Home Blog Page 549

Warning for hot, dry summer ahead

The North Central Review
-
0

Victoria is facing an increased risk of fires in western and central Victoria this summer, according to the Australasian Fire Authorities Council, AFAC, Seasonal Bushfire Outlook for Summer.

Victoria’s emergency management sector is continuing its preparedness for the high-risk weather season and Victorians are being urged to actively prepare.

CFA chief officer Jason Heffernan said while it had been cold and still wet in some parts of the state, it was time for individuals, families and communities to prepare their properties ahead of summer.

“While Victorians can expect fire risk in the coming months to be above-average across south-western and central Victoria, rest assured, they will be well-protected this fire season,” he said.

“While we’re ready to respond and support communities as we do every year, now is the time for Victorians to prepare their families and their property and review their Bushfire Survival Plan.”

The Seasonal Bushfire Outlook for Summer gives a national picture of the likelihood of an increased number of fires over the summer months.

Mr Heffernan said Victoria remained well prepared for the potential of fires, with a mix of water bombing aircraft, air supervision and air intelligence gathering aircraft positioned across the state.

“Alongside our interagency partners, CFA crews across the state have been working closely with their local areas and brigade members to ensure we are best prepared for the proposed conditions,” he said.

For the first time in Victoria, communities can create a fire plan online, customised to their needs and sharable with family and friends.

Keep up to date with the fire danger ratings on the VicEmergency App and VicEmergency website and make a plan via the new Online Fire Planner at fireplanner.vic.gov.au.

Liberal Richard Welch elected to State Parliament

The North Central Review
-
0
Liberal Richard Welch elected to State Parliament

Former federal Liberal candidate for McEwen Richard Welch has won Liberal preselection in the North-Eastern Metropolitan region and will now serve as a state upper house member. 

He replaces Matthew Bach, a former senior shadow cabinet member, who resigned after four years as an MP.

Mr Welch was successful in the preselection over nine nominees.

The North-Eastern Metropolitan Region comprises 11 districts, including the lower house electorates of Mill Park and Bundoora.

Mr Welch is no stranger to the region after standing for the Liberals in the federal seat of McEwen in 2019, losing to Labor’s Rob Mitchell.

He then stood as the Liberal candidate for Yan Yean at last year’s state election – where he lost to Labor’s Lauren Kathage but achieved a 6.2 primary swing and a 12.7 per cent two-party swing. 

After the federal election, Mr Welch took a break from politics but felt the need to come back. He told The Review he had a ‘sense of unfinished business’.

Opposition leader John Pesutto congratulated Mr Welch on his preselection.

“Richard has been a dedicated Liberal in Melbourne’s north-east for a number of years, including running as our federal candidate for McEwen and state candidate for Yan Yean,” he said.

“Richard will be a fantastic addition to our parliamentary team as we continue to hold a tired and incompetent Labor government to account while presenting our alternative vision for Victorians in the lead up to the 2026 State Election.”

NCR (2023-11-28)

The North Central Review
-
0
NCR (2023-11-28)

WR (2023-11-28)

The North Central Review
-
0
WR (2023-11-28)

Federal Opposition leader visits Wallan

Max Davies
-
2

Federal Opposition leader Peter Dutton made a visit to Wallan last week, pointing out his criticism of government-managed funding and cost-of-living pressures in the region.

The visit on Tuesday came after Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles visited Wallan on November 8, where he discussed an increase Medicare Bulk Billing Incentive payments and the delivery of the Watson Street diamond interchange.

Mr Dutton, however, made a point of personally addressing Wallan’s ‘salt of the earth’ people over the issue of increasing cost-of-living pressures, which he said had been ‘forgotten’ by the Albanese Government and Member for McEwen Rob Mitchell.

“These are people who are living in outer metropolitan areas like McEwen – but right around the country – where they’ve been forgotten by this Prime Minister,” he said.

“Eighteen months into this Labor government, there are many families who are scratching their heads wondering where the Anthony Albanese they voted for has gone.”

Speaking about Labor’s election promises, Mr Dutton claimed that on 12 occasions interest rates had risen despite a promised mortgage decrease, and energy prices had increased by 18 per cent despite a promised $275 decrease in electricity prices.

Mr Dutton said inflation had also increased, making it harder for residents to afford necessities including groceries and services such as gas.

“Inflation is fuelled by this government’s reckless spending and by the fact that they’ve had two budgets to make it easier for Australians, instead they’ve made it harder for Australians,” he said.

“I don’t think there’s much celebrating going on at the moment for a lot of Australians who are just shaking their head, wondering how this Labor government got it so wrong.”

In response, Mr Mitchell said McEwen – like most of Australia – had been suffering from inflation and an increase in financial pressures because of international circumstances.

“The inflation and interest rate rises we’ve seen started under [the Morrison government’s] watch. In fact, the jump in inflation began in the last quarter of the Morrison government, so we inherited this mess and we’re trying to turn it around,” he said.

“We’ve had the Ukraine-Russia War, which has meant gas prices have gone through the roof … and with the war, two of the top three suppliers in the world are both currently not supplying wheat.

“That means people are having to pay more because it’s a bit scarcer, and it affects everything.”

Mr Mitchell said the situation in McEwen and Australia was no different to the rest of the world and reminded that the Albanese Government was ‘doing everything they can’ to bring the cost of living down.

Mr Dutton was also questioned on the delivery of the Watson Street diamond interchange, which he said was ‘another blow’ for Wallan residents.

“[Labor has] effectively wasted 18 months because the Coalition promised this project – $50 million worth of funding – when we were in government,” he said.

“It’s desperately needed infrastructure within the local community and Rob Mitchell’s been completely missing on the issue.

“The project won’t get off the ground any time soon under this government because they can’t manage money, they can’t manage these big projects, they’re always in the ‘too hard’ basket and locals end up sitting in traffic while they go without necessary infrastructure.”

Mr Mitchell said ‘every single major piece of infrastructure’ in Wallan had been delivered by Labor governments and blamed Mr Dutton for not giving Victoria a ‘fair go’.

“If you wanted to do something, you should have apologised for not delivering [the ramps] in nine years of government,” he said.

“There was no money given to the state, there was no planning, nothing was started, nothing was done and it’s quite obvious things are finally happening now.”

Priority projects a Mitchell Shire Council focus

Jordyn Grubisic
-
0
Priority projects a Mitchell Shire Council focus

The Kilmore Bypass, Wallan’s Greenhill Recreation Precinct and restoration of Seymour’s Old Goulburn Bridge lead the list of strategic advocacy priorities endorsed by Mitchell Shire Council.

The council endorsed the priorities at its November 20 meeting, well ahead of state and federal elections.

Council split its advocacy priorities into three categories – healthy, connected and sustainable.

Under the healthy category, proposed priorities are Greenhill Recreation Precinct, Wallan; Seymour Community Wellbeing Hub; Kilmore Learning and Community Hub; community and sporting infrastructure; local access to health care and other services.

In the connected category is the Kilmore Bypass; Cameron’s Lane – Hume Freeway interchange at Beveridge; rail line upgrades; Beveridge train station; growth area arterial roads; telecommunications resilience particularly during emergencies; upgrade of the Northern Highway at Wallan; Watson Street full diamond interchange at Wallan; bus network and services; road network improvements; and rail trails.

Restoration of the Old Goulburn Bridge at Seymour; Wallan Wallan regional parklands; Puckapunyal Combined Arms Heritage Learning Centre; Hilldene employment precinct; schools; affordable housing; and climate change were listed in the sustainable category.

Council’s advocacy policy aims to ‘create healthy, connected, and sustainable communities’, which underpins its advocacy to state and federal governments to fund key projects.

Cr Fiona Stevens said advocacy was ‘really important’ for council.

“The whole purpose of advocacy is to bring to the broader community the projects that are important to them and then to various government authorities in the hope we get grant funding to assist us make them become a reality. A lot of these projects are expensive and we can’t do it by ourselves so we very much rely on grant funding,” she said.

“However just because they’re in the document doesn’t mean they’re going to happen. But what is does mean is these have been identified as the important projects and these are the ones we’re asked to fight the fight for to improve our chances of making these projects become a reality.”

Cr Rhonda Sanderson said council advocacy was not just about Mitchell Shire infrastructure.

“We also advocate strongly to the federal government and state government for things which are their area and which we would like to do on behalf of our residents,” she said.

“There’s a lot of things that are at the other levels of government who have much deeper pockets and we advocate very strongly on the community’s behalf.”

The advocacy priorities also align with the four themes from the Council Plan 2021-25, and with the Mitchell 2050 Community Vision’s themes that Mitchell Shire is ‘a healthy, vibrant and connected community that values nature, diversity and innovation’.

  • What do you think of council’s priority projects? Have your say via a letter to the editor by emailing news@ncreview.com.au or via the Review’s Facebook page.

Track concern leads to Kilmore Cup cancellation

Max Davies
-
0

Featured image: The crowd gathers for the thrilling conclusion of the Beraldo Coffee Maiden Plate, won by Lady Dumont with Sparkling close behind.

Sunday’s Kilmore Cup was abandoned mid-meeting as jockeys declared a section of the track unsafe for racing.

It was the second year in a row a wet track has affected the running of the Kilmore Cup, with the 2022 cup meeting called off the morning prior due to a rain-affected track.

The last six races of the Kilmore Racing Club meeting were abandoned on Sunday, including the bet365 Kilmore Cup and Paul Egan Memorial race, as several riders raised concerns following race three.

So Distinguished, trained by Tony and Calvin McEvoy, appeared to lose its footing at about the 500-metre mark, prompting jockey Jamie Mott to withdraw the horse from the race.

A group of jockeys inspected the area alongside Racing Victoria stewards and Kilmore Racing Club officials.

As some sections were identified to be softer than others, a decision was made to move the inside rail out by a metre from the 500-metre mark to the 350-metre mark, however following further inspection, jockeys voted to abandon the meeting under Racing Victoria’s raceday track safety inspection procedure.

The official abandonment time was recorded at 3.30pm.

Racing Victoria’s racing operations department will review the upcoming program to determine whether any of the remaining six races can be rescheduled for a later date.

In line with Racing Victoria’s abandoned meeting policy, the connections of any horses due to run in races four to nine will be paid a compensation fee.

A decision regarding the rescheduling of the remaining races is still pending, however course upgrades at Kilmore Racing Club will prevent meetings for the first half of next year. ​

  • Jordan Childs aboard Queen Beira trots past onlookers ahead of race two on Sunday. ​
  • The Fashions on the Field competition proved popular on Sunday, with the Best Dressed Gent category one of the best-populated divisions on the day. ​
  • Men had a chance to look their best for a shot at a prize from sponsor Georgina and Co. ​
  • Punters and visitors look on at the conclusion of race three – the last race before the day’s card was called off due to track conditions. ​

Rotary to the rescue: Decapitated deer buried

Grace Frost
-
0
Rotary to the rescue: Decapitated deer buried

Content warning: The photographs and descriptions in the following article may be disturbing to some readers.

The Rotary Club of Whittlesea stepped in to help an elderly woman in palliative care bury a decapitated deer left on her front lawn to decompose.

The Review published a report earlier this month when 84-year-old Nancy spotted a decapitated deer on her Whittlesea property, allegedly shot dead in close proximity to Nancy’s home.

With late-stage cancer, Nancy was unable to bury the deer herself, and feared for her and her neighbours’ safety while illegal hunters potentially lurked nearby.

She hoped an authoritarian organisation would be able to assist in removing or burying the animal carcass, but none were able to offer removal services.

Nancy with deer Whittlesea edited
Nancy found a decapitated deer at her Whittlesea property last month, allegedly hunted illegally.

The City of Whittlesea, Wildlife Victoria, RSPCA, the Environmental Protection Authority, EPA, and the Game Management Authority, GMA, could not assist Nancy for various reasons, including that the deer was on private property and was not a native animal.

Nancy said the carcass was left to decompose, resulting in a ‘grim’ smell and complaints from others.

When the Rotary Club of Whittlesea heard the buck had been left to rot for weeks, the club organised to visit Nancy’s residence on November 15 and bury it.

The rescue team consisted of club secretary Julie Burgess, who suggested the rescue to the club; president Michael Hall, who facilitated the rescue; and gravedigger Travis Robinson, a friend of the club, who drove a digger and buried the buck.

Mr Hall owns funeral homes in Whittlesea and Diamond Creek while Mr Robinson works as a gravedigger, providing a ‘lucky’ connection for the deer’s burial.

“We were glad to do it for Nancy, just to help out,” Mr Hall said.

“That’s what Rotary is all about – doing things for the community and raising money for the community.

“We try to do as much for the Whittlesea community as we possibly can.

“It took longer to get up there than to do the job – 10 minutes to do it, nice, easy job.”

Nancy described those at the Rotary Club as ‘gorgeous people’ and sincerely thanked them for their efforts.

“I was absolutely delighted – I couldn’t believe that there was anyone out there like that,” she said.

“I’m ever so grateful. It was an awful job to do, but they did a really wonderful job. You wouldn’t know that the deer had been there.

“It just shows what good people they are.”

Whittlesea police began patrolling the area last month in light of the suspected illegal hunters and Nancy’s concerns.

“I’m happy that at least they’re looking out for [me], it’s very hard to catch these people,” Nancy said.

“I haven’t heard any shooting since the article went in. It makes them aware.”

Mr Hall said anyone interested in joining the Rotary Club of Whittlesea was welcome to contact him on 0417 572 889 or visit the club’s Facebook page.

Elderly woman finds decapitated deer at her Whittlesea property

Mitchell Shire Council’s ‘lapse’ in resident complaint system

Grace Frost
-
0

Mitchell Shire Council chief executive officer Brett Luxford has admitted to a ‘lapse’ in council’s resident complaints system, which resulted in multiple reports going unseen and unresponded to.

The ‘Report It’ tool is a reporting system on council’s website where residents can report non-emergency issues including abandoned cars, flooding or drainage issues, litter, odours, dumped rubbish, overgrown grass, road concerns and footpaths in need of attention.

Mr Luxford said introducing and transitioning to a new Customer Relationship Management, CRM, system resulted in an ‘oversight’ of the Report It tool.

Between April and July, 13 submissions relating to several council areas did not receive a response.

“Regrettably, the transition to the new CRM has presented some challenges, resulting in the oversight of contacting some individuals who submitted requests through the Report It tool, seeking follow-up,” he said.

“Council sincerely apologises for this lapse and is actively engaged in refining our services to enhance efficiency and responsiveness.

“Our primary objective is to foster a customer-centric approach aimed at enhancing the overall experience for people engaging with the organisation.”

Council regularly refer residents to report their concerns via the Report It tool, including in a response to the Review in June regarding the state of the shire’s footpath network.

Chintin resident and Collingwood’s Victorian Wheelchair Football League captain Ben Jankovski called for Wallan’s footpaths to be more wheelchair friendly and accessible.

Mr Jankovksi, permanently paralysed from the chest down and uses a wheelchair daily, urged council to focus more attention on the unfinished footpaths in Wallan’s residential areas and High Street, which were causing mobility difficulties for wheelchair users.

“Someone like me who can push in a manual chair can sort of manipulate around [the cracks], but those that have an electric wheelchair, they’re 120 kilograms, and one little crack or crevice can tip them over, cause damage to the person and the machine itself,” he told the Review.

In response, then mayor Fiona Stevens directed concerned residents to report footpaths needing repairs to council via the tool online.

To verify council’s suggested repair method, the Review submitted an online report as a resident using the Report It tool in June on Mr Jankovski’s behalf.

The online submission specifically mentioned the footpaths connecting the pedestrian crossings on High Street nearby McDonald’s in Wallan, as per Mr Jankovski’s concerns.

The Review also sought follow-up to the outcome of its report.

While providing comments for the story in June, five months later, council was yet to respond to the Review’s online report or address the concerns.

On November 21, the Review received a call from a council worker after following up on the report, and was told the submission had only been received in the road maintenance department on November 15.

While initially attributing the Review’s June complaint as an ‘isolated incident’, Mr Luxford later corrected himself when the Review requested the exact number of reports that had been overlooked.

He said council remained aware of the need for footpath repairs.

“We recognise the significance of footpaths in the daily lives of Mitchell residents, and we are aware of the need for remedial works on certain older footpaths,” he said.

“Council officers routinely conduct inspections throughout the shire, identifying areas for new footpaths and repairs to existing ones.

“New footpaths and repairs are completed in line with council’s Footpath Renewal Program and Missing Links Footpath Program.”

Mr Luxford said works on the section of footpath in Wallan were scheduled for the 2023-24 financial year but gave no specific dates.

A council worker suggested work to the footpath section would likely take place in the third quarter of the financial year.

The footpath was assessed as having ‘no major defects’ to justify reactive maintenance but was still flagged for renewal.

“Despite this incident, council encourages community members to report any footpaths in need of attention by calling 5734 6200 or utilising the Report It tool,” Mr Luxford said.

Council said the missed reports are now being followed up by the relevant departments.

Council under fire for Hidden Valley permit

Jordyn Grubisic
-
0
Council under fire for Hidden Valley permit

Neighbours of a Hidden Valley property that was given Mitchell Shire Council’s approval for an outbuilding continue to fight the development, citing drainage and development precedent among concerns.

Residents have engaged a civil engineer to independently corroborate their concerns about the Dolomite Rise permit, and have battled council for about two years over the outbuilding, which they say will negatively impact adjoining, lower-lying properties by causing flooding and erosion issues.

A permit was granted for a ‘garage for the storage of cars and tools’ for the property, while plans submitted to the Hidden Valley Design Review Board, HVDRB, show the ‘garage’ contains double bifold barn doors, a shower, toilet, separate sewerage system, shaving cabinet and mirror, and several capped hot and cold-water points with a total floor area of 220 square metres.

A Hidden Valley Association, HVA, spokesperson said the legal definition of a dwelling was that it had a shower, toilet pan, sink, and food preparation area, while R-Codes defined a garage as any roofed structure, excluding a carport, designed to accommodate one or more motor vehicles attached to the dwelling.

“Does this look like a garage to you? A typical triple-size garage in Australia is approximately 54 square metres and single-storey in height, costing around $44,900 to build,” the spokesperson said.

“The proposal is 235 square metres, double-storey in height and costing more than $300,000. It is over four times the size of a triple-size garage.

“The dwelling is over 100 metres away at the bottom of a steep hill yet is still a ‘garage’ to council.

“The proposal is of such a scale … with all its accoutrements screaming ‘house’ rather than ‘garage’, that it becomes a stretch to believe that negligence and/or incompetence on behalf of council can solely be to blame.”

MSC chief executive Brett Luxford said the application was for ‘an outbuilding ancillary to the existing dwelling’.

“A dwelling is defined in the planning scheme as ‘a building used as a self-contained residence, which must include a kitchen sink, food preparation facilities, a bath or shower and a wash basin.’ The proposal does not include cooking facilities,” he said.

“The planning permit approval was specifically for an outbuilding, and a condition of permit requires this building must only be used for the storage of vehicles and/or goods for domestic purpose and must not be used for human habitation or contain facilities that could be used for cooking, eating and sleeping.”

Original outbuilding plans contained a pizza oven and chimney, but they have been removed.

HVA dispute the use of the lot’s second envelope – contrasting with three similar Hidden Valley lots, citing section 3.1.1 of the Hidden Valley Design Guidelines and a historic advertisement obtained stating two envelopes were established allowing for a choice of primary dwelling due to difficult topography.

However, Mr Luxford said nothing in the restrictions or guidelines limited development to one envelope consistent with title restrictions.

HVA believe council and HVDRP failed to conduct a full planning merits assessment with no drainage or landscaping plans submitted prior to approval.

The HVA spokesperson said council’s economy, growth and infrastructure director Suzanne Becker told them that council could determine which requirements were to be provided.

“Ms Becker was able to determine, it would seem, that the term ‘as appropriate’ meant she could pick and choose which of the application requirements she deemed necessary,” HVA said.

“Drainage and landscaping detail were apparently not required for consideration at the planning stage. Unfathomable given the steep topography of the lot and the fact the proposal was not to be attached to stormwater.

“There are two properties sitting well below the proposed building already prone to flooding in heavy rain and the significant footprint of such a large building will compound this.”

Mr Luxford said required information depended on the application type and planning permit triggers.

“Development of [the property] need only to ensure that any drainage water from the development is controlled,” he said.

He also said existing southern lot landowners who excavated the hill to build dwellings have not completed revegetation or drainage preventing erosion or lake sedimentation contamination.

HVA said a 160-kilolitre mega water tank and 10-kilolitre tank were being added to assist drainage.

Mr Luxford said when the permit was issued there was no proposal for a water tank, nor was there a permit trigger for a water tank to service a dwelling.

He said the tank discussed was also for the primary dwelling.

With excavation preparation reported on October 27, the Review approached builders Hotondo Homes regarding drainage plans.

On November 2, Hotondo Homes said ‘the drainage plans were currently pending council approval and, once finalised, will be made available to those interested’, followed by ‘drainage plans are approved by council and available if required’ on November 3.

The HVA spokesperson said council failed to properly assess and process the application with residents driven to engage an independent civil engineer corroborating concerns.

“It speaks volumes about the lack of diligence, due process, accountability and reasonable governance of the application by council,” the HVA spokesperson said.

“The permit should never have been granted. It was assessed tokenistically at best, and negligently at worst by council’s planning department. The question is ‘why?’.”

The Review approached the homeowners of the Dolomite property, however they did not respond to requests for comment.

1...548549550...1,193Page 549 of 1,193