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Mayor’s excuse disabled

The North Central Review
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Mayor’s excuse disabled

by Brooke Haffenden

FORMER Whittlesea councillor Christine Stow has called out Mayor Kris Pavlidis for parking in a designated disabled space while attending the launch of a café for people with intellectual disabilities.

On Friday, November 17 Cr Pavlidis was directed to park in the spot by staff at Yarra Plenty Regional Library when she arrived for the launch of Chancez Café at Mill Park Library.
As a mother of a disabled daughter, Ms Stow said she is sickened by the mayor’s actions.
“This makes me feel ill and it is such a slap in the face to me and other carers and people with disabilities,” Ms Stow said.

“With all this talk of equality – we have a long way to go.”

Attending last week’s council meeting, Ms Stow attempted to ask questions regarding the mayor’s behaviour but her request was denied as it was not relevant to the evening’s agenda.

Ms Stow questioned what kind of example the mayor’s actions provide the community and why she parked in the spot when there are plenty of parks across the road or in the street. Ms Stow also asked if there would be any disciplinary action for the mayor.

“As a rate payer and a mother of a child with multiple disabilities, I am saddened, ashamed actually to see the mayor park in a spot saved for those who cannot walk or cannot talk, cannot defend themselves like my daughter,” Ms Stows question to council began.

“It makes me feel sick actually to see in the news the current mayor parking right out the front of the library to launch a cafe at the library- a project that I myself put in the prospectus as Chair of the Disability Cluster.

“I would like the Mayor to answer the question – how is this going to help the disability network improve parking issues if this is the way she behaves?”

In a response from council, seen by the Whittlesea Review, Ms Stow was informed that her question was not answered at the meeting as it was not pertinent to matters listed on the agenda or “a significant strategic or governance matter affecting the City”.
Ms Stow was advised that her question will be referred to council officers who will provide a written response to the issues she raised.
Ms Stow said Cr Pavlidis had spoken of being transparent during her mayoral speech but her actions show poor leadership. She also accused the mayor of hiding and not answering questions.
In a joint statement released last week, Cr Pavlidis and Di Shaw, CEO of Yarra Plenty Regional Library, apologised to the community.

Cr Pavlidis said as someone who is passionate and committed to empowering and supporting people with disabilities she was disappointed that she didn’t follow her instinct not to park where she was directed to.

Both the mayor and Yarra Plenty Regional Library will be donating $200 each to Chancez Café.

At the council meeting on September 19 of this year, Cr Pavlidis moved the Disability Action Plan 2017-2021. During the motion she led a discussion around council’s ability to monitor and respond to incidents of misuse of disabled parking spots.

Chance meeting leads Irish band to Kilmore

The North Central Review
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Chance meeting leads Irish band to Kilmore

by Joshua Wells

ONE WOMAN’S passion will become a community’s gain following the announcement a traditional Irish band will play at the Old Kilmore Gaol.

Kilmore’s Caroline Killeen is determined to bring Breaking Trad’s ‘World Class Celtic Magic’ to the township in the early New Year.

The unique event was inspired by Ms Killeen’s travel to Ireland where she met a band member’s family years ago, forming a unique bond with the people and the music.

“We met [Breaking Trad’s] Gino Lupari’s family in the north of Ireland and they had told us about him, so we made sure we saw him when he came out to Australia,” she said.

“We all became good friends… and a few years ago my husband and our children went back to Ireland for a family holiday and we went to a Fleadh Cheoil [Translated from Celtic to ‘a festival of music’].

old kilmore gaol a
Caroline Killeen and Jeremy Phillips at the Old Kilmore Gaol

“We fell in love with it all and I just wanted to share it, show my kids the culture of it all, which very much goes with the music… I find it beautiful and I wanted to bring it to Kilmore.”

Ms Killeen contacted the owner of the Old Kilmore Gaol, Jeremy Phillips, and struck up the idea of bringing a bit of Ireland to North Central Victoria.

Mr Phillips said he believed the idea to be a no-brainer for him and wanted to help out.

“I was happy to jump on board, it is a great thing for the town,” he said.

“I think the gaol is one of the best buildings in town and it has been just sitting there… so I am very excited for this performance.

“These are the sort of things lend themselves to arts and culture and I think it would be great to bring here.”

Breaking Trad will bring their unique Irish music to the Old Kilmore Gaol on January 14.
Tickets: $40, kids under 12 free – www.trybooking.com/SXDJ

Hark! the Whittlesea choir sings

The North Central Review
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Hark! the Whittlesea choir sings

RESIDENTS across the district are invited to dust off their Santa hats, warm up their singing voices and get ready for festive fun at the annual Carols by Candelight event.
A great night out for the family, the City of Whittlesea event will feature the Community Carols Choir and Diamond Valley Brass Band.

There will be plenty of entertainment for the kids including face painting, a live nativity scene, animal farm and art workshops.

And of course there will a special visit from Santa who’s bringing a special touch of magic to the carols this year.

“I’m bringing a touch of the North Pole with me to Carols by Candlelight this year, come along and see some Christmas magic,” Santa said when he dropped by the Civic Centre in South Morang last week.

This year’s event is proudly supported – for the second year – by Community Developer AVJennings’ Lyndarum North project.

The AVJennings team will be hosting the children’s craft tent and selling LED Candles, with the proceeds going to the Steve Waugh Foundation.

Infinity Church in South Morang will also be collecting non-perishable food times and presents to donate to those in need in the community, while the church volunteers will be cooking up a barbecue to raise money for their community kitchen.

Attendees are welcome to bring a picnic, enjoy the barbecue of visit one of the food trucks.
The City of Whittlesea Carols by Candelight will be held on Friday, December 8 at 7pm at the Redleap Reserve in Mill Park.

Busy council year kicks off

The North Central Review
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Busy council year kicks off

IT was a busy night at Macedon Ranges Shire council last Wednesday night, November 22, with a special meeting to elect councillors and the ordinary meeting for general council business to follow.

West Ward Councillor Jennifer Anderson was re-elected Mayor with councillors again deciding not to appoint a deputy mayor.

Mayor, Cr Jennifer Anderson, said she was honoured to be re-elected, and thanked her fellow Councillors for their support.

“This is a great council, with councillors who are committed to working together as a team. “I’m thankful they trust me to be the mayor again for another year,” Cr Anderson said.
“It’s been a very busy first term as mayor, with the new council getting out into the community and talking to residents, consulting on the council plan and implementing our first budget. I am proud of what we’ve achieved in the last twelve months and we’re looking forward to building upon that, and continuing to work closely with the community,” she said.

This is Cr Anderson’s third term as mayor. She previously served as mayor in 2014 and 2016.

In other business conducted during the two meetings, council noted two reports about mayoral and councillor allowances and the councillor code of conduct, and endorsed the councillor support policy.

Councillor allowances were set at $83,790 for the mayoral allowance and $27,079 for councillors.

The Hanging Rock Strategy Advisory Committee minutes from its October meeting were received and noted.

Councillor delegates for various internal advisory committees and external committees/organisations were appointed for the 2017/18 council year.
Two grant applications were endorsed for funding as part of council’s Small Community Grant Scheme: Macedon Pony Club received $1,364 and Romsey and Lancefield Districts Historical Society received $1,500. Details are in the story on page 2.
Nine tender contracts were endorsed to be awarded by council officers under delegated authority.

Council adopted its related party disclosures policy.

An updated financial reserves policy was adopted with an amendment requesting officers to investigate how further funding could be directed towards new walking, cycling and transport service facilities.

An item of urgent and other business was discussed directing that officers seek urgent advice from the Minister for Planning regarding the potential application of a blanket interim heritage overlay to the significant heritage assets across the Macedon Ranges Shire.

Location, location, location

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Location, location, location

THREE planning applications, all sharing location issues, were knocked back by Mitchell Shire councillors at the November council meeting last week.
One in Wallan in the area, believed to be the birthplace of Ned Kelly, sought approval for the use and development of the land on the Epping-Kilmore Road for a clay extraction quarry. Quinn’s Cottage, the home of Ned’s mother Ellen Quinn, is on the property and is described in the report to councillors as “a very rare example of an intact 1850s timber farm dwelling.”

The application by Austral Bricks received 36 objectors which no doubt would have contributed to the recommendation councillors resolve to issue a Notice of Refusal to grant a planning permit.

The concerns raised by objectors covered a range of issues which were primarily concerned with traffic, dust and noise, devaluation of property and urban growth considerations.
The site is located within the Urban Growth Boundary and is located within the proposed Beveridge Intermodal Freight Terminal.

During discussion all councillors expressed concern over the location of the proposed facility and its impact on future development.

“I acknowledge the objectors’ concerns over traffic movement and I have my own regarding its impact on the history of the area. I don’t think I can support it at this particular time,” Cr Fiona Stevens said.

Cr Bob Humm acknowledged the value of clay extraction in brick manufacture to support housing development, adding he still had some concerns and could not support the application.

The second application in Wallan was by Optus Communications for a 26 metre high mobile phone tower in High Street, met with similar concerns regarding the project’s location.
The proposed site for the tower, which attracted six objections, is behind the existing BP Service Station and was agreed on by councillors as “not the most appropriate site”.
“It [the tower] will be visually intrusive and not the appropriate structure for the middle of the town,” Cr Bob Eldridge said.

Further south in Beveridge an application to construct a warehouse was refused.
The report to councillors described the Spring Street site as a “prominent location within the existing Beveridge township” and the construction of a warehouse was not considered appropriate.

The report added the built form of the shed in the prominent location was considered substandard in its design. One objection was received for the proposal.
The development plan for the existing Beveridge township is currently being investigated and prepared by council’s strategic planning unit. This led Cr David Lowe to suggest the project was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“The entrance to the town is not the place for a warehouse – I am not in favour,” Cr Stevens said.

All refusals were carried unanimously at each vote.

Mary-Anne’s commitment to Macedon

The North Central Review
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Mary-Anne’s commitment to Macedon

By Brooke Haffenden

MEMBER for Macedon Mary-Anne Thomas this week looked back on her time in Government and her commitments to the Macedon Ranges electorate over the past three years.

“It’s gone incredibly quickly but in the three years that I’ve been a member in parliament representing Macedon, I’ve got to say, every day is an extraordinary privilege,” Ms Thomas said.

With investments across education, roads, health and public transport, Ms Thomas said that she was proud of the work the Government has done but admits there is still a lot more to do.

“We are seeing real benefits flowing to our communities here in Macedon. With me as representative, I believe we are delivering for the communities here in the Macedon Ranges, and I want to keep doing that.

“There’s much more to do but we’ve hit the ground running.

Over the past three year’s Ms Thomas and the state government has made some large announcements including, $10.9 million for the new Kyneton Primary School, $20 million for the Melbourne-Lancefield Road, $900,000 on Lancefield Park, $400,000 on street scaping in Romsey, as well as over $500,000 for the Romsey Primary School and $2.8 billion state-wide on V/Line.

Talking to Ms Thomas she will tell you her two biggest achievements lie in local investment in education and family violence.

“More than $43 million across my electorate has been invested into school’s infrastructure. I am very, very proud of that,” Ms Thomas said.

“That means that kids in country Victoria are getting access to state-of-the-art teaching and learning facilities and we’ve got that flow on effect of the jobs being created.
“The work I’ve done on family violence, raising awareness and supporting my community in that regard has also been a significant achievement.”

While the government will spend $1.91billion on reducing family violence, Ms Thomas went a step further to raise awareness locally with the ‘Say No to Family Violence’ campaign.
More than 40 groups and businesses across the Macedon Ranges were involved with the campaign, putting up handmade signs in their shop fronts.

“It sends a strong message in to women in country towns that they are not alone, people are out there and understand, and we want to be able to support you. It gives victims of family violence confidence to speak up,” Ms Thomas explained.

“I want to make sure that girls and women in my community know that they are important, that I am a person they can speak to, that I will support them and that their community supports them too by making the banners and putting them on display.

“When I was campaigning to be elected I met a young woman, who with her two boys, had left her husband to live in another town. And I thought this is so unfair, that her life has to be totally uprooted, her and her boys, and she has to do all the back and forth to try and give them stability in their own home. That has stayed with me.”

It is this woman’s story, along with many others who motivate Ms Thomas day after day in her role.

Ms Thomas also spoke of a little girl from Romsey called Miley and her mum Alison who met she met when she was door knocking during the elections. Miley was in kindergarten and at the time when funding to four-year-old kinder looked like it was about to be cut, so Ms Thomas joined with Alison and other local parents to sign petitions and the funding was restored.

“But the thing about Miley and her mum Alison is that I’ve kept in touch with them. Miley’s down at Romsey Primary now, and that’s what motivates me every day – making sure a young girl like Miley will have the very best chances in her life to access high quality education where she lives,” she said.

“My job is to be on the ground listening to the people that I represent, and be alert to the issues that are of concern to them. In order to be the best MP I can be, I’ve got to be listening to people I represent all the time.”

Passionate about women in sports, mental health, transport, infrastructure and jobs, Ms Thomas explained that the Government was investing money into local economies and giving young people pathways into good jobs.

Since January 1, 2016, 10 per cent of all the works carried out on major projects has been undertaken by apprentices, trainees or engineering cadets as part of the skills guarantee.
As a Member of Parliament, and Cabinet Secretary, Ms Thomas said she’s well positioned to represent the needs and interests of her communities.

“I’m happy to stand on my record of what I’ve been able to achieve in three short years and it will be four years by the time the people are voting again. I have a list of commitments that I made to the people of this community and I know that I will be able to stand there in 2018 and say I’ve delivered them,” Ms Thomas continued.

“What’s more, I’ll have another list of commitments that I’ll be making until 2022, and I’ll continue to work at the pace I have set to look out for the people of this community, who are always my number one priority.”

Fireworks at meeting

The North Central Review
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Fireworks at meeting

CITY of Whittlesea Mayor, Cr Kris Pavlidis has had her leadership called into question following last week’s council meeting which saw two councillors removed from the chambers and another two walk out.

In the first meeting to be held since this month’s council mayoral vote, it was clear that councillors were not happy with what Cr Pavlidis stated in her mayor speech as the ‘new regime’.

Under pressure from the beginning of the meeting, Cr Pavlidis faced a dissent motion seventeen minutes in for not reading out a question from former councillor Christine Stow.
Former mayor Ricky Kirkham recalled councillors around the table being ‘very vocal’ when he refused to answer questions at the Mernda council meeting earlier this year and he warned they needed to be consistent. In March, Cr Kirkham faced a dissent motion which was led by councillors Pavlidis and Sam Alessi for not reading out a question from a member of the public.

“The mayor showed poor leadership by not answering the question. There needs to be consistency,” Cr Kirkham said.

Cr Mary Lalios said the dissent motion was about leadership and transparency, and “making sure what the mayor said in her speech when elected a few weeks ago is followed through.”
To the dismay of the public sitting in the gallery, councillors continued to argue back and forth throughout a tense five-and-a-half hour meeting, interrupting and insulting each other.

Tempers flared among the councillors and the gallery, with fed-up residents upset over a council decision regarding Lyndarum Drive, Epping verbally abusing councillors and accusing them of being corrupt.

Community members who were at the meeting have told the Whittlesea Review that the meeting was a “joke” and they were disgusted by council’s behaviour.
Cr Lalios was the first councillor to be removed at the meeting at 9.10pm after repeated warnings for talking over the mayor and for her ‘tone’. Cr Lalios was visibly upset when she left the chambers calling the decision ‘disgusting’.

Councillors Norm Kelly and Alahna Desiato walked out of the council meeting at 11pm and 11.36pm respectively. Cr Desiato had proposed a sensible amendment regarding a motion put forward by Cr Cox to move the Whittlesea Community Festival back to its original location.

Asking if council could first assess if the festival was successful at its new location at the Civic Centre in South Morang, Cr Desiato was told no by Cr Cox because of “the behaviour of some councillors here tonight”.
Cr Kirkham was then shown the door by the mayor at 11.40pm after several warnings that his behaviour was not acceptable.
Both Cr Kirkham and Cr Lalios took to social media after the meeting saying they would not be gagged.

Cr Lalios said there’s a meeting process that needs to be followed and it needs to be applied equally.

“Having a robust debate is something that needs to happen in the council chamber,” she continued.

“The mayor was lecturing to council about their behaviour but she needs to put a mirror to her face.

“I take my meeting procedure very seriously. Ignoring legitimate points of order is very flawed and a very slippery, dangerous road we are going down.”
During the council meeting Cr Pavlidis stated she didn’t like to remove councillors but they had left her with no choice.

Cr Anderson mayor for second term

The North Central Review
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Cr Anderson mayor for second term

CR JENNIFER Anderson has been elected Macedon Ranges’ mayor for a second term.

Councillors voted unanimously at this week’s special meeting to return Cr Anderson to the mayoral chair and again decided that the role of deputy mayor should be shared among all councillors.

“It is up to all of us to pull together and support our mayor when she is unable to attend an event,” Cr Bill West said in moving the motion not to elect a deputy.

In a short address following her re-election Cr Anderson committed to continuing the dialogue with the community.

“We will continue to get out in the community, continue the talk and work together on priorities,” she said.

Station is open

The North Central Review
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Station is open

POLICE numbers have been bolstered with the opening of the new Mernda Police Station.
Minister for Police Lisa Neville and Member for Yan Yean Danielle Green met with Superintendent Tim Hansen on Sunday, November 19 to tour the $15 million 24-hour station.

The state-of-the-art facility includes specially designed interview rooms, conference rooms, discrete public consultation facilities, high-level security and new staff facilities.
It will also house uniform police officers, the Family Violence Unit, the Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Team, the Pro-Active Programs Unit and other staff.
Of the 130 staff Mernda Police Station, 45 are brand new frontline officers.
Ms Neville said the new station will provide invaluable policing support for Mernda.

“This new police station, with the 45 additional police, will ensure that community has the police it needs,” she said.

“Victorians are flocking to Mernda and the new police station will help meet the growth we are seeing and support the police response right across the area,” Ms Green added.
Superintendent Hansen said Victoria Police will continue to invest in resources to boost community safety throughout Victoria.

“This is a police station for the future, positioned in a key growth corridor in Melbourne’s north west,” Superintendent Hansen said.

“Growth corridors, such as Whittlesea and Mernda, will continue to be a priority.”
City of Whittlesea North Ward councillor and Mernda Police Station campaigner, Tom Joseph was at the operational opening and told the Whittlesea Review he was delighted for the community.

“The Mernda Police Station is massive for the community. I’m so delighted for the residents of Mernda and Whittlesea,” Cr Joseph said.

“When I started the police station campaign I thought we would get 10-12 officers but what the Government has delivered is huge. When I first started the campaign my main intent was to have a police presence there.

“The presence of 130 officers will make the community feel safer. I believe it is a huge win for the north in particular Mernda, Doreen and Whittlesea.
“It’s more police resources for the entire community.”

Prior to the opening Ms Neville and Ms Green attended the Whittlesea Police Station to address ongoing concerns regarding the closure of the station as well as reduced staffing numbers.

While the Minister stated that the Whittlesea Police Station would remain open there was no real commitment regarding staffing levels.
Cr Joseph said the Minister made it very clear that Whittlesea Police Station will remain open and that they would be supported by Mernda Police.

Prior to Mernda Police Station opening, Whittlesea police serviced a population of 50,000 which has now reduced to 10,000.

Mernda Police Station is located at 542 Bridge Inn Road, Mernda. In an emergency, contact Triple 000.

For non-urgent matters, members of the public can contact the Mernda Police Station on 9216 1200

Levelling the playing field

The North Central Review
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Levelling the playing field

Two of the biggest names in women’s cricket, Ellyse Perry and Meg Lanning, are getting back to their roots in local cricket and calling on clubs to apply for a 2018 CommBank Cricket Club Sponsorship.

Promoting participation at a local level, the sponsorship program provides more than $250,000 in support to local clubs around the country every year. Local clubs can apply for a two year sponsorship, which provides $2000 a year as well as new equipment for training and matches.

Injured Captain of the Australian women’s cricket team, Meg Lanning, is a program ambassador and vocal supporter of the sponsorship program.

“Cricket is a big part of my life, and I remember vividly my first big match when I was just 14 for Carey Grammar,” Meg said.

“I was lucky to have been so supported as a young female in my sporting endeavours, and I’m keen to pass the bat to the next generation of cricketers and offer them the same opportunity through the CommBank Cricket Club Sponsorship program.”

Over the past five years, CommBank has provided more than one million dollars in grants, sponsorships and cricket gear to 395 cricket clubs around the country. Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars All-Rounder, Ellyse Perry, said that the program supports local cricket clubs and gives more cricket fans and players the chance to step up to the crease and get involved in Australia’s favourite summer pastime.

The program is delivered in partnership with Cricket Australia and is designed to make cricket inclusive and accessible for all. CommBank has sponsored the Australian women’s cricket team and the women’s development squad for more than 18 years.

During the 2017-2018 season, sponsorship funding will also go towards helping Australia’s national disability teams get access to the same high-performance support other elite representative cricket teams receive support enabling Australia’s Indigenous women’s and men’s squads to tour England in 2018 to commemorate the renowned all-Aboriginal team tour of England in 1868.

The Growing Cricket for Girls fund will be boosted by $1 million and support will be available for an enhanced, high-definition outdoor broadcast experience of the first-ever day night Women’s Ashes Test.

Applications for the 2018 CommBank Cricket Club Sponsorships are open to local cricket clubs across the country until June 1,0 2018.

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