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proudly serving Brimbank and the North West
5 MARCH, 2024
Colour is coming Kings Park will be bright and colourful for the upcoming Holi Festival on March 9. Community organisation Women of Brimbank, which is dedicated to empowering women, fostering community connections, and welcoming new immigrants, is organising the event. Founder and president Poonam Singh, who was awarded the Brimbank Citizen of the year in 2023, said the event is one she is proud to host. “We are thrilled to organise the Festival of Colours, also known as Holi, a Hindu Indian festival,” she said. “We extend a warm invitation to everyone to join us for this joyous celebration of culture and community. “This is one of the many ways we engage with the community, free events such as this are aimed at celebrating diversity and bringing people together.” The event promises to be a fun day out for the whole family, with food and fashion stalls, Bollywood music from a live DJ and a Bollywood dance performance. The event will take place from 12pm to 3pm at 35 Kings Road in Kings Park.
Kanika, Poonam, Neha, Manisha with Madhvi 7 and Shanaya 7. (Ljubica Vrankovic) 387636
Residents fear deja-vu By Gerald Lynch Neighbouring residents of the Sydenham Grace residential service site fear plans are afoot to reopen the site after it was forced to shut its doors 18 months ago. The service had its registration revoked in July 2022 by the Human Services Regulator after a state government investigation found that Grace Disability Services (GDS) was not meeting regulations in place to protect the health and wellbeing of the facility’s 34 residents. The closure was welcomed by local residents after alleged incidents involving residents of the service roaming the streets and committing unsociable acts, all within close proximity to a kindergarten. Many residents expressed concerns at the time of the closure that the space would
re-open under a different entity or for a different purpose. These concerns have heightened with residents spotting workers coming in and out of the site, bringing in bedding material and other equipment. This caused confusion and anger among residents, after an email from Wintringham Community Housing in 2022 said a re-opening would be discussed with the community. “Hypothetically, for the site to open as a SRS in the future, an interested party would need to apply for the site to be re-registered as an SRS,” the email said. “This would almost certainly involve community consultation.” A Director of Families, Fairness, and Housing spokesperson said no formal application to operate at the location had been lodged. “Since the closure of the former Supported
Residential Service, the director of it was banned from operating an NDIS service by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission,” they said. Brimbank city futures director Kelvin Walsh said the council understands owners of the property are looking to reopen it. An earlier email from council to a resident said that the site had been sold and that the new owners assured the council there wouldn’t be the same issues as previously. “Council is aware that the owners of the site at 1-5 Profita Avenue, Sydenham, are preparing to open it for a Supported Residential Service (SRS),” he said. “The current planning permit for the site that was issued in 1992 allows this use to occur,” he said. “In order for the site to re-open as an SRS, the owner or operator must obtain registration from the Department of
Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH) who are the authority responsible for overseeing these facilities. Council understands that this site has not yet been registered for this purpose so will be keeping a watchful eye on it to ensure that the use does not commence until the required approvals are in place. “Given the issues that were experienced by the surrounding residents when the site was previously operated as an SRS, council understands why they are very concerned about this proposal.” Dujon Jovan is one resident who believes his fear is coming true. “We fought a battle to get it shut down for over five years,” he said. “We had ladies who were residents at the centre knocking on our door at midnight, asking for cigarettes and money. ■ Continued: Page 2
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