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MAY 17, 2016 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

NEWS + SPORT + PROPERTY GUIDE

Debt no barrier: ex-mayor Hume council should not become obsessed with paying off debt at the expense of funding necessary projects, according to Cr Adem Atmaca. The former mayor said that while he praised the council’s efforts in reducing a borrowings debt of almost $28 million to just $1.8 million, he didn’t want it to limit investment in the fast-growing municipality’s future. “It’s good to be debt-free, but at what consequence?’’ Cr Atmaca said. “I wouldn’t like this to be used as an excuse in the future, when projects come up, to say we can’t afford it.” The council’s $218.88 million draft budget for 2016-17, which proposes an average rates increase of 2.5 per cent in line with the state government cap, was released to the public at a meeting at Sunbury Civic Centre on May 9. A total of $74.10 million has been slated for new infrastructure, including $19 million to complete Craigieburn Park and $3 million for the Broadmeadows Town Hall redevelopment. The council also plans to acquire land for more carparking in Broadmeadows CBD at a cost of $3.2 million, and it will improve parking and traffic flow in suburbs such as Roxburgh Park by creating indented parking bays in narrow streets. The funding is in response to community concerns about parking. Work will also start on a Meadowlink walking and cycling path from Seabrook Reserve to the centre of Broadmeadows, at a cost of $2.2 million. The average household will pay about $45 extra in rates this year. But as this is

a revaluation year, the degree of change will vary. Cr Atmaca said inequality would continue to be an issue. “People are telling me their rates are higher than other municipalities based on their land value,” he said. “We really have to address that. We’ve got some of the poorest people in our community and are paying rates similar to areas with some of Australia’s highest values. That needs to be looked at.”

‘‘

Hume, debt free. What a great news - Cr Geoff Porter story

’’

Cr Geoff Porter said he was happy to support a budget and council plan that “created a strong legacy for future generations”. “To me, the best news is Hume, debt free. What a great news story for this community to know,” he said. Cr Casey Nunn welcomed the continuation of a “budget build bonanza” in Aitken ward, which covers Craigieburn, Greenvale, Mickleham, Roxburgh Park and Campbellfield. She said close to $100 million had been invested in the past four years. Mayor Helen Patsikatheodorou said the budget included the most ambitious capital works program seen in her eight years on the council. “We want to deliver facilities and services as [the community] needs them, not 50 years down the track,” she said. “This is the Hume story for 2016-17 – huge investments in services and community facilities, combined with a low rates increase, a budget in surplus and virtually no debt.”

(Luke Hemer)

By Matt Crossman and Laura Michell

Cheers to an aloha adventure

Mernda sisters Shanra and Aria Clemmet (pictured) are heading to Hawaii next month to take on some of the world’s best cheerleaders at the Global Dance and Cheer Games. Shanra, 14, and Aria, 12, who have been cheerleading for three years with Southern Cross Cheerleading in Northcote, will represent Australia as part of a team of about 20 at the competition, which begins on June 10. To help them get to Hawaii, the girls are hoping to raise $12,000. So far, they’ve raised $6000 through pamper days, trivia nights and selling chocolate. To help Shanra and Aria with fundraising, visit www.gofundme.com/melbournesisters

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NEWS

Epping tops hot property list By Laura Michell Epping has been named as one of Melbourne’s top growth suburbs after median house prices rose almost 11 per cent in the first three months of the year. Latest data from the Real Estate Institute of Victoria shows that the median house price rose from $411,000 in December 2015 to $455,250 (10.8 per cent) in March. Only Malvern recorded a greater increase in house prices (13.7 per cent). The institute also listed Mill Park and Doreen as being among Melbourne’s top 10 growth suburbs. Median house prices in

Mill Park rose 8.2 per cent from $495,000 in December to $536,000 in March. In Doreen, median prices rose from $475.000 in December to $511,000 in March (7.6 per cent). Barry Plant Epping sales manager Frank Romeo was not surprised by the increase in Epping prices, believing the suburb was playing “a catch-up game” with surrounding suburbs such as Mill Park, Thomastown and Lalor. He expects prices in Epping will continue to rise this year as more buyers turn their attention to the suburb. Mr Romeo said Melbourne Market, which

‘‘

Buyers are seeing the benefits of the area

’’

- Frank Romeo

opened on Cooper Street last year, and Northern Hospital were helping to bring jobs into the area, which was filling buyers with confidence. He said buyers were attracted to the area because it had good infrastructure and freeway access. “Buyers are seeing the benefits of the area,” he said. REIV president Geoff White said outer

The Wedding Singer cast members Matthew, Ky, Nanette and Ella ham it up. (Luke Hemer)

College musical a popular proposal Marymede Catholic College students will rock the Plenty Ranges Arts and Convention Centre right back to the 1980s next week. The students are taking over the centre for three nights from May 26 for their school production of The Wedding Singer Singer. Set in 1985, the show tells the story of rockstar wannabe Robbie Hart, who is New Jersey’s favourite wedding singer. After being left at the altar by his fiancée, he makes it his mission to make every wedding as

disastrous as his own – until he is won over by waitress Julia. Producer Angie Bedford said The Wedding Singer was an obvious choice for the school. “We wanted something fun and uptempo,” she said. “We try to think about who we can showcase in our productions … The Wedding Singer has strong male roles, we have a lot of strong boys in our senior years.” Students have been rehearsing for the show up to three times a week since February.

Among them is year 12 student Matthew Mather who has taken on the lead role of Hart despite never having performed before. The youngest cast member is year 7 student Ky McLennan, who recently turned 12 and has a number of roles in the show. The Wedding Singer will be on May 26 and 27 at 7.30pm and May 28 at 5pm. Tickets: www.trybooking.com/KSHN

suburbs such as Epping were presenting buyers with value. “Twelve of the top 20 growth suburbs were in outer Melbourne,” he said. “This signals continuing buying demand as home buyers look for value further from the CBD.” Meanwhile, Craigieburn and Mernda have been listed among Melbourne’s most affordable suburbs, with both recording a drop in prices in the first three months of the year. In Craigieburn, median prices fell 0.7 per cent from $420,000 in December to $417,000 in March, while Mernda experienced a drop of 5.1 per cent to $427,000.

Food waste gives more energy to burn A waste to energy facility under construction in Wollert will convert 100 tonnes of organic food waste a day into electricity from next year. Yarra Valley Water is building the facility next to its treatment plant at Wollert, near the Hume Freeway. Work on the $27 million facility began last October and is expected to be completed in August. However, the facility won’t be commissioned and fully operational until March. Manager Damien Bassett said that once it was fully operational, the facility would be able to produce one kilowatt of electricity per hour. Energy generated will be used to power the treatement plant, with excess energy returned to the electricity grid. Mr Basset said the facility would use liquid and solid food waste generated during manufacturing processes at commercial food businesses, as well liquids such as fats and oils from restaurants. He said the facility would reduce the burden on local landfills as it was expected to divert 33,000 tonnes of waste per year. Construction of the treatment plan, which will be the first of its kind in Victoria, has created 18 jobs, while a further four jobs will be created once it is operational. Laura Michell

Laura Michell

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NEWS

Growing pains for health care By Laura Michell Half of elective surgery patients at the Northern Hospital are waiting more than 72 days for their operations, new state government data reveals. The Victorian Health Services Performance Report for the March quarter shows that the median treatment time for elective surgery at the hospital has increased 26 days, from a 46-day wait in March 2015. The waiting time is above the state average of 34 days for the March 2016 quarter.

The hospital also recorded increases in waiting times for ear, nose and throat surgery, general surgery and orthopedic surgery. The report shows that the number of patients on the elective surgery waiting list increased from 1999 in March 2015 to 2289 in March this year. A spokeswoman for Northern Health said a $17.3 million expansion of the elective surgery centre at Broadmeadows Health Service would help reduce waiting times at the hospital. It is anticipated that the centre will help ensure 2500 people receive surgery in a timely

manner. The hospital also recorded an increase in demand for emergency services in the 12 months to March, with 21,556 people attending its emergency department, up from 19,560. However, median treatment times in the emergency department decreased from 22 minutes in March 2015, to 18 minutes in March this year. The spokeswoman said Northern Health was forming partnerships with other health services, including the Kilmore and District Hospital and Austin Health, to manage regional demand on health services.

“Northern Health provides health care to a culturally diverse and rapidly growing community. Our primary and secondary catchment encompasses over 555,000 people, which is expected to grow by an additional 86,000 people over the next five years,” she said. “Northern Health is developing a range of programs and services to improve the quality and responsiveness of our services, including within the emergency department. “This includes establishing a new observation and assessment unit within the Northern Hospital.”

Tags to help soldier on A Thomastown company is on a mission to help address the emotional battles soldiers are facing away from the frontline. Uniform manufacturer Australian Defence Apparel (ADA) will add tags with the contact details for not-for-profit organisation Soldier On to more than 500,000 defence force uniforms in an effort to improve accessibility to mental health services. The partnership between ADA and Soldier On follows a 2015 Senate inquiry into the mental health of defence force personnel, which found that soldiers had been sidelined – or even lost their jobs – after flagging mental health problems. ADA chief executive Matt Graham said it was hoped the partnership with Soldier On would help reduce the stigma of mental illness in the army. “ADF personnel will now learn about the free, tailored mental health services available

to them, right from the first time they pull on their army gear,” he said. “These tags are one way the ADF is saying it’s OK for soldiers to ask for help. “It also shows the ADF is responding to the prevalence of mental illnesses among its personnel, and that there are services nationwide, provided by Solider On, to help those suffering.” Soldier On chief executive John Bale said tags would help spread the word about the organisation’s programs, which include art classes, coffee catch-ups and social events for acting service people and veterans. “These types of activities have been proven to improve the rehabilitation of those affected by their service and are the first step toward improving the support offered to our veterans and their families,” he said. Laura Michell

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NEWS STARWEEKLY.COM.AU Briefs

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Residents in Whittlesea growth areas will have better access to community legal services, with a new legal outreach starting in Mernda. From June 6, people living, working or studying in Whittlesea will be able to access free community legal services at Jindi Family and Community Centre under a partnership between Whittlesea Community Connections, the Brotherhood of St Laurence and Goodstart. Appointments will be available on the first Monday of every month. Details: 9401 6655.

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EDITORIAL

Grants to fight ice scourge (Damjan Janevski)

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Published by MMP Star Pty Ltd ACN 168 220 399 Head Office Corner Thomsons Road and Keilor Park Drive, Keilor Park, 3042 Publisher/General Manager, Colin Moss All material is copyright to MMP Star Pty Ltd. Responsibility for election comment is accepted by Colin Moss. All significant errors will be corrected as quickly as possible. Distribution numbers, areas and coverage are estimates only. For our terms and conditions please visit starweekly.com.au

KAITLYN, JULIA, CINDY AND JADE

Dancing their dreams Four aspiring ballet dancers from Epping have been given a chance to take to the stage with the Victorian State Ballet. Cindy, 10, Julia, 11, Jade, 12 and Kaitlyn, 10, who train at Step in Time Studio of Dance, auditioned for the part of gypsy children in the state ballet’s performance of Don Quixote. Julia was asked to perform with the company during its show at the Plenty Ranges Arts and Convention Centre on April 30, while Cindy, Jade and Kaitlyn will take to the stage at Ringwood’s Karralyka Theatre in August. Julia, who has been dancing for eight years, said she couldn’t believe that she had been given a chance to dance alongside professional

Community groups in the City of Whittlesea can apply for grants of up to $10,000 to help tackle the drug ice. Community Ice Action Grants can be used to deliver local initiatives such as workshops, forums, local campaigns or training. Applications close June 20. Details: www.ice.vic.gov.au

Cats de-sexed for free

ballerinas. “It feels like a dream but it’s not,” she said. “[Performing] didn’t feel the same as a normal concert, it felt professional. It was really cool.” Cindy, Jade and Kaitlyn, who have been dancing for three years, said they were excited about their upcoming performances. “It will be a good experience,” Jade said. The girls, who all dream of dancing professionally, have been working hard in the studio, rehearsing up to five times a week. Teacher Kelly Richardson said she was proud of the girls. Laura Michell

Whittlesea pet owners who hold a concession or health care card can get free cat and kitten desexing and microchipping during June. Bookings can be made at RSPCA Pets Place in Epping. Cats can also be vaccinated on the day at a cut-price $25. The offer is limited to the first 350 cats. Bookings essential. Details: 9407 0222. FOR BREAKING NEWS, VISIT Web: starweekly.com.au Northern Star Weekly @nstarweekly @star_weekly

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NEWS

Program leaves no youth behind By Laura Michell Young people living in Broadmeadows who have been “left behind” will get more help accessing vocational training and employment as part of a new state government program. The $20 million Reconnect Program will help 48 organisations across the state to support young people who left school early or who are long-term unemployed prepare for training and work. Locally, the program will be run by AMES Australia, which received $363,000 to help it

‘‘

Often young people lack the confidence and skills

’’

- Steve Herbert

reach out to 50 unemployed young people and new migrants. Latest employment statistics show that six per cent of early school leavers in Hume are not in training or employment, compared to the state average of 5.5 per cent.

Participants in the Reconnect Program will be paired with a volunteer mentor who shares a similar cultural background and language to help them achieve their training and work goals. Training and Skills Minister Steve Herbert, who launched the program at AMES in Dallas earlier this month, said it was about ensuring no one missed out on the opportunity to get a quality job. “Often young people lack the confidence and skills to get into formal training. This extra funding will make sure there is support in

place so vulnerable young people can improve their lives,” he said. “We’re helping early school leavers take a step forward to get back into training, education and into a job.” AMES chief executive Catherine Scarth said she believed the program would help young people who had disengaged from the system and had been left behind. “We believe this program will help young people who are struggling to engage with education and work get back on to a pathway,” she said.

Kids win from run fun Residents of Melbourne’s northern suburbs are being urged to pull on their runners to help raise money for paediatric services at Northern Health. The Northern Health Foundation’s annual community fun run is on this Sunday, with participants completing three-kilometre or six-kilometre walks or runs from the Northern Hospital. Northern Health acting chief executive Jenni Smith said money raised this year would be used to buy life-saving medical equipment for the hospital’s paediatric services. She said Northern Health hoped to raise $35,000 thanks to the 1000 people expected to take part in the fun run. Among this year’s participants will be Victorian Aboriginal Health Service (VAHS) healthy lifestyle and tobacco cessation regional co-ordinator Laura Thompson. She has taken part in the fun run for the past three years, and

will be joined by members of her family on Sunday. She said the fun run was important to VAHS because more than 50 Aboriginal babies were born at the Northern Hospital each year. “The City of Whittlesea has one of the largest Aboriginal populations in Victoria,” she said. “Getting involved with the Northern Health Community Fun Run is a great opportunity to support our health service. “It’s a great opportunity to give back to your local community … and have fun, spend time with your family and feel great – not only because you’re being active, but because you’re also helping a great cause.” To register, visit www.nhfoundation. org.au/funrun and enter the promo code STARWEEKLY to receive $5 off registration. Laura Michell

Laura Thompson and nurse Jay Samuel.

(Damjan Janevski)

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Independence days

School revamp at Mill Park

Jimmy Baker didn’t feel like he had any independence before moving into his specially designed unit in Glenroy last month. Mr Baker was left with an acquired brain injury after his bicycle was hit by a speeding car in September 2002. While he doesn’t remember the accident, Mr Baker has been told he had to be revived a number of times and was in a coma. As a result of the accident, he suffers from amnesia. He is also partially deaf in his right ear as well as being partially blind. Because of his disabilities, Mr Baker lived at home with his parents. But he gained the confidence to move out after securing supported accommodation through the residential indpendence project. The recently completed project provides four Transport Accident Commission clients with serious chronic and mental and physical disabilities a chance to move out of their family home or a care home and live independently. The units have been specially designed by architects Hayball to meet the needs of each resident. A fifth unit has been built to house support staff, who are on hand to help Mr Baker with tasks such as meal preparation, as well as reminding of everyday tasks that need to be completed. Mr Baker, who is studying an aged care course at Melbourne Polytechnic in Preston, said moving into the unit had given him freedom. “I needed to be independent,” he said. “This has given me a chance to live in a house that is not interrupted by anyone else. It’s somewhere I can live by myself with the support I need close by.”

(Shawn Smits)

By Laura Michell

JIMMY BAKER

Mill Park Secondary College’s ageing buildings will be freshened up, with the school receiving $1.5 million in maintenance funding from the state government. The money will be used to update buildings at the school’s two campuses – at Moorehead Drive, Mill Park, and Civic Drive in Epping. The buildings are more than 20 years old. The money was awarded as part of last month’s state budget. Principal Trish Horner said the money would enable the school to paint ageing classrooms, replace carpets in high-volume areas and fix roof leaks. Work will be done on the Moorehead Drive campus to redesign the staff room and replace rotten wooden windows. The work is expected to be finished early next year. Ms Horner said the money would allow the school to divert its own maintenance funds to other projects. Mill Park MP Lily D’Ambrosio said the funding would help provide a safe and efficient learning environment for students and teachers. “The Andrews Labor government has committed to making Victoria the education state,” she said. “Central to this is ensuring families have access to high-quality schools. I am proud to see Mill Park Secondary College take this important next step in rebuilding the school facilities.” Laura Michell

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NEWS

Salvos keen to better fundraising appeal Residents of Melbourne’s northern suburbs are being urged to give generously to this year’s Red Shield Appeal. Volunteers from the Craigieburn Salvation Army will be collecting money at shopping centres across Craigieburn, Roxburgh Park and Greenvale, and rattling tins at many of the area’s major intersections on May 28-29. The appeal is the Salvation Army’s major fundraiser. Money collected during the appeal goes towards the Salvation Army’s welfare programs.

Craigieburn captain Peter Brookshaw is “It is not just people who are unemployed hoping to better last year’s fundraising total of who are seeking help, but people who are under $15,000. employed, looking for housing or have had a He said the Craigieburn corps used the relationship breakdown. money to help with its emergency relief “We are in a growth area so generally we are programs, which include providing food going to see an increase in people needing our vouchers and covering the costs of expenses services. We know fine well the social issues such as public transport, phone or medical bills. aren’t going away.” The Craigieburn Corps provide support to people living in the area between Laura Michell Broadmeadows and Craigieburn. “The Red Shield Appeal allows us to support Craigieburn Salvation Army captain Peter more people locally,” Captain Brookshaw said. Brookshaw. (Damjan Janevski)

Seda Eravsar has always been adventurous. So when a friend suggested she abseil down a 27-storey building two years ago to raise money for charity, she jumped at the opportunity. The Roxburgh Park resident (pictured) will show off her adventurous side again later this month, when she abseils down Melbourne’s St James Building to raise money for Anglicare Victoria. Ms Eravsar said signing up for Altitude Shift for a second time was an obvious choice because it combined her love of adventure with her passion for helping children. Money raised from the May 27-28 event will help Anglicare Victoria provide support for vulnerable children. Ms Eravsar initially set a fundraising goal of $850, which she has surpassed. She is now hoping to raise $2000. Details: www.altitudeshift.org.au Laura Michell

(Joe Mastroianni)

Ready to take the big leap

The federal election will be held on Saturday 2 July 2016. Enrolment and voting is compulsory for all eligible citizens over the age of 18 years. Everyone who is on the electoral roll must vote in this federal election. If you can’t make it to a polling place on election day, there may be options to assist you including postal voting and early voting. Remember that you can only vote once in the election. For more information go to www.aec.gov.au or contact the AEC on 13 23 26.

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Talk to us today. The Detail: ^Credit criteria, fees and charges apply. Based on Bank of Melbourne’s credit criteria, residential lending is not available for Non-Australian Resident borrowers. New home loan applications received from 2 May 2016 to 31 July 2016 and settled by 30 September 2016 for refinance purposes where foreign income is not required for serviceability. Offer current as at 2 May 2016 and may be withdrawn at any time. Excludes refinances from Westpac, St.George, BankSA and Bank of Melbourne and refinances into Owner-Occupied Interest Only loans and Portfolio Loans. Only one cashback paid per main applicant. Multiple applications submitted by the same main applicant are not eligible. Not available in conjunction with any other special offers. Applicants must have a Bank of Melbourne transaction account linked to the home loan at the time of settlement. Applicants’ home loan repayments must be direct debited from this transaction account. The account must be kept open for at least 60 days after settlement and the cashback will be paid into this account during this period. There may be tax consequences arising from this promotion for our business customers and rental property investors. This is not taxation advice and customers should seek independent advice on any taxation matters. Advantage Package Terms and Conditions apply and are available at bankofmelbourne.com.au © 2016 Bank of Melbourne - A Division of Westpac Banking Corporation ABN 33 007 457 141 AFSL and Australian credit licence 233714. WBC00059BOM 05/16 92x261 9 NORTHERN STAR WEEKLY \ MAY 17, 2016

STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

NEWS

MY PLACE Mernda’s Tom Joseph is passionate about his local community. As president of the Mernda and District Residents Association, he’s continually advocating for better infrastructure and services for Mernda. He talks with Laura Michell.

I’ve been living here for four years. Prior to that I lived in South Morang for nearly six years. What attracted me to Mernda was the newness of the suburb and the many open spaces and parks, which suited my young family. How long have you been involved with the Mernda and District Residents Association and why? I’ve been involved with MADRA since the day I moved to Mernda. The first two years I was a committee member and for the past two years I’ve been serving as president. I’m a strong believer in contributing to the community I live in, and MADRA is an organisation that’s into community building with the various activities we undertake, be it the Mernda Town Fair, Mernda Carols or assisting with the Diwali Festival and a number of other communitybuilding activities. Are you involved in any other community groups? Besides MADRA, I’m involved with a number of other community groups. I’m the founding president of the Mernda and Doreen Multicultural Association, and I’m on the committee of the Whittlesea Neighbourhood Watch, the founding chairman of the Mernda

Diwali Festival committee, and chairman of the combined social committee of the Catholic Schools and Parish of Mernda, Doreen, Whittlesea and Kinglake. I’m also involved with a number of advocacy [groups] as the spokesman for Mernda Needs a Police Station, Build E6 – The Freeway for the North, and Stop Expanding the Wollert Tip – Save the Schultz Farm campaigns. What do you love about your community? I love being part of a new community that provides endless possibilities for us residents to play a part in shaping the destiny of our community and suburb. Is there anything about Mernda that you’d like to change? The changes I want to see in Mernda are infrastructural changes. I would like to see footpaths where there are none and a better quality of roads. I truly hope that the City of Whittlesea will prioritise infrastructure investments in Mernda. How do you like to spend your spare time? As someone who does a full-time job and an active community leader, I have very little spare time so whatever free time I have I spend with my three beautiful children and my wife.

E R A EP ELF PRU RS YO

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NEWS STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

COMMUNITY CALENDAR WANT YOUR EVENT LISTED? Community Calendar is made available free of charge to not-for-profit organisations to keep the public informed of special events and activities. Send item details to Star Weekly Community Calendar, Corner Thomsons Road and Keilor Park Drive, Keilor Park, 3042, or email to communitycalendar@starweekly.com.au. Deadline for copy and announcements is noon Tuesday.

National Sorry Day

The Whittlesea Reconciliation Group, in partnership with the council, will mark National Sorry Day with a ceremony on Thursday, May 26, at the Great Hall, 25 Ferres Boulevard, South Morang, from 10am-1pm. ■ 3217 2174

Fruit tree help

Biggest Morning Tea

Learn more about caring for fruit trees during an information session at the Mernda Community Garden, 10 Hathfelde Boulevard, Mernda, on Saturday, May 28, from 10am-12.30pm. Craig Castree, from Edible Gardens, will be on hand to discuss what fruit trees need to stay healthy, happy, and to produce delicious fruit. He will also discuss placement, pruning techniques and common problems. Bookings essential. ■ communitygardencarome@gmail.com

Help raise money for the Cancer Council by joining in Thomastown library’s Biggest Morning Tea on Thursday, May 26, from 10am-noon. ■ 9464 1864 Learn how to settle neighbourhood disputes during an information session at the Whittlesea library, 57-61 Laurel Street, Whittlesea, on Friday, June 3, from 10.30-11.30am. The Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria will be on hand to give advice on settling common neighbourhood disputes. ■ 9716 3028

Thomastown courses

Take part in mending and alteration workshops, meditation sessions and English as a second language classes at Thomastown Neighbourhood House, 52 Main Street, Thomastown, during term two, ■ 8376 6939

Story time

Join National Simultaneous Story time

(iStock)

Settle neighbourhood disputes

at Tullamarine, Craigieburn, at The Age libraries on Wednesday, May 25 from 11am-noon, for a reading of I Got this Hat. ■ www.humelibraries.vic,gov.au

Indoor market

Browse through bric-a-brac and local craft items at the Thomastown library’s indoor market on Saturday, June 4, from 10am-1pm. ■ 8376 6939

WIN THIS This Tea Explorer Box will challenge your definition of tea. Besides classic black and green teas, you will find ‘teaser’ sachets of exotic tea and herb flavours to sample to your heart’s content. It also comes with four The Australian Tea Guide books and a high tea ceramic teapot. Three readers will receive this prize valued at $120 each. www.teas.com.au To enter, click on the WIN tab at www. starweekly.com.au and follow the prompts. Entries close at 11.59pm on Sunday, May 22 and will be drawn at 9am the next day at 380 City Road, Southbank, 3006. Entrants must be over 18 years old and reside in Victoria. See our Competition Terms & Conditions for more details. All winners will be contacted direct by the prize supplier and within seven days of the winners being drawn.

Foster care information session

Anglicare Victoria will hold an information session on being a foster carer on Monday, May 30 at Glenroy. The session will cover what’s involved in fostering a child or adolescent and the support available to carers. Brief emergency or long-term care is needed for children of any age. Contact Kay Gyngell at Anglicare Broadmeadows for an information kit and venue details. ■ 9301 5200 or kay.gyngell@anglicarevic.org.au

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Overnewton invites interested parents to join us at our ‘Step into Prep’ session to discover how Overnewton can provide your child with a solid educational foundation. We currently have Prep start dates available for 2017 and 2018. To confirm your attendance or for information contact Shirley Seit on 9334 0140.

NEXT SCHOOL ‘ALIVE’ TOUR I TUESDAY 24 MAY I WEDNESDAY 31 AUGUST I FRIDAY 7 OCTOBER I See Overnewton in action. Enjoy a tour of the College led by our students and experience a normal school day at Overnewton College. Weekly tours are also available. To book a tour call Diane King on 9334 0141.

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NEWS STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

China trip a step toward dream By Tara Murray Hume City’s Matthew Farrugia is doing all the right things to achieve his dream of playing in the A-league. The 16-year-old has made the move from state league to the National Premier League and recently joined a prestigious soccer college. The next step is travelling to China with his Melbourne City College of Football teammates to compete at the International School Soccer Tournament in Shanghai. The college, which is based at John Fawkner College, will represent Australia at the tournament in July.

‘‘

Hopefully I’ll make an A-League side, it’s the - Matthew Farrugia dream

’’

Involving 16 teams, the tournament is being hosted by the Chinese Ministry of Education, Federation of Returned Overseas Chinese and the Shanghai City Government. Melbourne City College of Football was picked after it finished runners-up at the School Sport Victoria state finals. Farrugia said he was thrilled to get the opportunity to travel to China. “I’m really excited and looking forward to it,” he said. “They selected 21 students and five staff to go. There was a selection process and it was based on education, work ethic and performance. I definitely thought I was a chance of being picked.” The Rockbank resident, who bases his game on Socceroo Mathew Leckie (who grew up in Melton), says he expects the tournament to be another level above what he plays in Australia

Above: China-bound Esad Saglam, Samual Butcher, Eden Brandon, Miguel Caceras, Tom Harris and Matthew Farrugia. Right: Matthew Farrugia (Pictures: Damjan Janevski)

He said the communication barrier was something else that would test the group. It’s been a big couple of years for Farrugia who not only changed schools but clubs to follow his sporting dream. “I moved schools from Melton this year,” he said. “We had to trial to attend the [John Fawkner] school and try to get in one of three different programs. “There are the community, development and elite programs. It was a hard selection with over 200 students applying. I got in the elite program.” Farrugia, who normally plays on the right or left wing, started his soccer at state league side Spring Hills, and now plays for National

Premier League club, Hume City. Five of his Hume City teammates are part of the team which will travel to China. “State league was a bit easier than the NPL, which is a harder competition,” he said. “It’s a lot more challenging and I’m always looking for a challenge.” Long term, Farrugia wants to progress through the age groups at Hume City before hopefully playing in the top competition in Australia. “Hopefully I’ll make an A-League side, it’s the dream,” he said. Anyone wanting to donate or sponsor the trip can contact: mcdowell.kieran.j@edumail. vic.gov.au or call 93591166

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The federal election has now been announced. All Australian citizens aged 18 years or over must be enrolled to vote now. If youâ€™ve recently turned 18, become an Australian citizen or changed your name or address, make sure you are enrolled. Enrol or update your details online at www.aec.gov.au or pick up an enrolment form at any AEC office or post office and return it to the AEC before 8pm Monday 23 May. Your vote will help shape Australia.

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FOOD REVIEW STARWEEKLY.COM.AU

CONSIDER THE SAUCE Kenny Weir reckons charcoal chicken could be a national dish … Charcoal chicken, it is sporadically suggested, is about to make a comeback. Charcoal chicken does go unacknowledged for its central role in Australian life. I even think it’s a strong contender for our national dish. But in other ways, to speak of a comeback is silly as charcoal chicken has gone nowhere. On the downside, I find such ruminations a little disturbing as they conjure up visions of hipsterised charcoal poultry with fussy, over-priced side dishes and a food genre stripped of the spunk that makes it such a favourite. Never mind, there will always be places that do it right … places such as Pier Street Charcoal Chicken. Everything about this place is old school – the furniture, the salad line-up, the menu, the locals coming and going at a rapid rate. The food, too, is old school – and very, very good. This is peak charcoal chicken. The coleslaw is fine, and more finely chopped than is often the case. The chips are fresh out of the frier and beaut. The tub of steaming hot gravy is wonderful for chip dipping. I envisaged that the gravy would be super for dipping the dry breast meat, too. This proves to be a pleasurable truth – but one that is completely unnecessary. Here, the breast meat is moist and tender. Yes – tender! Which is very unusual and

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to be wildly applauded. The rest of chicken is equally fine. This half-a-bird meal, including a soft drink, costs me a handful of cents above $14. And … it has been served on real crockery attended by metal cutlery.

Kenny Weir is the founder of Consider the Sauce, the definitive guide to eating in Melbourne’s western suburbs – www.considerthesauce.net

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Keep good eyes on the road Although we might view our cars as ‘transport angels’, independence and convenience being the blessings, it becomes a problem when other cars’ headlights look like they have halos. This ‘vision’ isn’t a heavenly visitation, but rather indicates you may have a not uncommon problem for older people – cataracts. You know, those eye critters we heard about when younger, but didn’t expect to experience ourselves. A visit to an optometrist for a regular eye check becomes more and more important as we age, especially when you think about being in charge of a car, which requires excellent vision to keep yourself and other drivers safe. Other cataract signs are headlights looking fuzzy, street signs becoming indistinct when facing oncoming traffic, and glare’s a bother. If the idea of having cataracts removed gives you the heebie-jeebies, don’t worry because today’s technology makes it straightforward – and, unlike cataract surgery, the alternative of driving with impaired vision could be fatal. Macular degeneration is another eye issue that can rear its head as we grow older. If you notice that driving from a brightly lit area into your shopping centre’s underground carpark is hard for your eyes to adjust to, or your central vision gets blurry, making road lines look crooked

or warped, it may indicate this progressive eye disease. When it’s hard to spot pedestrians starting to cross the road, or cars overtaking on the side, it may mean glaucoma, which impairs side vision. If you find yourself wondering “Where did that pedestrian dressed in bright orange and purple polka dots spring from?” it’s time to book in for an eye test, pronto. Sometimes it’s just plain old tiredness affecting driving vision; other times it might be a diabetic response to low blood sugar levels, or even a sign of a minor stroke. It seems unfair that our eyes don’t age like a good wine – which is why we need to keep an eye on our eyes, so we have only good eyes on the road … for everyone’s sake. Now where’s that optometrist’s number? Carole Levy

15 NORTHERN STAR WEEKLY \ MAY 17, 2016

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Magpies keep on flying

Sports shorts Basketball

Hume City Broncos trio Nick Jones, Paige Tawaf and Rebecca Romeo have been selected for Big V origin all-star games to be held on the Queen’s Birthday weekend. The men’s and women’s matches both involve country and metro sides made up of players from the three senior and youth side Big V divisions. The three Broncos players will all play for the metro sides.

By Tara Murray Roxburgh Park notched up another win on Saturday as it continued to fly under the radar in division 2 of the Essendon District Football League. The Magpies were expected to slide down the ladder this season, but have won four of their opening six matches, including the past three. On Saturday, they inflicted a fifth straight loss on East Sunbury. Only two points separated the sides at the first break and, but for poor kicking in front of goal, the Thunder could have been in front. From there it was all the Magpies, kicking 17 goals to five after quarter-time to win 21.14 (140)-8.8 (56). Spearhead Luke Capuano continued his hot form in front of goal, kicking 10 goals in a best-on-ground performance and outscoring the Thunder by himself. And after booting 20 goals in the past three weeks, he now leads the division’s goalkickers. Jonathon Austin was named in the best for a third straight week, while Tim Blacker kicked three goals. The win means the Magpies are third on the ladder ahead of a clash with the undefeated Moonee Valley at Ormond Park on Saturday. Jacana was again on the wrong side of a thriller, losing to Keilor Park by one point. It was a case of deja vu for Jacana, with all of this season’s losses being under 10 points. The Jaguars led by 15 points at three-quarter time, but could not hold on and went down 8.16 (64)-9.9 (63). Jake Galizia and Bryce Kimuliatis both kicked three goals for the Jaguars in the loss which leaves them with one win from the first six rounds.

Football

Bundoora’s Matthew Dennis and Montmorency’s Jesse Donaldson have been named co-captains of the Northern Football League interleague side. Both have been part of the side the past two years, with NFL coach Robert Hyde saying “it was great reward for both – they’re two terrific blokes”. The NFL travels to Rye to play Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League on Saturday.

Netball

Northern Netball League has maintained its perfect interleague record by defeating South Football Netball League in under-19s and senior matches on Friday night. The NNL under-19 side won 54-35. The senior match was a high-scoring affair won 81-54 by NNL. Star goalshooter Bec Colwell was named best on court after scoring 42 goals in three quarters. FOR MORE SPORT, VISIT Web: starweekly.com.au Northern Star Weekly @starweeklysport @star_weekly

Roxburgh Park’s Ricky McGill marks over East Sunbury’s Lucas Shaw. (Shawn Smits)

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SPORT Tigers master the wind to grab fourth win Westmeadows negotiated both Hadfield and a tricky wind to secure a fourth win of the season in division 1 of the Essendon District Football League on Saturday. The Tigers kicked with the breeze in the opening quarter and took full advantage with seven goals to one. Then, more importantly, they outscored the Hawks seven goals to four in the second quarter – kicking against the wind. It was the same story in the second half as the Tigers went on to win 24.8 (152)-8.10 (58). Tigers coach Dave Connell said the win was set up at the defensive end. “It was a really tricky wind, a four or five goal breeze,” he said.

“We probably set up the win by outscoring them both times when we were kicking against the wind.” Connell said his backline had been strong every round, with stability a key. “The backline has been terrific this year and has been unchanged since round 1,” Connell said. “We’ve been pretty consistent and had pretty much the same group for the last 18 months. “Matthew Bullock came across from Airport West in premier division and we’ve added Aaron Evans from under-18s. “He played one game with us last season. We always thought he’d have the potential to play a majority of seniors this year.”

At the other end of the ground, the Tigers have a new-look forward line which has made them the second highest-scoring team in the division, after Craigieburn. “Jordan Foster and Dylan Debritt have been big ins for us,” Connell said. “Dylan hasn’t really put too much pressure on the scoreboard but has helped structurally. “Having Matthew Bullock has freed up Daniel Willcocks to play forward. He’s our best and fairest winner and normally plays half back or in the middle. “It’s the first year under me we’ve tried him forward. He kicked seven goals yesterday.” The flexibility within the side is flowing through to the lower grades, with the Tigers

Ranges lose their mojo By Tara Murray Whittlesea Ranges coach Vinko Buljubasic hopes his side isn’t too far away from recapturing its early-season form in the National Premier League. After being on fire early in the NPL 2 west season, the Ranges have won just one of their past five games, although they have drawn two. Buljubasic said injuries and an unsettled line-up had seen them slip. “There’s been a change of personnel with a few injuries and there’s been some shuffling around,” he said. “When you don’t have a stable line-up it can cause problems. “[But] Players are starting to get used to different positions and are now able to absorb pressure. “If we are to be successful, it’s about everyone being ready to play and using the whole squad.” Against Ballarat Red Devils on Saturday, Buljubasic said his side showed signs that they were starting to get back on track. The match ended in a 1-1 draw. The Devils scored first then Atilla Ofli scored his 17th goal of the season to earn Ranges a point. “It was a fair result, with both teams defending well and attacking well,” Buljubasic said. “It could have gone either way as both sides had their chances.” Despite the ups and downs of the past five weeks the Ranges remain in the mix, sitting in third position – three points behind North Geelong Warriors. Second through to fourth are separated only by goal difference. “It’s a very close competition with four or five teams in the mix,” Buljubasic said. “North Geelong is three points clear but we are still in contention. “We’ve got to get on a winning run and get ahead of the pack.” The Ranges are set for more changes next week. Jasdip Dingh Dosanjh hurt his hamstring and is unlikely to play, while Naum Sekulovski is likely to be suspended after his fifth yellow card of the season. In NPL, Hume City’s hot streak continued with a 4-1 win over Port Melbourne Sharks. Kym Harris and Nick Hegarty scored for Hume in the first half. The Sharks scored their goal early in the second. Theo Markelis then made it 3-1 for Hume before Hegarty scored his second. Hume remains fifth on the ladder, nine points behind leaders South Melbourne. City will be back on the park on Wednesday night to take on Malvern City in the sixth round of the Victorian stage of the nationwide FFA Cup.

unbeaten in the reserves. The Tigers face Taylors Lakes this weekend, before meeting Tullamarine and Craigieburn in a crucial fortnight for the club’s ladder position. Connell said he was happy to take the 4-1 start to the season. “I think if someone had said we’d be 4-1 after five matches we’d have taken it,” he said. “But we were disappointed with the one loss and it brought us down to earth. “Hopefully we’ll get the job done against Taylors. Then we’ll look at the two trying weeks we have after that.” Tara Murray

United tracking well for good season The next six weeks will judge where Hume United is as a team this season in FFV state league 2 north-west. With three wins from the opening seven round matches, United sits two wins behind ladder leaders Geelong. The most recent of those wins came on Saturday, with Enes Gurkan and Leon Osei scoring for United in its 2-1 win over Altona City. New coach Rob Spasevski said he expected it to be a struggle early on as the side learnt to play together. The former Altona Magic mentor is in his first year in the job and only four players of last year’s team remain. “We had to get a team together from scratch,” he said. “When I came in as coach they wanted me to bring some players. I ended up bringing in 15 players. “The first couple of games were purely ordinary. We’ve got a different 15 from the first couple of weeks and we’re now playing some good football.” While they’ve won three, Spasevski said there were good signs in the losses as well. “I’m happy with how the boys are performing and our losses, which were 3-2 and 2-1, didn’t do justice to the way we played,” he said. “There were really good signs in our wins. We’re starting to gel and are only a game and half outside the top four.” After tinkering with the line-up from the first couple of matches, Spasevski said they were starting to settle. As a result, a few of the younger players such as Saeeed Heyabu and Michael Pontikis were starting to show what they can do. “We’re developing the young players and we’ve got good commitment from the experienced players,” he said. “We’re in a results-based industry and they will see losses. It isn’t a true reflection of the barriers we’re breaking down as a team.” Spasevski said he hoped the next few weeks would produce a few more wins. “There’s still another 16 games left and if we string together two to three wins we’ll find ourselves in the top five.” Sporting Whittlesea’s struggle to start has continued with a 5-2 loss to Corio. In state league 3 north-west, Upfield defeated Westvale 3-1, Lalor United and La Trobe University drew 3-3 and Whittlesea United had a 4-1 win over Western Eagles.

Atilla Ofli scored his 17th goal of the season in the Whittlesea Ranges 1-1 draw.

Tara Murray (Shawn Smits) 21 NORTHERN STAR WEEKLY \ MAY 17, 2016

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Falcons’ future is up in the air By Tara Murray Roxburgh Park Broadmeadows will look to the future after withdrawing from the Victorian Sub-District Cricket Association. The club pulled the pin on its sub-district cricket aspirations on Friday because of a lack of players but will look to play on in other competitions. Club legend Mick Streiff, who had put his hand up to be president, said the club had worked hard to stay in the sub-district competition. “We had a committee together of about eight or nine people and had done draft budgets,” Streiff said. “Everything seemed fine … we signed Adam [Yates] and Mitch [Streiff] to be coach and assistant coach.

‘‘

It was a hard decision [but] we had to make the - Mick Streiff decision now

’’

“We spoke to people about captaining the thirds and fourths and we had numbers for both sides. “As long as we had enough for the top two sides, we would have been right.” Streiff said the club thought it had the numbers necessary for the top two sides, but several players had pulled out. “We had five retirements from the senior side and were looking at getting a few extra players on board,” Streiff said.

“We’d signed a guy from England. One player then said he wasn’t sure if he was staying and it snowballed … we had five or six say they weren’t coming back.” After several committee meetings and separate discussions with Yates and Mitch Streiff, the Falcons decided they didn’t have the numbers necessary to play on. “It was a hard decision [but] we had to make the decision now,” Streiff said. “Adam and Mitch had knocked back offers from other clubs – they had tried hard to get new players but could only get a couple of players who were maybes.” Streiff, who has been involved with the club for 40 years said he would not stay on as president. Former club president Ben Wood said since

Friday’s decision he had been approached to help set up a new committee. Headed up by Tyson Sinclair and Matt English, the new committee wanted to continue having both senior and junior sides with a focus on more social cricket. “The club will survive. The guys who are running it have to make some decisions,” Wood said. “It’s important to ensure we have a club going forward. “We’ve got strong numbers at a junior level and have the numbers for thirds and fourths. “Juniors won’t change, but do they want to play in Victorian Turf Cricket Association or in the North West Metropolitan Cricket Association? Or maybe they play in both competitions – they have to sit down and decide where the club heads.”

Pacers push to put slow start behind them

Mernda’s Jesse Owens-Draper tackles Tom Sullivan.

(Shawn Smits)

Midfield shines as Pingers find form Momentum is building for Epping in division 3 of the Northern Football League. Last year’s grand finalists haven’t started the season as they would have liked but have still won five of the opening seven matches. Against Mernda on Saturday, the Pingers were determined not to suffer a repeat of their 25-point smashing in round one. The Pingers jumped out of the blocks and took advantage of kicking with the wind, booting six goals to none in the first quarter. They outscored the Demons in every quarter to run away to a 13.11 (89)-4.7 (31) victory. Pingers’ coach Greg Whitcroft said he was pleased with how his side had developed since round one. “In the first game they [Mernda] were far too good and the scoreline flattered us,” he said. “I think we have improved. “There was a big wind on Saturday and it never stopped all day. “In the second and fourth quarters, when 22 NORTHERN STAR WEEKLY \ MAY 17, 2016

we were defending while they had the wind, we outscored them and then matched them. “It set up the game.” Christopher Chilcott kicked three goals for the Pingers, while Shane Wood continued his good work in defence. Josh Stavely, who has stepped up into senior football, was best on ground. “Our midfield is starting to pick up,” Whitcroft said. “We got off to a slow start but the midfield has got on top the last three weeks and are giving us first use of the ball. “They’re starting to gel and understand how I like things.” Whitcroft said he was thrilled to see the likes of Jordan Wilkins and Jason Stavely thriving at the higher level. He was also impressed with how Paul Dempsey responded to the move to centre half-back. He said the key now for the Pingers is to maintain their consistency. They have a bye this

week because of the interleague match against the Mornington Peninsula Nepean League. “All the young guys are improving and the trick is to close the gap between their best and worst,” Whitcroft said. “We’re 5-2 and sitting pretty. We have a few sore players so the bye comes at a good time.” In other division 3 matches, South Morang’s good form continued with a massacre of Kilmore. The Lions had 43 scoring shots to 12 in the 22.21 (153)-6.6 (42) win. Kane Maghamez kicked six goals. In division 1, Bundoora suffered its first loss since round 1, West Preston Lakeside kicking 10 goals to six in the second half to win 13.11 (89)-12.4 (76). Whittlesea remains winless after losing 12.11 (83)-8.12 (60) to Greensborough. In division 2, Lalor defeated Panton Hill and Thomastown lost to Hurstbridge. Tara Murray

After a disastrous start to the Big V state championship season, the Whittlesea Pacers are hanging in there. Seven straight losses all but ended the Pacers’ finals hopes before the season was even halfway through. They won their next two matches, but on Saturday night tasted defeat again, losing 86-77 to Ringwood. There was only two points difference at the last break but, not for the first time this season, the Pacers couldn’t find the basket in the dying minutes. Chris Kaba top-scored for the Pacers with 25 points, while Lincoln Garfirth chipped in with 20. Pacers’ coach Ross Moll said the side was finally finding some poise after a slow start. “If we had two or three of those early games again, we’d probably do things differently,” he said. “We weren’t good enough and should have done better. It’s about holding our nerve and having a little bit better execution.” He said individuals were starting to blossom. He said Garfirth, who is averaging 13 points, did a really good job against Corio Bay’s Jason Reardon defensively and was making an impact on the scoreboard. “Damian O’Keefe came off the bench against Corio Bay and got five of seven three-point attempts in 13 minutes,” Moll said. “He grabbed his opportunity … the challenge is for him to be more consistent.” He said youth league players Aiden Zeverona and Jack Petrucelle are thriving being around the senior set-up. The Pacers just missed finals the past two years, and they’re not currently on the agenda for this season. “We still are not looking that far ahead,” Moll said. “We’re taking each game as it comes doing what we need to do.” The Pacers women’s side remains winless after a massive defeat at the hands of Ringwood. Scores were level at the first break, but the Hawks blew the game open in the second quarter with a 25-5 term. It was much the same for the rest of the game, with the Hawks winning 90-49. Trudy Armstead top-scored for the Pacers with 12. Tara Murray

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