Author: Brodie Cowburn

AFTER months of turmoil following an investigation into alleged corruption, Casey Council has been sacked. All councillors were dismissed last week by the state government. The dismissal came after a state government appointed municipal monitor recommended that the entire council be removed. An interim administrator will run the council for a 90 day period. A panel of three permanent administrators will then be appointed, who are set to run the council until October 2024. Noelene Duff has been appointed as the interim administrator. Local government minister Adem Somyurek said “we did not take this decision [to remove the council] lightly,…

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DISCUSSION about a report which evaluated the behaviour and governance of Frankston Council ended with a heated argument and a councillor storming out of a meeting last week. At Frankston Council’s 17 February meeting, councillors discussed their correspondence to the local government minister in response to the findings of the municipal monitor’s report. The monitor was appointed by the state government to investigate council’s governance, and came at a cost of over $100,000 to ratepayers. The meeting broke down into vicious shouting matches after Crs Colin Hampton and Brian Cunial voiced their disapproval of the letter which council had prepared…

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PENINSULA A BRILLIANT knock by opener Riley Shaw has put Red Hill in a good position in their two day clash against Pearcedale. Shaw has struggled with form this season, but showed his ability with a massive score on Saturday. He scored 93 before being caught and bowled. A strong middle order performance by Red Hill brought them to a total of 5/242 after 60 overs. The Hillmen declared, wanting a chance to attack Pearcedale’s batting lineup. Pearcedale came in to bat for a disastrous 20 overs before stumps. They ended the day at 5/32, facing certain defeat. At Bruce…

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AN investigation is underway after a gun was fired in a Carrum Downs street last week. Police have been told that a man walking along Cadles Road was approached by a person with a gun, who then fired a shot at him. The man was not hit, but was then run into by a driver in a stolen black Ford. The alleged incident happened just after 8am, 16 February. The occupants of the stolen Ford abandoned the car after crashing it. Along with the person who fired the gun, they jumped into a waiting vehicle and fled the scene. Police…

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A CROWD of hundreds turned up to a rally on Sunday, 16 February to support keeping Launching Way as operators at the Patterson River boat ramp. Trevor and Lynette Hogan of Launching Way have manned the boat ramp for 25 years. Following a lease dispute with Melbourne Water, they now face eviction on 31 March. Mr Hogan said they were “very blindsided” by the call to give them their marching orders. “The boat ramp has been manned for last 50 years and we’ve done 25 years,” he said. “Realistically there isn’t real rhyme or reason to what they’re doing at…

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