AN inquiry into the impacts of online gambling has been launched. Dunkley MP Peta Murphy chairs the House of Representatives’ standing committee on social policy and legal affairs. The committee is seeking submissions on online gambling and the impacts it can have on problem gamblers. Murphy says that the committee’s inquiry will “be a fresh look at online gambling and whether current laws, regulations, consumer protections and education and support programs are enough to reduce harm to gamblers.” “The committee is concerned about the increasing reach of online gambling platforms into Australians’ lives, the exposure of children and young people…
Author: Brodie Cowburn
THE public park at Evelyn Street in Frankston has officially opened. The park site, opposite the Frankston Police Station, was nearly sold to the Department of Justice at the start of 2019. Frankston Council later backed out of the sale and began to make plans to turn the land into a public park. The state government spent $1.3 million to help upgrade the open space. Frankston Council spent $400,000 of ratepayer money on the project. The upgraded park features an amphitheatre, rainforest garden, planted arbours, footpath connections to Nepean Highway and Fletcher Road, seating, lighting, and barbecues. Frankston MP Paul…
A STATE memorial service for legendary boxer Johnny Famechon will be held this month. Famechon died on 4 August aged 77. The former world champion featherweight called Frankston home for five decades. The memorial service for Famechon will take place at Festival Hall, a fitting location for his farewell. Famechon had his first professional fight at the iconic venue, and ended up boxing there on more than 50 occasions. The crowning achievement of Famechon’s boxing career was his WBC world title win over Jose Legra at Royal Albert Hall in 1969. Famechon’s title defences against Japan’s Fighting Harada cemented his…
A VICTORIA Police operation is targeting monkey bike riders. Operation “Rolling Boulder” began at the start of the month, with police pouring more time and resources into catching riders of illegally modified bikes. Carrum Downs Victoria Police senior sergeant Alan Courtney said that the operation was important as monkey bike riding can have deadly consequences. “Riding illegal dirt or monkey bikes on our streets and through our parks is never harmless fun. Our community is rightly sick of it and police have zero tolerance for any activity that threatens the safety of our community,” Courtney said. “We know all too…
A PUSH to have the Parkdale Station building heritage protected has failed. Kingston Council had been advocating to have a heritage overlay placed over the station in the Kingston Planning Scheme. In a statement, council confirmed that the state government had turned down the request. The state government is building skyrail to replace two level crossings at Warrigal Road and Parkers Road. A new Parkdale Station will be built as part of the project. Kingston mayor Steve Staikos said that council had wanted to place a heritage overlay over the site to “protect important historic buildings and irreplaceable trees”. Councillor…