MOTHER nature turned it on for Thursday’s 2500-head store cattle sale at the Hamilton Regional Livestock Exchange. Kerr & Co Livestock agents Shaun Mansbridge, Craig Pertzel and Robert Claffey were calling the bids during heavy downpours of rain. The rain is a welcome relief for many farmers after a long, extended dry period. Farmers are now hoping for normal rain throughout the winter months to sustain them into next summer. Photo: DEAN KOOPMAN
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THE Southern Grampians Shire won’t revel how it will pay consultants to devise a public toilet strategy after its spending priorities were challenged by a local accountant.
Struck Accounting Company partner, Graeme Struck, contacted The Hamilton Spectator following the shire’s announcement of the strategy.
The shire has commissioned CT Management Group to develop a ‘public conveniences strategy’ for Hamilton and all municipal towns.
Mr Struck said the latest decision by the shire to use the services of an external consulting firm had prompted him to offer constructive criticism.
“The shire has limited resources and I believe that there are problems that should be a higher priority,” he said.
“There’s no transparency when they don’t let us know how much they’re paying these consultants.
“All our public toilets really need is better signs.”
Shire engineering and projects manager, Aten Kumar, said the consultant’s fees could not be disclosed.
“The consultancy was awarded through a public tender process,” he said.

Full story in the Spectator on Saturday, May 18, 2013

AT last … some good news on the injury front for the Hamilton Kangaroos!
The Kangaroos are set to feature assistant playing coach Gareth Crawford for the first time in their 2013 Hampden Football Netball League campaign.
The inclusion of Crawford was one of four changes made by selectors for today’s important contest against Camperdown at Melville Oval.
Lachie Crawford (calf muscle) and Will Lenehan (ankle) return to the line-up, while talented young ruckman Jonathon Frost has been promoted from the Under 18.5 side for his senior debut.
Frost has been rewarded for some stellar form so far this season and was named to lead the first ruck division.
His work ethic, aerial ability and agility around the ground have been features of his performances this season.
Hugh Douglas (hamstring) was also named at full forward to play against his former club.
The Kangaroos did, however, name an extended interchange bench.
Angus Brown, Lenehan, Charles Murrie and Ryan Newell were named on the interchange, which suggests that there could still be a late change.
The inclusion of Gareth Crawford for his first appearance this season is a major boost for the Kangaroos.
The presence of the highly respected and inspirational leader has been sorely missed.

Full story in the Spectator on Saturday, May 18, 2013

LOCAL boy, Aiden Engel, 6, has been chosen for a small walk-on role in next Tuesday’s production of Sundowner starring renowned Australian actress Helen Morse.

Aiden is excited about the role, which although small, will be a highlight of his theatrical career, especially as his scene will be with Morse.

Aiden’s mother Terry said he has been interested in theatre since he was four years old and is a student at Orchard Rise Studio.

Mrs Engel said that she is very pleased that Aiden is being given this wonderful opportunity to perform with some of Australia’s most talented performers including Helen Morse and the Tivoli Lovelies.

She will keep Aiden company backstage until he is called to go on stage. Aiden will be eagerly watched by his father and other family members who will be in the audience.

Sundowner will be held at the Portland Civic Hall at 7.30pm on Tuesday, May 21. For tickets and enquires call 55 222263.

GLENELG Shire Council has promised it will actively negotiate with Ryans’ Portland to find a new site for the company’s truck depot after it rejected the Learmonth St proposal.

The shire’s Delegated Planning Committee unanimously voted to deny an application for the depot to be located in Learmonth St.

Meeting as the shire’s Delegated Planning Committee (DPC) on Tuesday afternoon, shire councillors said they agreed with planner Matthew Berry that the development should be knocked back.

There were three main reasons why planning approval was withheld:

1. Access to and from the site, the former Holden and Hyundai dealership site, was “not up to scratch,” especially if B-double trucks were attempting to turn fromLearmonth   Stinto the highway

2. There would be an impact on the townscape that was strongly opposed by residents

3. Noise and dust would be very annoying to people living in nearby homes, one of which is less than 30 metres from the depot driveway.

Five residents attended the meeting and broke into spontaneous applause when the 5-0 decision was announced. Earlier, resident Dot Oliver told the meeting the noise from trucks using the site was very unpleasant.

Read more in Friday’s Portland Observer, May 17, 2013.

PORTLAND, and the entire Glenelg Shire, has been ignored in the 2013 Federal Budget with no new infrastructure project funding announced.

However, a $257.5 million allocation for the duplication of thePrinces Hwy from Winchelsea to Colac has been warmly welcomed by community leaders and politicians from both sides.

In another development which had previously been foreshadowed, Portland District Health’s board of management president Mike Noske said PDH will receive $180,000 less from the Federal Government in 2013-14 than it did under the 2011-12 funding model.

Member for Wannon Dan Tehan said although it was outside his electorate, he supported thePrinces Hwyduplication.

“It will assist people in travelling times to and fromMelbourne,” he said.

Australian Labor Party candidate for Wannon, Michael Barling, said although the project was not in the electorate, its value to people in Wannon should not be underestimated.

Read more in Friday’s Portland Observer, May 17, 2013.

THE man charged with the murder of Portland man Troy Hocking and a co-accused entered not guilty pleas after being committed to stand trial following a three-day hearing in Warrnambool.

Leonard Sciascia, 27 of Heywood, charged with murder, and Wayde Landmark, of Portland, charged with being an accessory after the fact, will appear in the Melbourne Supreme Court on May 27 for a directions hearing — which basically ensures that preparations for the trial are on track — after 16 witnesses and investigators gave evidence at the committal hearing.

Witnesses told the court a debt owed to Sciascia by his former friend, Mr Hocking, was anywhere between $300 and $16,000 rather than the $65,000 drug debt described by the witness Michael Perry-Karaitiana.

Mr Hocking’s friends Roy King and Christian Clooney, who were with him when he was shot, corroborated parts of Mr Perry-Karaitiana’s evidence, saying Hocking and Sciascia were to meet at Pivot Beach on the night of the shooting, October 15, to settle the dispute.

The meeting was arranged after Hocking and Christian and Ronald Clooney visited co-accused Dylan Robertson’s parents’ and Landmark’s houses with bats, hammers and fence palings, demanding Sciascia return property to Hocking.

Mr King said he’d been asked by Mr Hocking to back him up in the fight on October 15, but he declined. Instead, Mr King picked up Hocking and Clooney to drive them to Hocking’s father’s house. They then spotted Sciascia in a car with three other men driving towards Willunga St.

Read more in Friday’s Portland Observer, May 17, 2013.

HAMILTON identity, Percy Mills is one of the first patients to get his body back into gear in Western District Health Services’ $4.1 million rehabilitation centre.
The Hamilton hospital now features six two-bed wards, new ensuites, a gymnasium, a daily living skills kitchen, a dedicated gait training area and an outdoor sitting area, all devoted to an inpatient rehabilitation program.
Before the upgrade, staff used hospital hallways for gait training and had to escort patients to other parts of the hospital to utilise inferior gym and kitchen equipment.
“We can do a lot more with patients now because we have a separate rehab unit,” occupational therapist, Brianna Deutscher said.
“We do a lot more teamwork and because the patients are all together we can do group therapy.”

Full story in The Spectator on Thursday, May 16, 2013.

HAMILTON CIU is investigating the theft of firearms from Robinsons Sportscene in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The offender(s) forced entry through the front door of the Gray St premises and then gained entry to a locked cabinet and stole firearms.
This is the second time Robinson’s has been targeted by thieves, in less than 18 months.
In December 2011, police arrested and charged three people with various offences after the sports store and several other Hamilton businesses were burglarised.
Firearms were also the loot of choice on that occasion.
Detective Sergeant Mark James said the weekend burglary occurred between 4am and 4.15am, Sunday.

Full story in The Spectator on Thursday, May 16, 2013

THE Hamilton Kangaroos will closely monitor the injured knee of dynamic centre Ally Feely at training tonight.
Feely was forced to leave the court in the final quarter of last Saturday’s A grade contest against Warrnambool at Reid Oval.
Kangaroos’ coach Nicole Smyth said Feely had a light training run on Monday night and pulled up fine.
“I haven’t got any messages from her to say that she is not available,” Smyth told the Hamilton Spectator yesterday.
“So I guess we’ll know more at training Thursday night (tonight) where she’s at … whether she can play or not.”
The signs at this stage look more encouraging than discouraging.
“They do,” Smyth said.
“Straight after the game she said it felt okay.
“It’s probably a bit of a shock because she had surgery on it a couple of years ago, so it was probably just that bit of a shock to start off with I think.

Full story in The Spectator on Thursday, May 16, 2013.