Thursday, 3 July, 2025
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Bills relief for hundreds Around 400 people attended the Bring Your Bills day at the Pakenham Hall on Tuesday 1 July, organisers South East Community Links (SECL) expected about 200. The event partners with many services and businesses including AGL Energy, Consumer Affairs Victoria, ANZ and Cardinia Shire Council. READ MORE ON PAGE 4
Simon, Roy, Ken, Eddie and David from the Cardinia Men’s Shed handing out free snags. (Stewart Chambers: 486453)
Nowhere to hide A sweeping crackdown across Cardinia has uncovered a surge in drug use, drink driving, speeding and dangerous behaviour, with police increasing patrols to save lives. A learner driver is among 30 motorists recently caught on drugs as police go all-out to keep Cardinia’s roads safe. Cardinia Highway Patrol has staged multiple operations targeting drug and drink driving in re-
cent weeks. The effort has extended to side streets to nab drivers thinking they can outsmart the law. It comes as new Victoria Police figures show more than 700 drug drivers are being caught statewide each month. On 24 June, Cardinia Highway Patrol drug tested more than 125 motorists on the Princes Highway at Pakenham as part of Operation Redline. Ten drug drivers were detected roadside, in-
cluding a 22-year-old learner driver from Pakenham who tested positive for THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis. They were fined $593 and their learner’s permit suspended for six months. Local highway patrol units have been regularly deploying to side and secondary streets across Cardinia to target drug drivers as well as those over the blood alcohol limit.
Cardinia Highway Patrol Acting Inspector David Hewatt said “whether it’s targeted operations or proactive patrols, we are focused on removing drug and drink drivers from Cardinia’s roads”. “There is simply no excuse for anyone getting behind the wheel when they’re over the blood alcohol limit or on drugs,” he said. FULL STORY PAGE 2
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