweeping operational activity, eight men were arrested in Victoria, and one man was arrested in Sydney. Seven of the men were arrested for their alleged roles in a conspiracy to import illicit drugs, while two were solely charged for their alleged involvement in illicit drug trafficking activity.

Four of the men were also charged in connection with the seizure of 30kg of methamphetamine by the WA JOCTF in Perth on 11 August,

2025, and the seizure of 41kg of cocaine by the Victoria Police Viper Taskforce at Barnawartha in regional Victoria days later (13 August, 2025).

It will be alleged that these seizures in Western Australia and Victoria are connected to the criminal syndicate, which exploited trucking industry connections to facilitate the movement of illicit drugs between Australian states.

Investigations into the international syndicate behind an alleged mothership attempting to drop illicit cargo into Australian waters remain ongoing, and further arrests have not been ruled out.

The Cranbourne West man faced several serious charges, including attempting to import and possess 600kg of cocaine, trafficking a commer-

cial quantity of methamphetamine, and conspiracy to import up to 3.5 tonnes of cocaine.

He has been remanded in custody to next appear before Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 28 July, 2026.

The Cranbourne South man was charged with attempting to import and possess 600kg of cocaine, as well as conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of drugs.

He has been released on bail to next appear before Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 28 July, 2026.

Operation Bruce Cremorne was run by the Victorian Joint Organised Crime Taskforce (JOCTF), which includes the AFP, Victoria Police,

Australian Border Force (ABF) and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC).

Victoria Police Detective Superintendent Dave Cowan said: “As emphasised by police many times before, there is absolutely a level of concern that the appetite for drugs in Australia is so high that we become a favourable location for these organised crime syndicates.”

“As is startlingly clear, the damage caused by the use of illicit substances ripples throughout the community, and it does not just affect those using the drug. There have been many lives forever changed and ruined simply by their sheer misfortune of encountering someone who chose to take an illegal substance,” Det Supt Cowan said.

Fuel excise cuts in force

By Jensy Callimootoo

Free transport, excise cuts, working from home and small business support packages – the Federal and State governments have pulled out nearly all stops to navigate the soaring fuel costs propelled by the Middle-East and Washington conflict.

Despite the distance, in Melbourne’s SouthEast corridors like Casey and Cardinia Shire, commuters, business owners and farmers have all been impacted.

The Victorian state government has made public transport free for a month and has also urged those who can, to work from home to save on petrol.

On Monday 30 March, the price of diesel in much of Victoria sat just over $3 with unleaded 91 priced over $2.50 around Casey — pinching already tight pockets for many households.

That same day, the Commonwealth announced a four-stage national strategy and their plan to cut down the fuel excise for three months.

Officially adopted on Wednesday 1 April, consumers and motorists saw a 50 per cent cut to the fuel excise – bringing down the fuel excise by 26.3 cents per litre from 52.6 cents per litre.

In speaking to Star News, Monash University’s Econometrics and Business Statistics professor, Roberts Brooks answered some questions about what this means for future markets and consumers: What is the fuel excise?

The fuel excise is a levy by the Australian government on petrol and diesel bought at the bowser.

This federal flat sales tax goes into the Government’s general revenue, which is then used to fund our transport infrastructure.

Typically, the excise goes up twice a year, in February and August and will move upward to

align with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) — in early February 2026, before the conflict began, the excise went up to 52.6 cents per litre.

In halving the excise, Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the cuts would save a 65L tank vehicle about $19.

Also impacted is the heavy-vehicle charge, which has been reduced to 0 from 32.4 cents per litre.

This applies to vehicles like buses, coaches and trucks.

On top of the federal cuts, state and territories have agreed to use extra GST revenue to further reduce the petrol tax for consumers.

This will include a cut of 6 cents per litre — delivering a total reduction of 32 cents per litre for the next three months.

Has the government reduced the fuel excise before?

Yes, when Russia attacked Ukraine in early February of 2022, global markets were similarly impacted, fuel prices surged and electricity bills soared.

At that time, the Morrison government halved the excise for a six-month period from March 2022 to September 2022.

According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), in the weeks after the fuel excise was cut, daily average petrol prices fell by at least 39 cents per litre in Melbourne and other metropolitan areas across the country.

“The last time the fuel excise was cut in 2022 we saw a rapid response in fuel prices and a very strong pass through,” said Prof Brooks.

“We should expect the same again, though it is worth noting that international price movements will likely play a major role after that immediate impact.”

For motorists to fully benefit from the excise,

petrol stations will first need to sell the fuel they had paid for at the full rate of excise – this will be dependent on the turnover of fuel.

For those in regional areas, the rippled benefits may take longer to work through the system.

At the time of writing, on 8 April, a week since the excise cuts took effect, a slight decrease in fuel prices have been noted.

Around Casey, Cardinia Shire and Greater Dandenong the lowest cost of unleaded 91 sits at $2.23 cents per litre. This is in comparison to last week’s $2.29 cents per litre.

Last week diesel prices sat between $2.98$3.29 across different service stations, today it sits between $3.09 - $3.25 cents per litre.

Are there any risks to cutting the fuel excise?

Prof Brooks says that following the 2022 fuel excise reduction, as the cuts worked its way through the system, temporary cost of living relief was evident to consumers.

Drawing on analysis previously conducted by the ACCC, Prof Brooks, noted that when the fuel excise was temporarily reduced in 2022, the vast majority of the savings were passed on directly to consumers.

However, he does highlight that cheaper fuel could free up household budgets and encourage additional discretionary spending, potentially adding to inflationary pressures. The economist acknowledged this risk but suggested it is likely being overstated in the current environment.

With global oil prices driving petrol costs higher, any reduction in excise would more likely offset existing price pressures rather than create a sense of surplus among consumers.

In this context, households are unlikely to view the savings as a windfall to be spent freely, particularly given already subdued consumer sentiment.

Ultimately, while there is some risk that increased spending could add marginal inflationary

pressure, the economist argued this is probably limited under current conditions.

The broader policy question for the government, he suggested, is how best to design cost-ofliving measures that provide targeted relief without unintentionally stimulating demand in a way that fuels inflation.

The government also adopted a four-stage National Fuel Strategy Plan. What is it?

To mitigate the unpredictability of the continuous shocks to global oil and gas supply, following a National Cabinet meeting, the Albanese government released a four-stage model.

With the announcement of the fuel excise, we’re currently at stage two, which is the commonwealth working with states and territory to ‘Keeping Australia Moving’

It is yet unclear what exactly will need to happen to the current fuel supply for level three or four to be triggered.

According to the plan, level three would be triggered if there were ongoing disruptions to fuel supply, meaning the government would work getting fuel to where it’s most needed and adopt voluntary practical measures to limit fuel use.

The Prime Minister specified that an escalation to level three would not come anytime soon and that if activated, clear instructions would be specified to direct fuel to key areas.

The fourth and final stage would work to ensure the protection of critical services and that the economy continues to operate — this includes life supporting services, utilities or emergency services.

Prof Brooks said that the release of the plan is “helpful”, but that some aspects are still unclear.

“We don’t fully know what would trigger moving to the later stages but if stage 2 is managed well and the conflict does not intensify we should avoid the later stages,” he said.

Children’s books rereleased for local author

By Carmela Mendoza

Endeavour Hills author and retired teacher Grace Nolan is releasing a second edition of her book series One to Ten and Back Again.

The books were originally published in 2021 but “unfortunately the children’s books were

right through Covid so they didn’t get much of a chance,” Grace said.

“It’s lovely that they are re-released now so they can get another chance.”

This latest edition features hard covers to improve product quality and durability.

“The publishers approached me to re-release

this year and I was so thrilled because I thought they were over and done with,” she said.

As a primary and secondary school teacher, Ms Nolan saw many students struggle with basic knowledge like the alphabet and she saw this transfer over to academic achievement.

The three-book series was written to help kids

learn foundational skills with counting, addition and subtraction.

The books were re-published by Big Sky Publishing in late February and are available online and in-store.

Details: simonandschuster.com.au/series/ One-to-Ten-and-Back-Again

HOME CARE  WHAT’S AVAILABLE IN YOUR AREA?

Personalised care at home

Pakenham aged-care service Support in Your Home is driven by a deep and genuine commitment to dignity, independence and truly personalised care.

Its services include personal care, domestic assistance, community access, meal support, and clinical care - all tailored to each individual’s needs, preferences, and goals.

Managing director Samantha Paul says its focus is on reliable, high-quality support from a small, consistent team of support workers.

Support in Your Home was created because they saw first-hand what was missing in the industry.

It pledged a “better, more personalised approach” , Ms Paul says.

“Our ethos places genuine relationships, strong communication and consistency at its centre.

“We ensure every client feels safe, respected and valued in their own home.”

Every support plan is thoughtfully tailored to the client’s unique goals, preferences, cultural needs and lifestyle.

“We take the time to truly understand each person, recognising that circumstances, abilities and priorities naturally evolve over time,” Ms Paul says.

“We believe communication is the foundation of trust, so clients, families and coordinators always kept fully informed about what’s happening.”

Its compassionate support workers are carefully matched to clients, aligning their personality, routine and support style to the clients’ needs.

The service also adapts quickly to schedule changes, emerging needs and support requests, even at short notice.

Ms Paul said it maintains “rigorous standards” across all areas of training, safety procedures,

documentation and client wellbeing.

“Every day, we take immense pride in enabling people to remain safely, confidently, and happily in their own homes, the place where they

feel most comfortable and in control.

“We have supported countless individuals on their journey toward greater independence, helping them build skills, confidence, and a renewed

sense of possibility.”

Support in Your Home is open Mondays-Fridays 9am-5pm at Level 3, 2 Pacific Promenade, Pakenham. Phone: 7037 0830.

Funding rejected for job program

By Sahar Foladi

A service provider for women in the South East is challenging the refusal of funding that would help 30 vulnerable women into jobs.

Wellsprings for Women has written to the federal Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Amanda Rishworth, expressing disappointment and seeking her assistance for a review.

Wellsprings CEO Dalal Smiley says it had been confident in securing a grant from the government’s $10 million fund as it ticked all the boxes.

“By rejecting our application, 30 women from migrant and refugee backgrounds, whose only hope to earn their money and be financially independent, have been let down again by a system that fails to give them an opportunity. A system that is steeped in bureaucratic processes, that fails to think outside the box.

“The error might be in the form of unconscious bias that fails to be flexible in addressing the challenges that keep women in poverty.

“Securing employment for women like our clients is not solved through mainstream one-sizefits-all approaches.

“I find that a rejection based on a very vague explanation needs to be challenged.”

The grant application was under the Local Jobs, Local People program run by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.

The $10 million initiative supports activities that help people into employment, training and building pathways across the country. The grant range is typically from $50,000 to $250,000.

While Ms Smiley understands the competitive nature of funding, she is highly confident in the success rate of their proposed project, especially after they consulted “key decision makers”

A spokesperson for the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations says it doesn’t comment on the assessment of individual applications.

“The Local Jobs, Local People grant round was highly competitive and attracted strong interest from community organisations across the country.

“Applications were assessed independently and fairly against eligibility and assessment criteria.”

Successful applicants will be published on the department’s website once finalised.

Ms Smiley wrote to Ms Rishworth in February and is yet to hear from her office.

If approved, this project would have trained 30 women as nail technicians and makeup artists to further their skills and establish them as sole traders.

It sought to minimise many of the barriers faced by vulnerable refugee and migrant women, such as trauma, children, lack of support, and incompatible work hours.

Ms Smiley says this was explored as an option

last year after long consultation with the women and the employment sector.

“The course included retail skills, product knowledge, customer service, and more.

“While Chisholm does the training, our role would be to offer the women one-to-one support during the course and after they graduate to help them transition to employment.

“We believe that migrant and refugee women who face language and cultural barriers, family violence, homelessness, in securing employment require a tailored approach that combines education, confidence-building skills assessment, trauma-informed approach, and dedicated case work support in identifying jobs, applying and securing work, and also retaining a job post-employment.”

From 2021-’23 the organisation provided employment support to 249 migrant and refugee women, of which 70 per cent secured jobs and 30

per cent improved job readiness. This was supported by state government funding.

After the funding ceased, the organisation applied to philanthropic organisations such as Scanlon Foundation for $70,000 over 18 months to continue their intensive case work, build links with employers, and provide the women seeking work with additional support from a mentor.

Currently, due to a lack of funding streams, Wellsprings says it’s unable to meet existing demands with only 20 trained mentors and 12 clients.

Meanwhile, critics are questioning the federal government’s $1.5 million Dandenong Employment Hub, which they say doesn’t guarantee any jobs for jobseekers. The hub is said to act as a “connector service” between job seekers and employers in the region.

Casey school shifts focus on neurodiversity awareness for change

By Jensy Callimootoo

A school in Casey is taking a more meaningful approach to neurodiversity education, shifting the focus from simple awareness to genuine understanding and inclusion.

Students at Australian Christian College Casey recently took part in a school-wide Neurodiversity Awareness Day, with the event reflecting a growing recognition in schools that inclusion is not just about accommodation, but about understanding prolonged by meaningful change.

With this in mind, the school placed a strong emphasis on student voice, particularly among senior students, inviting them to explore what neurodiversity looks like in everyday life.

Classrooms became spaces for open dialogue, where students could share perspectives and reflect on how they support one another, extending the impact well beyond a single event.

The event also saw students and staff wearing hoodies as part of the ‘Hoodie Up for Autism’ campaign, raising funds and awareness for autism support.

Younger students also played a key role in shaping the day’s message with a prep performance titled, ‘I Am Wonderfully Made’ which highlighted themes of individuality and belonging, reinforcing the idea that differences are something to be embraced.

One of the most impactful moments came from a staff member who shared her lived experi-

Vital funds for food relief

By Jensy Callimootoo

The Labor Government has announced it will deliver an immediate $2.7 million for food relief organisations doing it tough amid the rising cost of living.

Foodbank, who called on the government for more funding on 17 March, will receive $900,000 to keep food moving and frontline services equipped.

OzHarvest, which facilitates daily community food drop offs, soup kitchens and grocery pickup around Casey, will be receiving $200,000 to rescue and redistribute surplus food.

Victorian Sikh Gurdwaras Council, Sikh Volunteers Australia, Gurduara Council of Victoria and Australian Sikh Support will share in $200,000 to continue their services.

Community Information & Support Victoria (CISVic) are often a first port of call for families who need support and they’ll receive $100,000 to keep supporting families.

Premier Jacinta Allan said that this funding will be aiding frontline services to in turn, help families.

“No family should ever have to worry about where their next meal is coming from,” the Premier said.

“It won’t solve every problem but it’s immediate help we can provide right now to people who need it most.”

Last week, Star News reported that local Casey not-for-profits were facing mounting pressure as demand for aid continues to grow as more households struggle with food insecurity.

Vinnies Soup Van, said the current deepening fuel crisis was impacting their ability to efficiently carry out the charity’s purpose. Including the impacts of fuel levies.

Melbourne’s OzHarvest, who does extensive work across The City of Casey to tackle growing food insecurity in the region, has also been feeling the impacts of the global conflict on fuel.

An OzHarvest spokesperson said that with 13 vans on the road across Victoria, coupled with diesel prices soaring by 40 per cent — the money going into fuel stock means money being taken out of the food budget.

And as fuel costs continue to increase, food insecurity and demand on food relief organisations is likely to grow.

“We know demand for food relief is the canary in the coal mine for household economic stress – the impact of fuel costs on already tight household budgets means that food is often the first thing to go,” the spokesperson said.

“The charities we support on the frontline are constantly seeing new people seeking help for the first time and any time costs rise, demand grows.”

With the newly announced government funding, OzHarvest says it’s a “good starting point” , but that more action is needed.

ence with an acquired brain injury.

Her story offered students a personal lens on neurological difference, along with practical guidance on how to show understanding and support in everyday interactions.

Teachers continued these conversations in classrooms through age-appropriate discussions and reflective activities, helping students engage more deeply with the topic.

One student in Year 9 described the experience as eye-opening.

“It helped me realise that everyone’s brain works differently and that this is a good thing rather than something to hide,” they said.

A staff member also echoed this sentiment, saying initiatives like this help young people move beyond awareness toward empathy and kindness.

The inclusive event also garnered support from caretakers, with one parent saying that the day signalled a broader cultural shift.

“It is encouraging to see the school not only acknowledge neurodiversity but celebrate it in a way that includes every child,” they said.

This includes systemic solutions to address food insecurity to ensure households “do not get left behind in the development of the first National Food Security Strategy”

“The government must address the core drivers of food insecurity through income support and housing,” they said.

“And look at immediate support for supporting kids through the provision of meals in the school system.”

Buckling up for rode

The Lang Lang Rodeo 2026 delivered a full day of excitement, drawing families and rodeo fans from across the region on Easter Monday. Cowboys and cowgirls showcased their skills on bulls and broncs, thrilling the crowd with daring rides and high-energy performances. Beyond the arena, the event offered plenty of familyfriendly fun. Children enjoyed free pony rides and face painting, while the popular Dachshund Dash had everyone laughing. Attendees relaxed on rugs and chairs, sampling delicious treats from the food court and soaking up the lively country atmosphere.

Amazing young volunteer

By Violet Li

Casey’s 2026 Young Citizen of the Year, Bailey Ogden, has been recognised for his wide-ranging contributions to the community, from performing arts to wildlife conservation across the region.

Bailey, who has autism, described it as his “superpower” , something that allows him to focus deeply on the things he cares about most.

His passions span very different worlds: performing arts and wildlife conservation.

His journey on stage began at just nine years old with the local theatre group BATS.

“I joined BATS because back in primary school, I didn’t have much to do,” Bailey recalled.

“I was getting quite bored. I wasn’t really into sports either, so I noticed one of my friends was doing theatre.

“So, I decided to join them at BATS and have been there ever since and am still doing acting with them.”

What started as a way to fill time quickly became something much more.

“I started off just being a background… no words, just ran across the stage,” Bailey recalled.

Over the years, he built his portfolio step by step, from small roles to speaking parts, and now, he leads performances.

This year, in May, he will perform his first lead role in Game of Tiaras, produced by BATS, which combines the plot twists of Game of Thrones and Shakespearean tragedy.

Supported by mentors, including Bridie Clark, the president of BATS, and his family, Bailey has expanded his skills across singing, dancing and acting, even exploring Shakespeare and preparing to audition for broader theatre opportunities.

Off the stage, Bailey is a familiar figure in local animal welfare circles.

After completing a 12-week program with the Mornington Peninsula Wildlife Project, he was invited to stay on as a volunteer, working as a tour guide and helping care for animals at a rescue farm.

He later completed a zoology qualification, finishing an 18-month course in just 10 months with a 98.5 per cent pass rate, specialising in reptiles and amphibians.

“He’s identified an endangered red goshawk in Cranbourne that is not meant to be in Victoria, and that’s being reported to the zoo,” mother Kristie Odgen said.

“He’s rescued possums and birds and anything else that the neighbours tell us needs rescuing.

“He always thinks about animals. Like, we went for a respite thing down to Phillip Island. And within the first couple of hours, he found a deceased seal on the beach. So, he waited till they came and collected it.

“Then he was moving echidnas off the road. He was moving ducks off the road.”

Looking ahead, Bailey said he’s determined to continue to pursue animal conservation in the future.

“We’re losing a lot of our native wildlife,” he said.

“A lot of people aren’t going to get to see [them] unless something’s done about it.”

Kristie said Bailey eventually wanted to create his own sanctuary, while also speaking to local students about protecting wildlife and pursuing their passions.

The Cranbourne local said he was “completely shocked” when he learned that he won the Casey Young Citizen of the Year.

“I knew I had stiff competition, so I wasn’t really

expecting to get it at all,” he said.

“Because I don’t do volunteering for the recognition. I do it because I enjoy helping other people.”

The award has meant a lot to him.

“It means that I’m able to expand on what I’m doing and give a voice to help not only the animals but also help people understand what the environment is going through,” Bailey said.

“And promote that even if people have a disability, they can do what they want.

“They can do amazing things.

“Always find the good things in your life and find something to do.

“Explore around, find what ignites your passion. Because there’s always something out there for everyone.”

Hallam CFA member earns top Casey honour

By Violet Li

Long-time Hallam CFA volunteer Graham Lovett has been named Casey’s Senior Citizen of the Year for 2026, recognised for nearly six decades of service with the Country Fire Authority and ongoing community work across the region.

“I was shocked,” the 78-year-old recalled his reaction when he won the awards.

“I thought somebody else would have got it before I would have got it.”

Graham’s contribution spans nearly six decades with the CFA, beginning as a young man of about 20, following in the footsteps of his father, who was a brigade captain.

What started as a family tradition has grown into a lifelong commitment, with Graham now mentoring new recruits, running school programs and maintaining vital fire equipment for his brigade.

“It’s rewarding to just help the community,” he said.

Graham’s CFA journey has taken him across multiple brigades, including Narbethong, Doveton and now Hallam, where he has served for more than two decades.

Over the years, he has responded to “countless” emergencies, from house fires and factory blazes to car accidents, and travelled interstate multiple times to assist with major bushfires in New South Wales and Tasmania.

Beyond emergency response, his commitment extends into everyday community support. He volunteers two half-days each week with The Salvation Army.

Service,itseems,runsdeepintheGraham’sfamily.

HisdaughternowservesascaptainoftheHallam brigade, while his son is a lieutenant.

Like many long-serving volunteers, Graham acknowledged the challenges of the role, including the emotional toll and the unpredictability of callouts, even during family occasions.

“You’d leave Christmas dinner when the pager goes off,” he said.

“There probably are (incidents that stood out), but over the years, you just forget about them.”

Having witnessed decades of change in firefighting practices, Graham said safety had become a greater priority over time.

“The bridge is always changing. Things change. The way we do things has changed in a big way over the years,” he said.

“Andnowit’ssortofsafetyisfirst.Lookafteryourself first.”

For Graham, it is the people who have made the decades of service worthwhile.

“It’s the friendship with everybody,” he said.

“The way we attack grass fires is that we would sort of wait for the fires to come out before we attack them. Years ago, we used to go into the bush and put them out.

“Everybody looks after everybody.”

WHAT’S ON

Learn to Play The Ukulele

The Ukulele is a very simple instrument to learn – perfect for the lazy potential musician. No need for the ability to read music or practice endless scales.

Join this relaxed, happy group to sing and strum away, making magical music togetheraiming for progress rather than perfection. Bring a love of music, a sense of fun and a Ukulele.

Ten week course - bookings essential.

Outlook Community Centre, Toomuc Valley Road, Pakenham Friday 24th April, 10:30 - 12:00.

• For further information contact the Outlook Community Centre on 5940 4728.

Fundraiser for Miller

A fundraiser is being held for a local family and for their brave son Miller Daniel, who is sadly battling a rare form of stage 4 cancer.

A family fun day for Miller is being held in April to raise funds for the family to support them in ongoing medical care and to create wonderful moments for Miller.

Donations to the family and for the day are welcome.

The family fun day will be held at PB Ronald Reserve, Pakenham on Sunday 26 April at 11am.

• For details, contact Katelyn at: kaay. xx9415@gmail.com

Pakenham Seniors

People interested in a happy, social atmosphere and meeting new friends are invited to visit Pakenham Senior Citizens Clubrooms at 38 James Street on any Monday morning.

• The club has regular activities. Rooms are available to rent. Telephone 5941 1297.

Singers wanted

Cranbourne Chorale is recruiting for its non-auditioned adult community choir for mixed voices. Our repertoire is a mix of uplifting songs. Feel free to visit us without obligation; the first four sessions are free of charge.

• Wednesday rehearsals 7.30pm at The Factory, Building 5, 65 Berwick-Cranbourne Road, Cranbourne East. Details: Jenny, 0438 358 032.

Pakenham Probus

The Original Club in Pakenham for over 30 years. Pakenham Probus welcomes retired people from the community for fun and friendship.

They meet at the Cardinia Club on the first Thursday of the month at 10am. They have the meeting, followed by morning tea and a chat. Then a guest speaker is welcomed to enlighten or entertain. The group then stays at the venue for a pay yourself lunch and chat.

During the month, the group provides at minimal costs 10-pin bowling, craft activities, book club, tours, yearly holiday, 2 coffee mornings, dine out and a walking group.

• You can take part in whichever activities you want. Join and have a great time. Contact John Stitt: 0407766494

Fight Parkinson’s Support Group

Pakenham

Do you or someone near and dear to you who has Parkinson’s?

They meet on the third Wednesday of each month at Officer Football Club, 20 Starling Road, Officer.

They start at 10am through to 12pm and all those who have Parkinson’s and their carers are very welcome.

They would love to invite you to join them for a cuppa and a good chat.

• For more information call Tracey on 0494 562 509.

CHURCH

If you are interested in building cherished friendships, serving our communities whilst making a difference in this world, come and see how the largest world wide womens organisation works together.

Inner Wheel of Pakenham are looking for more members to join for a new schedule of events this year.

Events included talks from guest speakers, movie days, coffee mornings, craft days and other special events.

Meetings are held on the 1st Thursday morning of each month.

Please check out the Inner Wheel Australia website for more information, nnerwheelaustralia.org.au and contact the local Club at iiw. au.pakenham@gmail.com if you are interested in joining.

Anzac Day dawn service Gembrook

Giving notice early, Gembrook RSL is set to mark Anzac Day once again.

The Dawn Service will be held at 6am at Remembrance Park, with a gunfire breakfast following at the RSL clubrooms.

At 11am, a march of the RSL, along with community groups such as the Gembrook Scouts and Gembrook Primary School, will be held down the Avenue of Honour.

Afterward, it will be back to the RSL for refreshments.

Learn to play bridge

Berwick Bridge Club is looking for new members. There are two free beginners’ courses.

One starting on Friday morning 6thth February 2026 from 10:00-12 noon and the second one on Monday night starting 2nd February 2026 from 7-9pm. Both courses run for 10/12 weeks. Lessons are held at Brentwood Park Neighbourhood House, 21A Bemersyde drive Berwick. No partner is required.

• To reserve your place, please phone Maree

on 97022348.

Little learner’s playgroup

Join Aspire Pakenham centre every Friday morning from 10:30-11:30am for free playgroup sessions for your little one. It’s the perfect opportunity for children to play, explore and make new friends, with a new theme every week. Hosted by Anglicare Victoria, the event will be held at the community centre, 75 Army Rd in Pakenham.

Cardinia Prostate Cancer Support Group

Meeting on the first Thursday of each month at Outlook Community Centre, 24 Toomuc Valley Road, Pakenham

• All are welcome. For more information please contact Span Hanna on 0422917386 or email spanetc@hotmail.com

Get Involved with Pakenham Central Probus

If you are retired or semi-retired, Pakenham Central Probus offers you a dynamic and friendly club. Activities include dine outs, outings, coffee mornings, walking group, craft group, ten pin bowling, trips as well as concerts and theatre outings.

Monthly meetings are held in Pakenham on Thursdays with reports on the Club’s activities, interesting speakers and opportunities to socialise and sign up for any of the activities that interest you.

There’s never a dull moment—good company, great experiences, and memories to cherish. Come along for a visit to see if the Club suits your needs.

• Contact: our Jan 0417 371 004 or email pakenhamcentralprobus@gmail.com

Garfield Exercise Group

As part of the Bunyip Friendship Hub, they meet at the Garfield Football Club rooms on Tuesdays at 10am.

Garfield Sewing Club

Come along with your sewing machine or use

Pakenham Regional Mission Area

“Our vision as a Christian community is to honour each individual’s experience of God, while sharing the love of Jesus in a positive, safe and inclusive environment.”

The Easter period is very busy in churches. On Good Friday Rev. Wendy Snook (retired) took the service looking at the arrest of Jesus, his trial and eventual crucifixion. Wendy presented some lovely harp music which was quite haunting.

Sunday’s service was conducted by Pastor Jo Crisp and Iris Spencer. It was the Easter Day service and communion. It began with the Gospel

reading of John 20 (1-18) with a deeply personal moment when Mary Magdalene came to the tomb where Jesus had been laid and discovered the tomb was empty. She was distraught and ran to the disciples for assurance.

You all know the story – she was weeping and the angels asked her why. When she turned around Jesus was standing there.

Easter day is transformative with the special Easter story.

Jo and Iris presented a story in which had water, bread, a towel, fish, an unlit candle, a garden, oil, stones, a shroud and wine. This told the story

one of ours and join a group of sewers creating clothes, quilts, crafts, repairing and upcycling. All skill levels welcome but a gold coin donation.

This event is held every Tuesday during the school term at Garfield Scout Hall.

Food Relief with Vegetables and Fruit

Available every second Wednesday at 2pm at MoyYan Neighbourhood House in Garfield. Inner Wheel Club of Berwick

The Inner Wheel Club (IW) Berwick is a ladies international friendship club which raises funds to support local charities and other worthwhile causes.

They have a dinner meeting on the first Monday of the month and enjoy a range of activities including guest speakers, morning teas, book club and craft afternoons

• For more information, visit their Facebook page or contact iiw.au.berwick@gmail.com

Berwick Springs VIEW Club

Affiliated with The Smith Family, the Berwick Springs VIEW Club is a not-for-profit organisation, with the aim to fundraise to support Learning for Life students.

The club currently supports 10 students of varying ages with their education expenses. The club meets on the first Monday of each month in the Berwick Springs Hotel function room from 11.15am, where members enjoy a lunch and then host a guest speaker. Throughout the year, the club has a couple of special fundraisers, as well as casual morning tea and lunch for interested ladies.

The club is always looking for new members in all age groups.

• For more information, contact Shirley on 0438 191 759 or email berwicksprings.viewclub@gmail.com

Probus Club of Pakenham East

The Probus Club of Pakenham East is encouraging new members to join the Club.

Meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month at the Cardinia Club, 71 Racecourse Road Pakenham. Meeting commences at 10:30am.

A short meeting is followed by morning tea and the opportunity to get to know members prior to the introduction of the guest speaker. Various activities are held throughout the month

For more information, please contact President Pamela on 0418584913 or contact SecretaryDorothy on probuspakenhameast@gmail.com

U3A Casey

Did you know that U3A Casey now has 471 members and operates out of multiple venues across the Casey area?

It offers 65 different classes, ranging from exercise/movement/dance groups to literature, crafts, music, discussion groups and more. If you want to keep both your mind and body active after retirement, then visit u3acasey. org.au

Casey Cardinia Life Activities Club

Weekly social activities with dancing, trips away via coach, a weekly morning coffee club, monthly Saturday country pub lunches, monthly Tuesday dine-outs, a weekly walking group, a weekly table tennis group, seasonal daytime musical theatre outings, entertainment function days and more.

• Thursdays 2pm for socialising and low-key dancing at Brentwood Park Neighbourhood Houseat 21A Bemersyde Drive or Wednesdays 10am for coffee and chats at the new François cafe in front of Myer in Fountain Gate. Details: Garry - 0409 785 400

of the Easter day.

The congregation then shared communion which was special because of the day. After this morning tea had easter buns and chocolate eggs.

Please note that if you want to share your ideas of the renovation of the kitchen and bathrooms please speak to Doreen Stitt who is compiling the information.

Homework Hub Finished for this term.

Playgroup Wednesday mornings. 9.30am

Elders gathering in April 16th 1.30pm Church Council Next meeting April 16th

3.00pm 2026. Friendship Group May 6th 1.30pm

Please ensure that the doors are locked when you leave the building and the heating/cooling and lights are off.

Please continue to contribute to the Lazarus Food Relief which is being run by the COPTIC church who are providing hampers for the community which they distribute each Saturday at 2.00pm. A box is in the foyer for donations. Psalm 118 V4 “ The Lord is my strength and my might, he has become my salvation.”

goal-oriented, and results-driven.

•Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

•Previous sales or customer service experience is a plus, but not required.

If you're ready to take on this exciting role with the flexibility you desire, we want to hear from you!

Plastics manufacturers hit

By Cam Lucadou-Wells

Plastic packaging manufacturers have just “weeks” of polymer resin stocks due to disrupted supply chains from the Middle East war.

South-Eastern Metropolitan MP David Limbrick told State Parliament on 31 March it was an “urgent issue” that could lead to job losses and shortages of medicines and essential supermarket items.

He said he was alerted by a South-East manufacturer that “we may only have two or three months supply for the raw materials used in blow moulds, including polyethylene”

Polyethylene is commonly used in plastic bottles for consumer goods, such as shampoo, detergents, food and shrink wrap as well as plastic pipes.

“A lot of people probably don’t know that a large amount of our plastic containers and packaging is made in Australia using imported materials,” Mr Limbrick later told Star News.

“Disruption to the supply of these materials is not just a problem for the manufacturers.

“This could cause massive disruption for farmers, supermarkets, chemists and many other industries.”

The Victorian Libertarians leader said the issue had “gone under the radar” but the “clock is ticking”.

“I am encouraged that since I made the speech, government officials have started talking to manufacturers.

“We need them to ensure trade channels are open with the US so we can get a shipment of polymers to Australia as soon as possible.”

A South-East manufacturer said their supplier told them they couldn’t guarantee resin supplies, due to Asian countries withholding resins soon after the Iran war started on 28 February.

The company has since scrambled to source polymer resins from the US.

The manufacturer hoped this was a “wake-up call” for the Government to rebuild sovereign capability, given six of eight domestic oil refineries had closed over the past two decades.

“I think they’re all ears. I think they’ve had the scare of their life. This is the biggest impact on the petrofuel industry that Australia has experienced.

“We knocked out six refineries because it was too costly to upgrade them. Well, how costly is it now, when we can’t produce diesel and resins for our own livelihoods?”

South East Melbourne Manufacturers Alli-

chief executive

Walker called for action from state Industry Minister Colin Brooks and federal Industry Minister Tim Ayres to address supplies.

She agreed it was an issue of “sovereign capability” , and called for manufacturing to be elevated to an “essential service” – like it was during the Covid pandemic.

“We face serious consequences of product

spoiling, rotting and wasting at farm gates and food processing sites because it can’t be packaged.

“Current polymer stocks are maintained on a ‘just in time’ basis as we no longer manufacture polymer here in Australia since (polyethylene manufacturer) Qenos in Altona was forced to close due to the high cost of gas and no government assistance.

“Australia’s sovereign supply chain must be protected without delay.”

Victorian Industry and Advanced Manufacturing Minister Colin Brooks is set to host an industry roundtable with plastics manufacturers on 14 April to discuss the impacted supply chains, a spokesperson said.

Mr Brooks was also raising their concerns “directly with the Commonwealth”

“In Victoria, we’re also taking practical steps now – including free public transport for April, helping take pressure off fuel demand and freeing up supply for the industries that rely on it.”

Australia is at Level 2 of the National Fuel Security Plan, meaning supply was secure but with some localised disruptions.

At this level, governments take precautionary action such as engaging with trade partners to shore up domestic supply.

According to the State Government, fuel is arriving in Australia in the “expected” quantities and frequency, with shipments already on the way in coming weeks.

A Federal Government spokesperson said it was bringing forward $6.15 billion through the National Reconstruction Fund to support Australian businesses hit by global supply chain disruption.

“We are accelerating all three NRF sub-funds to get capital moving faster, including zero-interest loans for manufacturers involved in critical supply chains.

“This is about stabilising supply chains today and building Australia’s industrial strength for the future.”

Sheza an absolute beauty

By David Nagel

Sheza Alibi is one impressive thoroughbred.

Just five months after landing the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups double; champion jockey Jamie Melham was left shaking her head in awe after the jaw-dropping win of Pakenhamtrained Sheza Alibi in Saturday’s Group 1 Doncaster Handicap (1600m).

Melham’s stunned reaction to the fourand-a-half-length victory in Australia’s most iconic mile race echoed that of racing fans around the nation.

The Peter Moody and Katherine Colemantrained three-year-old filly trounced her opposition - setting Randwick alight - putting her name forward as one of the two most exciting horses in Australia.

Melham settled Sheza Alibi well back in second last place at the 600-metre mark before unleashing a memorable sprint in the straight to race away with the $4million classic.

She became the first three-year-old filly to win the Doncaster since the great New Zealand mare Sunline.

For someone who had only recently enjoyed the highest of highs at the Melbourne spring carnival, Melham was stunned by the performance which justified her wasting to ride the filly at the lightweight of 49 kilos.

“I’d go starving and hungry every week if I could sit on a horse like that,” Melham said post-race.

“We know she’s a good horse; but she had to do it today in that ground.

“I was back further than I wanted to be, we were wider than I wanted to be.

“But in the end though it didn’t matter, in two or three strides I was going to win by half the length of the straight.

“That was incredible.

“They know she’s a good horse but what she did then; I’ve never sat on a horse that’s given me a feel like that and I’ve sat on plenty of good horses in the past.

“She’s a freak.

“When I pushed the button, it took two or three strides and I thought ‘we’re home’.

“I’ve still got goosebumps.”

Moody was smiling from ear-to-ear post-

race after his star filly created a huge impression on one of the biggest days of the year.

“That was special wasn’t it,” Moody said.

“I thought she’s a long way out of her ground but Jamie (Melham) knew what she was doing.

“I just said to her ‘go out and have some fun, and don’t fight with them, just do what you’ve gotta do’.

“She’s just amazing.

“I’ve been blessed to train one of the greatest we’ve ever seen (Black Caviar) but this filly is just amazing.

“I’m not saying she’s Black Caviar but that was just…shit…how good.

“It’s just emotional, she’s just a special, special horse.

“Where’s the ceiling? You don’t know.

“It’s special.

“I’m happy Autumn Glow wasn’t here, I can tell you that, she’s a superstar.

“The day will probably come, let’s hope it does for Australin racing, where they meet, but I’m happy to stay away from her for as long as we possibly can.

“But I don’t think we’re going to hide from

too many when you see a performance like that.

“Just a very special horse.”

The impact of Sheza Alibi’s win in the Doncaster Handicap was clearly evident when assessing the market moves for Australia’s greatest weight-for-age race; the Cox Plate, to be run at Flemington this year on Saturday 24 October.

Sheza Alibi, previously $13, is now equal third favourite at $5, alongside Aeliana, with Autumn Glow favourite at $2.50 and Calandagan on the next line of betting at $4.50.

Drought breaks as AAA secures first win of the season

By David Nagel

A first win of the season for AAA Dartz and a magnificent 160 peg out were the standout highlights of round seven in the South West Gippsland Dart League.

AAA and Dart Devils were both winless heading into their bottom-of-the-table clash and it was AAA that emerged with a heart-stopping 8-7 victory.

Once again, it was the super-consistent Ted Jordan that led the way for AAA; throwing four tons on the night to take his tally to 24 for the season.

Dart Vaders have continued their strong run of recent form, with Charlie throwing a spectacular 160 checkout in an 11-4 win over Bullseyes.

The Vaders have now won three of their last four with their only loss coming against the undefeated Cheers.

The were highlights aplenty in the Predators 11-4 victory over Snipers.

Nathan Button and Steve Powell landed 180s for Predators, while Chris Richardson responded with two maximums of her own for the Snipers.

Nathan also hit five tons for Predators, while Dean Gibbs and Richardson threw four each for Snipers.

Gembrook is starting to find form after making it back-to-back wins with a 9-6 success over Any Excuse.

Nugget was right in the thick of the action, landing five tons for the Brookers, while Brendan Simmonds tried to keep Any Excuse in the hunt with seven scores of 100-plus. Cheers was made to work harder than expected, but kept its perfect record intact with a grinding 9-6 win over Dart Attack.

Jamie threw a maximum 180 for Cheers,

while six tons to Liam Edwards and three more to Ant kept the ladder leaders in the box seat for large portions of the match. In other games this week, Terry King was in great form, hitting six tons, in a 12-3 win for Just Social over Generals, while Mud Rats put

together the first whitewash of the year with a thumping 15-0 victory over Fight Club.

The Mud Rats are now in fourth position and looking good for a place in finals.

SWGDL SUMMARY – ROUND 7

· RESULTS

Dart Vaders def Bullseyes 11-4, AAA Dartz def Dart Devils 8-7, Predators def Snipers 11-4, Mud Rats def Fight Club 15-0, Just Social def Generals 12-3, Gembrook def Any Excuse 9-6, Cheers def Dart Attack 9-6.

· LADDER

Cheers 28, Just Social 24, Predators 24, Mud Rats 20, Snipers 20, Dart Vaders 16, Dart Attack 12, Gembrook 12, Generals 12, Any Excuse 12, Fight Club 8, AAA Dartz 4, Bullseyes 4, Dart Devils 0.

· FIXTURE R8

Snipers v Fight Club, Generals v Predators, Mud Rats v Any Excuse, Just Social v Dart Devils, Dart Vaders v Gembrook, Cheers v AAA Dartz, Bullseyes v Dart Attack.

· MOST TONS

Dean Gibbs (Snipers) 48, Laim Edwards (Cheers) 38, Brendan S (Any Excuse) 33, Shane B (Cheers) 29, Terry King (Just Social) 29, Tony B (Just Social) 24, Ted Jordan (AAA) 24.

· 180s

Dean Gibbs (Snipers) 2, Bill Richardson (Snipers) 2, Jamie W (Cheers) 2, Chris Richardson (Snipers) 2, 4X4 (Just Social), David S (Dart Vaders), Hank (Cheers), Michael Tuck (Mud Rats), Jordan, Fred Dewart, Nathan Button, Steve Powell, Ryan Russell.

· BEST TEAM PEG OUTS

Charlie (Dart Vaders) 160, Steve P (Predators) 131, Liam (Cheers) 116, Tye (Any Excuse) 112, Brad (Fight Club) 111, Dean Gibbs (Snipers) 110, Jack M (Mud Rats) 104, Jai M (Dart Attack) 103, Ted Jordan (AAA) 96, Tony B (Just Social) 94, Hoss/Doug (Dart Devils) 89, Craig Brook (Gembrook) 76, Mateo (Generals) 74, Jake Smith (Bullseyes) 56.

Pakenham dreams of glory

By Justin Schwarze

PAKENHAM

· President: Salv Mileto

· Coach: Justin Stanton

· Captain/s: Luke Ryan/Jake Barclay

· Vice Captain/s: Rhys Clacy/Jaiden Camenzuli

· Last Year: 2nd (13-3)

· Leading Goalkicker: Mason Hall (45)

· Best & Fairest: Tanner Stanton

· Key Ins: Aden Quirk (Drouin - midfielder), Matt Ryan (Cora Lynn - half forward), Kyle Nunn (Belgrave - small forward), Cooper Sheppard (Keysborough - half back), Sam Kors (Kooweerup - half back), Corey Fritze (Belgrave - defender)

· Key Outs: David Sollberger (Kilcunda Bassmidfielder), Jake Kidd (retired - midfielder) Last year was the unknown, this year is the expectation.

Pakenham Football Club is as confident as ever as the Lions get their second crack at the Outer East Division One landscape.

A prelim final is where the journey ended last season, following a campaign full of uncertainty and long away day travels.

This time, nearly the entire senior list is returning, with some exciting recruits through the doors to further boost the weapons at Justin Stanton’s disposal.

And the burning fire that is Pakenham is ignited by an imposing, skilful and dangerous midfield.

Tanner Stanton is the fire-starter, a strong leader who’s silky by foot and possesses a tantalising way of weaving through traffic.

Recruit Aden Quirk and emerging superstar Luke Ryan provide plenty of sparks, as both are influential at the clearance and on the outside.

Ryan has size at his position and has impressive aerial ability, often taking strong overhead marks.

Jake Barclay is no stranger to Toomuc Reserve and his off-field impact has been ongoing, but on the whiteboard he’ll feel like a recruit after missing nearly two full calendar years due to a nasty knee injury that had setbacks.

Barclay is a contested bull that is a beautiful kick and handball, a piece that’ll slot in seamlessly at the stoppage.

OUTER EAST FOOTBALL

This might free Bailey Stiles up to head to half forward as his goal sense and ability to hit the scoreboard are incredibly damaging, following a 20-goal season.

In the forward half, twin towers Josh Haggar and Sam Cachia are back, while Mason Hall will again be lurking with the crumbs and out the back.

All three kicked 39 or more goals in 2025 and with increased forward options, Pakenham only becomes more difficult to contain and defend.

“Our footy department identified last season that one of our strengths was the midfield, and rather than try and strengthen one of our weaker areas, we thought we’d focus on keeping it strong,” senior coach Stanton said of his midfield.

“If other teams wanted to try and recruit to match us, that’s okay, but we’ll still make sure we’ve still got an advantage compared to other teams.

“We’ve got a bit more depth in the midfield, that’s a main focus.”

After some reflection on 2025, the Lions have slightly tinkered some things while keeping their formula the same.

“What we’ve got to do is we’ve got to have a few different methods in how we want to play,” Stanton admitted.

“Last year I think we were a bit one dimensional, we were all-out attack at every opportunity, which is fine and it’s sustainable at Pakenham because it’s a big ground and we’re fit, but it poses some issues on the smaller grounds.

“We’ve looked at that over the off-season and thought we need to change the speed in which we move the footy, not all the time, just at times when we’ve got to have different versions of our

game-style.

“We still don’t have a big, key forward like Woori Yallock had with Taylor Gibson or Wandin had with Aaron Mullett, we still don’t have that.

“Our game is not set up around having a gun forward.

“We’re still going to need to get a lot of supply in and we need to share it around like we did last year.

“Last year we got 40 goals from three different individuals and that made it challenging for opposition to identify who they needed to watch.

“That’ll be no different this year.

“Our goals are more around kicking a total each week more so than how many goals we need from a certain individual.”

Some pickups over the off-season have boosted Pakenham’s stocks, including Cooper Sheppard from Keysborough, a handy defender that can float forward, and Matt Ryan, a scrappy yet efficient half forward from Cora Lynn.

The Lions also acquired the signatures of Sam Kors (Kooweerup), Corey Fritze (Belgrave) and Kyle Nunn (Belgrave).

These players paired with the existing list has the club extremely hopeful of its chances in 2026.

“It’s noticeably different from last year,” Stanton said of the preseason vibe.

“We had an energy and uncertainty on what the year was going to look like, now this time around our list is a lot settled.

“We’ve got some kids coming in that will be keen for opportunities because they saw how many young guys got opportunities last year, so that’s good.

“I think we’ve just got to put a little bit of extra

pressure on ourselves, we weren’t happy with the way we bowed out in the prelim last year.

“We’ve put some pressures on ourselves that we want to go better this year, but we’re also mindful that some of the other teams have picked up really well and they’re going to be a lot better than last year as well.

“It’s a really tight competition.

“We’re setting goals to try and finish with the double chance, that’s our goal.

“We want to go into the season and try and finish as high as possible, obtain a double chance and if you do that, you give yourself the best chance in the finals.

“We want to be a team that’s predictable with one another in the way we want to move the football, but unpredictable to opposition that play against us.

“Those sorts of focuses will continue again this year.”

Seville will be the biggest challenger, as the Blues have proven themselves to be a Division One powerhouse over the last few seasons.

Seville narrowly lost the grand final, and the ultimate success has eluded the club despite years of consistent contention.

With new coach Glenn Pemberton at the helm, the Blues have retained most of their list that reached the big dance last season, while adding talent around the ground.

Seville blew away Pakenham in the qualifying final with blistering pace in the midfield and excellent transition from half back into the forward line, a style the Blues will be hoping to replicate this season.

Emerald returns to contention in Division One landscape

By Justin Schwarze

EMERALD

· President: Mark Pedder

· Coach: David Johnson

· Captain: Jake Pedder

· Vice Captain: Brendan Wilson

· Last Year: 10th (2-16, relegated from Premier)

· Leading Goalkicker: David Johnson (32)

· Best & Fairest: Ewan Wadsworth

in Division One. (Rob Carew: 493638)

· Key Ins: Ethan Crosher (East Ringwood - midfielder), Hori Jury (Yarra Junction - midfielder/ half back), Hamish Browning (forward), Jason Miles (forward)

A pre-season trip to Yarrawonga to play in a mini gather round has Emerald as tight as ever on the eve of its Outer East Division One clash with Pakenham.

The Bombers spent the weekend up on the

border playing some country teams, and senior coach David Johnson is confident that things are starting to click.

And one area of the ground that is looking particularly dangerous is the midfield, and Johnson noted the guts as the key to the brand they want to play.

“I think we definitely want to play a quicker style of game, but it’s also going to be on the way that the game’s going, whether we need to slow it down or take the game on,” he said.

“We’ve got our bulls who can go in and get the ball and they can get the ball out to our runners.

“Most of our quick players are very skilful, we’ve got some good forwards this year so if we can get the ball into the hands of our good players, they can get it into our forwards as quickly as possible.

“There’s different styles that we want to be playing but we haven’t implemented it on a game-day yet.”

Elite on-ballers Jordan Donadel, Jake Pedder and Dale Karacsonyi are crucial contributors, but Ewan Wadsworth is going to be one of the favourites for the league medal as a strong

contested ball winner that is silky on the outside.

In Premier Division last season, Wadsworth led the league in disposals at 29.6 per game, while finishing third in ranking points at an astonishing 136.4 per contest.

And there’s one motivator that might cause Wadsworth to set the league ablaze.

“He’s one of the most decorated local sportspeople to not win a premiership, so I think he might step it up to the next level this year,” Johnson said.

“Ewan is certainly one of the better players I’ve played footy with.

“He hasn’t won a lot of games in the last four to five years so I think he’s keen to get going.”

New recruits Ethan Crosher and Hori Jury will both slot in at half back with pace and transitional ability, while veteran forward Jason Miles comes in as an experienced body to occupy the forward 50 alongside Johnson.

Emerald will be keen to return to contention after keeping almost all of its list from last season, and there’s no better test than when the Lions come to town in the first hit-out for the season.

Roos hit the road running

By Justin Schwarze OFFICER

· President: Laurie Hughes

· Coach: Nathan Allen

· Captain: Brent Moloney

· Last Year: 8th (5-12-1)

· Leading Goalkicker: Mark Seedsman (41)

· Best & Fairest: Jake Gains

· Key Additions: Tex Marsham (Nar Nar Goon

- ruck), Luke Smaluch (Frankston YCW - midfielder), James Carver (Berwick), Tom Gambetta (Berwick), Jasper Young (Cheltenham - utility)

· Key Departures: Mark Seedsman (Templestowe - key forward), Jackson Liddle (Mitcham - winger), Tyler Canute (Drouin - half back)

A year under the belt to learn the game-style of Nathan Allen has the Officer Football Club hopeful of a landmark achievement as it prepares to kick off its Outer East Premier Division campaign.

The Kangaroos have never made the finals in the Premier Division, a trend they’re trying to change as the season draws closer.

Allen has made it a focal point to make Rob Porter Reserve a fortress, using the young side’s running capacity to capitalise on the bigger ground.

And that will be put to the test when Upwey Tecoma visits Starling Road in round one on Saturday. With club leading goalkicker Mark Seedsman departing for Templestowe, Officer will look at a variety of ways to find scoring sources.

“It’s a more even contribution,” Allen said of the Kangaroos’ goalkicking capability.

“Last year we did open it up to give him (Seedsman) a bit of room because of the quality he was.

“It’s going to be up for grabs to whoever wants to take that and run with it.

“We’ll give opportunities to a few other talls that were probably behind him last year but there’s a massive opportunity.

“It means defenders can’t just sit in the hole now on one player, we’ll be harder to defend hopefully because we’ll have more variety up there.”

Some increased load on the shoulders of young guns such as Jackson Honey, Brodie Snooks and Josh Westra is far from a bad thing, with the overall club quietly hopeful that the youth brigade reaching the next level is the key to unlocking elevated success.

Jake Gains and Tex Marsham provide strength and size as rotatable rucks, but both also hold the ability to be deployed around the ground as utilities.

Putting a win on the board in the first hit-out will be exactly what the Kangaroos want as they attempt to build momentum.

Officer remarkably had a glimpse at sniffing finals in 2025, admittedly from the outside looking in, after winning just one of its first 11 games (including a draw).

The Kangaroos followed that with three wins in five games, but one of those losses was to Gembrook-Cockatoo, below them on the ladder, which ultimately ended their season.

In fact, Allen’s side went 1-3 against teams below them on the ladder in 2025.

So no matter how it looks, getting premiership points on the board in round one against the Tigers is monumental for Officer.

“You know what results can do to confidence,” Allen said.

“We’re just hoping to put in a good performance, play the way we’ve worked on over the preseason.

“If we get the chocolates early, it’s just a huge, huge stepping stone for the confidence the group will get out of that.

“Hopefully that leads on and builds momentum as it did in the back half of last year.”

OUTER EAST FOOTBALL SEASON PREVIEW - PREMIER DIVISION

GEMBROOK COCKATOO

· President: Darren Petrie

· Coach: Troy Tharle

· Captain: Josh Tilly

· Last Year: 9th (4-14)

· Leading Goalkicker: Joseph Verna (23)

· Best & Fairest: Josh Tilly

· Key Additions: Sahaf Ali (Avondale Heights - key forward), Regan Uwandu (West PrestonLakeside - defender), Brodie Morrish (Berwick Springs - forward), David Tokatliyan (Old Yarra Cobras - small forward), Jordan Maslen (Narre South - forward), Daniel Taylor (Officer - winger), Noah Crew (Officer - ruck)

· Key Departures: Aaron Firrito (Narre Warren - midfielder), Brayden Weller (Bunyip - half back), Ben Schultze (Beaconsfield - utility), Callum Bourne (Bunyip - defender), Michael Firrito (retired)

Outside of a few losses that got out of hand, Gembrook-Cockatoo was largely competitive in 2025 despite finishing second-bottom, just two games clear of the drop.

But some new faces, including senior coach Troy Tharle, make the Brookers a complete unknown this year.

Sahaf Ali, Brodie Morrish and David Tokatliyan have all pulled on the green jumper to rejuvenate the forward line, and a particular gamestyle has been adopted to suit the way Gembrook wants to play.

“We want to be miserable to play against,” Tharle said.

“The way that you’ve got to beat us, we’re go-

ing to make you feel miserable about it.

“We’re fitter so we can run out games better and we’ve improved our skills.”

That, plus increasing faith and belief in homegrown talents such as Konner Allcott, Joseph Verna, Jesse Pantorno, Lachlan Shepheard and Jesse Busacca, are the main ingredients in a potential surge up the ladder.

Both coaches (Allen and Tharle) noted finals as realistic goals for their sides, a mark which both clubs have been in drought of for some time, particularly in Premier Division.

Wandin remains the team to beat after completely dominating the league in 2025, losing just one game en route to an emphatic 91-point grand final triumph.

The Bulldogs have a silky smooth midfield that makes its mark at ground level and uses it impeccably on the outside.

And when you’ve got goal centurion Aaron Mullett and superstar Joel Garner patrolling the forward line, it’s hard to stop.

Woori Yallock may take a step back after losing its 100-goalkicker Taylor Gibson, but it still has all the tools in the engine room in the middle of the ground as former league medallist Zach Monkhorst and Angus Smith have the repertoire to do significant damage.

Watch for Monbulk to be a significant riser this

season, as the Hawks were the only team to knock off Wandin last year.

Monbulk boasts lethal players in every part of the ground, spearheaded by Lochlan Beecroft, Lachlan Sheppard and Adam Banks, but just lacked consistency at the crucial parts last season. Olinda Ferny Creek will reflect positively on 2025 after it reached the grand final, but an improving competition may see the Bloods come back to the pack a little bit.

A significant knee injury to league medallist Matt Scharenberg may hamper them in key parts of the ground, but with a returning core of elite ball users Percy Hyett and Francis Seal, expect Olinda to be well and truly in the finals hunt.

Warburton Millgrove comes in as the recently promoted side, finding its footing but the backing is behind the club, with a lot of the club’s core returning.

Bailey Humphrey and Tom Barr will look to make their mark on Premier Division and make some noise for the Burras.

The inclusion of powerhouse Nic Visser will also improve the stocks of Upwey Tecoma around stoppage

OUTER EAST PREMIER RD 1 FIXTURE: Officer v Upwey

Pakenham ready to ascend

By Justin Schwarze

A deep squad of 11 players and a refreshed mindset has the Pakenham Netball Club knocking the door down for a potential A Grade premiership run.

Senior coach Matt Cooke highlighted some of the amendments made to his side after falling short in the preliminary final last season.

“I would expect us to go one better this year and get ourselves into a grand final, we probably underachieved going out in a prelim last year,” he reflected.

“We obviously kept the bulk of our player base and it’s looking solid, we’ve got good numbers.

“I expect we’re going to have a really solid year, we’ve worked really hard to retain the list, we’ve got some really good junior athletes coming up into B Grade.

“B Grade is having a bit of refresh, so we’ve brought some kids up and that’s the perfect place to slot them in.”

The Lions are looking at their attack as the biggest change, with their scoring avenues drying up in the finals as the good teams took advantage of a one-dimensional approach.

Familiar faces in different roles gives Pakenham a new look, with a new gamestyle making their transition play deadly from different angles.

“I think we want to have a bit more variety in the circle,” Cooke noted.

“We’ve brought Sophie Fleiner up from B Grade, because Sophie plays that roll and sweep type goaling behavior.

“She’s your traditional GA, as opposed to having the three talls that we had in there last year.

“The intention is to make us a bit more varied in the way we head towards goal.

“Obviously Charlotte had a great year and Kelly shot a lot of goals herself but at the same point in time, we’re probably looking to being a little less predictable.

“We got shut down in two finals where everyone jammed back on Charlotte and all of a sudden there was no one else to pop up and fill that highpressure gap.

“Mia Arnberger certainly gives us genuine size to run a ball through her as well.

“We played Mia for about five games last year, but we’re hoping to get a full season out of her.

“She’s benefited out of that playing space as well, she’s made the 23s list at Gippsland.

“We’re looking forward to having that bigger body at the top of the circle.

“We’ll slow it down and change it up.

“We had lots of movers last year, we’ll get Emma

OUTER EAST NETBALL

NETBALL - SEASON PREVIEW

Jones back for a whole year and there’s pure class there in Emma.

“If we can play Mia around there as that body up and then have the two smalls in Millie (Millicent Utber) and Emma working off it I think it’s going to be a bit more structured and a bit more variety in that front end for us.”

The defence is the DNA of Cooke’s team, headlined by superstar goalkeeper Caitlin Cooke, who added a second league medal to her collection last season after securing the top honour in Premier Division in 2024.

Alongside her is Eliza Molino, another promising defender that is vital to how Pakenham restricts opponents and transitions the ball.

“Our defence will be pretty solid, obviously we’ve got four VNL in the back end,” Cooke said.

“That’s our meat and potatoes, strangling sides so we probably want to get some of our defensive structures a bit more constrictive.

“We really want to jam up sides this year.

“Sides like Seville have so much scoring power, we just want to figure out a way to not make it a race against some of those sides.

“We’re happy to play man-on-man style netball for the bulk of the year and rely on Caity and Eliza to turn a lot of ball.

“But when you have a side like Seville that’s got three or four players capable of scoring a high amount of goals, we’ve just got to figure out a way to tighten that right up.

“Whether that’s a more spacial defensive set up or being a little less entertaining and a little more grinding.

“We want to make sure that upfield presence is a bit harder and a bit more dour to get through.

“We’ve got Charlize Reid and Amber Holt, they’re both playing 23s netball, and if we get Eliza for the whole year with those guys out the front and centre, I think we can probably take 10 goals off a game from someone like Seville.

“We’re happy to have at least three talls out the front on every single occasion, from wing defence to goalkeeper, all the way through.”

Pakenham opens its season with a tricky task away at Emerald, a real tester to see where both sides are at.

The Bombers were fantastic in Premier Division last season, making it to a semi-final before losing in a competitive game against Monbulk.

And a lot of the core is back, with best and fairest winner Brodie Smith returning alongside leading goalshooter Mackenzie Fox and experienced

Emerald will be a force to be reckoned with after posting the Premier Division’s strongest defence in 2025, spearheaded by Smith and Casey Rhodes-Anderson, now under the leadership of incoming coach David Sollberger.

Seville returns as reigning premiers, losing just one game for all of 2025 that was capped off by a dominant finals series.

The Blues have it all, size, speed and class throughout the court, particularly in the front third, and will be just as dangerous this season.

PREMIER DIVISION

In the top flight, ROC and Gembrook Cockatoo are two sides finding their way.

The Brookers went winless in 2025 in A Grade, but a refreshed and deep club anchored by finals runs in the lower grades holds plenty of optimism after Jordan Leskie was reappointed as head coach.

The Kangaroos picked up star Emily Kerr from Nar Nar Goon as they look to soar up the ladder and build on a five-win season.

ROC made the finals in every other grade, so there is no shortage of talent at Starling Road, holding the club in good stead as it reloads in 2026.

Brown leads black and white as Magpies head to SEPNL

By Blair Burns

Narre Warren embarked on a new chapter last season in the Southern League and will start fresh once again this weekend when they play their first match in the South East Precinct Netball League (SEPNL).

Under new A grade coach Kealeigh Brown, the Magpies will look almost completely different this season, with Chelsea Tonna the only player going around again from last season.

Last year, Narre Warren breezed through the regular season with an impressive 12-3 record, before falling 11 goals short against Cheltenham in the preliminary final.

Michelle Mashado coached the A Grade side for a number of years, and they achieved great success in that period, but it is now a changing of the guard.

After looking around for a new coach to replace the outgoing Mashado, Brown stepped up into the role herself.

“I decided to take on the role myself and try to keep that position filled by a club person who knows the girls, the other senior coaches and the club,” she said.

“It is super special to me to have the honour of coaching the top team at Narre, it feels surreal.”

Anticipation for the season was building, with the club excited to be rolling out a young side with more than half of the players under the age of 20.

“I am super excited to get the season underway, we have had a ripper pre-season and have played in some great practice matches,” Brown said.

“There is so much youth and potential coming through our senior sides this year and we haven’t hit full strength just yet.”

Brown is the perfect person to lead the Magpies forward, having been at Narre Warren since 2012 when she was old enough to play.

Being coached by some great leaders in Jade and Greg Heinrich, Holly Booth, Simon O’Shanassy and Erin Bell inspired Brown.

“All of them combined led to me wanting to coach … I started coaching in 2020 just as COVID hit and since then, I have coached some junior

teams and assistant coached the senior teams I have played in,” she said.

“Special moments include the premierships, coaching D grade in 2023 and assistant coaching C grade in 2024.”

The incoming coach said joining the SEPNL was a huge step forward and the “perfect move”

“From the start, (having football and netball together) has been all we have wanted,” Brown said.

“Since leaving the Outer East League, it’s been the one thing that every person has missed the most … SFNL had a great competition standard, but we lost a lot of club culture playing.

“Playing most home games with our football is going to be just like old times - fingers crossed the league continues to grow.”

Brown added that the Southern League fixture was a big reason as to why “80 per cent” of players departed during the off-season.

“The club culture and whole vibe of not playing with our football made a lot of girls consider other options,” she said.

“Fortunately though for us, a lot of our younger girls have stuck by and show massive potential.”

The goal for the Magpies in 2026 is to have fun and enjoy playing Narre netball once again.

“As always, there’s the ambition and end goal of holding the cup and flag at the end of the season,” Brown said.

“But more importantly for us this year is to simply enjoy playing netball, enjoy being home with the football and junior netball, and enjoy this new competition.”