Police target local roads on NYE - bay 93.9 Geelong - Bay 93.9

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Police target local roads on NYE - bay 93.9 Geelong  Bay 93.9
Police target local roads on NYE - bay 93.9 Geelong - Bay 93.9
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Wait time warning at local ED - bay 93.9 Geelong - Bay 93.9

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Wait time warning at local ED - bay 93.9 Geelong  Bay 93.9
Wait time warning at local ED - bay 93.9 Geelong - Bay 93.9
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China’s local officials misused US$5 billion of special purpose bonds: auditors - South China Morning Post

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China’s local officials misused US$5 billion of special purpose bonds: auditors  South China Morning Post
China’s local officials misused US$5 billion of special purpose bonds: auditors - South China Morning Post
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Local Ukrainian family gets Christmas miracle - Daily Telegraph

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

Local Ukrainian family gets Christmas miracle  Daily Telegraph
Local Ukrainian family gets Christmas miracle - Daily Telegraph
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Water quality at local beach rated 'poor' - Bay 93.9

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

Water quality at local beach rated 'poor'  Bay 93.9
Water quality at local beach rated 'poor' - Bay 93.9
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Wait time warning at local ED - bay 93.9 Geelong - Bay 93.9

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

Wait time warning at local ED - bay 93.9 Geelong  Bay 93.9
Wait time warning at local ED - bay 93.9 Geelong - Bay 93.9
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In a landmark moment, Green steals Boxing Day spotlight from local hero Boland - The Age

Newly minted $3 million man Cameron Green upstaged hometown hero Scott Boland on Boxing Day as Australia’s vaunted pace attack inflicted more misery on South Africa’s tormented batters.

The crowd of 64,876 came to the MCG to watch Boland write another chapter in his fairytale Test career but instead witnessed what could be a coming of age performance by one of world cricket’s brightest young prospects.

Cameron Green celebrates one of his five wickets on Boxing Day.Credit:Getty Images

Undaunted by one of the biggest days of the country’s sporting calendar, Green stepped up to collect his first five-for in the baggy green, ramming home Australia’s advantage with a scintillating burst of four wickets in 12 deliveries.

“It’s a very special feeling, I’ll remember that for a very long time,” Green said.

As the No.6, Green’s primary role in the team is with the bat but even though the runs – and opportunities – have dried up he will not be a concern for selectors if he can reproduce such efforts with the ball.

The all-rounder made the key breakthrough of the afternoon when he found the outside edge of Kyle Verreynne’s bat after drawing the gutsy gloveman forward to play down the wrong line.

The importance of the play could be seen by the events before and after his intervention. Verreynne and Marco Jansen had revived the Proteas’ innings with a 112-run stand for the sixth wicket, only for the visitors to then crumble, losing 5-10 in 24 balls and 26 minutes.

The Proteas are in a rut with the bat, failing to pass 200 in their past seven innings.

It has been a heady few days for Green, whose contribution this summer had been largely limited to his sharp fielding and catching at gully such has been Australia’s dominance.

Last Friday, he fetched a jaw-dropping $3.15 million at the Indian Premier League auction – the most expensive deal at the lucrative Twenty20 tournament for an Australian – and now he is the man of the moment.

“That’s probably cricket summed up. You can have a really slow start to the summer and think cricket is so tough then you have a few days like this, and it brings you back,” Green said. “At the same time when you go through your highs cricket can bring you down pretty quickly.”

Green’s value to the Test side is more difficult to quantify but perhaps better assessed by how few players in Australia’s history have been able to have such an impact with the ball while also commanding a place in the top six.

Green was on fire with the ball.Credit:Getty Images

“It gives your attack so much balance,” former Test star and national selector Mark Waugh said on Fox Cricket. “For someone to come on as the fourth bowler and bowl with this much quality it’s a very powerful bowling line-up with him there.”

Though this was his first bag of five in 18 Tests, Green has been a dependable bowler for skipper Pat Cummins, who has used him as more than just a partnership breaker even if the youngster’s workload is carefully managed to protect his back.

His pivotal spell came while senior quick Mitchell Starc was receiving treatment in the dressing rooms for a finger injury.

Left-armer Starc was off the field for about half an hour after hurting the middle finger of his bowling hand attempting a difficult catch in the outfield.

Starc’s finger appeared to be bent from the top knuckle but a team spokesman described the issue as “soreness”, and he returned with the digit bandaged. He was not required to bowl.

Boland was the sentimental favourite for the punters, who erupted when the local lad touched the ball in the field.

As he did last Boxing Day, the Victorian played only a minor role, claiming just the wicket of opener Sarel Erwee in the 11th over of play.

His bowling average is now out to 11.26, having closely mirrored the 100-metre time of a male Olympic sprinter by hovering in the nines and tens.

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In a landmark moment, Green steals Boxing Day spotlight from local hero Boland - The Age
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In a landmark moment, Green steals Boxing Day spotlight from local hero Boland - The Age

Newly minted $3 million man Cameron Green upstaged hometown hero Scott Boland on Boxing Day as Australia’s vaunted pace attack inflicted more misery on South Africa’s tormented batters.

The crowd of 64,876 came to the MCG to watch Boland write another chapter in his fairytale Test career but instead witnessed what could be a coming of age performance by one of world cricket’s brightest young prospects.

Cameron Green celebrates one of his five wickets on Boxing Day.Credit:Getty Images

Undaunted by one of the biggest days of the country’s sporting calendar, Green stepped up to collect his first five-for in the baggy green, ramming home Australia’s advantage with a scintillating burst of four wickets in 12 deliveries.

“It’s a very special feeling, I’ll remember that for a very long time,” Green said.

As the No.6, Green’s primary role in the team is with the bat but even though the runs - and opportunities - have dried up he will not be a concern for selectors if he can reproduce such efforts with the ball.

The all-rounder made the key breakthrough of the afternoon when he found the outside edge of Kyle Verreynne’s bat after drawing the gutsy gloveman forward to play down the wrong line.

The importance of the play could be seen by the events before and after his intervention. Verreynne and Marco Jansen had revived the Proteas’ innings with a 112-run stand for the sixth wicket, only for the visitors to then crumble, losing 5-10 in 24 balls and 26 minutes.

The Proteas are in a rut with the bat, failing to pass 200 in their past seven innings.

It has been a heady few days for Green, whose contribution this summer had been largely limited to his sharp fielding and catching at gully such has been Australia’s dominance.

Last Friday, he fetched a jaw-dropping $3.15 million at the Indian Premier League auction - the most expensive deal at the lucrative Twenty20 tournament for an Australian - and now he is the man of the moment.

“That’s probably cricket summed up. You can have a really slow start to the summer and think cricket is so tough then you have a few days like this, and it brings you back,” Green said. “At the same time when you go through your highs cricket can bring you down pretty quickly.”

Green’s value to the Test side is more difficult to quantify but perhaps better assessed by how few players in Australia’s history have been able to have such an impact with the ball while also commanding a place in the top six.

Green was on fire with the ball.Credit:Getty Images

“It gives your attack so much balance,” former Test star and national selector Mark Waugh said on Fox Cricket. “For someone to come on as the fourth bowler and bowl with this much quality it’s a very powerful bowling line-up with him there.”

Though this was his first bag of five in 18 Tests, Green has been a dependable bowler for skipper Pat Cummins, who has used him as more than just a partnership breaker even if the youngster’s workload is carefully managed to protect his back.

His pivotal spell came while senior quick Mitchell Starc was receiving treatment in the dressing rooms for a finger injury.

Left-armer Starc was off the field for about half an hour after hurting the middle finger of his bowling hand attempting a difficult catch in the outfield.

Starc’s finger appeared to be bent from the top knuckle but a team spokesman described the issue as “soreness”, and he returned with the digit bandaged. He was not required to bowl.

Boland was the sentimental favourite for the punters, who erupted when the local lad touched the ball in the field.

As he did last Boxing Day, the Victorian played only a minor role, claiming just the wicket of opener Sarel Erwee in the 11th over of play.

His bowling average is now out to 11.26, having closely mirrored the 100-metre time of a male Olympic sprinter by hovering in the nines and tens.

News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter.

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In a landmark moment, Green steals Boxing Day spotlight from local hero Boland - The Age
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Somerset residents in Queensland blame local council for Lockyer Creek flooding - msnNOW

Duration: 01:43 14 hrs ago

Residents in Queensland's Somerset region are blaming the local council for much of the flooding around the Lockyer Creek in February. Homeowners are taking matters into their own hands heading into the wet season, fearing a repeat event could see a loss of life.

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Ticket sales to local Melbourne Victory games frozen by Football Australia, pending sanctions - ABC News

Melbourne Victory fans will be barred and restricted from attending matches while Football Australia weighs up financial sanctions for the club over last week's violent pitch invasion at AAMI Park.

Key points:

• Melbourne Victory fans will not be allowed to attend away games while a show cause notice is finalised
• The club has been ordered to pay any costs associated with refunding tickets to Melbourne Victory fans
• There will be a heavy police presence at Monday's match between Melbourne Victory and Western United

In a statement, Football Australia (FA) said ticket sales for Melbourne Victory matches held in Victoria were frozen from 11am on Friday.

No Melbourne Victory fans will be able to attend the Boxing Day match against Western United as a result of the restrictions.

The governing body said Melbourne Victory would bear the costs of any refund charges from ticket operators.

Only members and supporters of the opposing team will be allowed to attend away games involving Melbourne Victory while FA finalises penalties against the club.

All home and away active bays, where fans are encouraged to demonstrate support for their team, will be closed for Melbourne Victory home games played in Victoria.

"Whilst we continue our very thorough investigation following the inexcusable scenes witnessed at the Melbourne Derby, Football Australia has issued Melbourne Victory with a series of strong sanctions which will need to be implemented to enable their participation in both the A-League Men's and A-League Women's competitions until a final show cause determination is made," Football Australia CEO James Johnson said.

Melbourne City goalkeeper Tom Glover received minor injuries on Saturday when he was allegedly struck by a metal bucket full of sand.(AAP: Will Murray)

Mr Johnson said the first wave of sanctions would remain in place until January 15 and he expected the governing body would finalise the show cause process in about a week.

He said he did not want to see long-running sanctions that affected the "large majority" of Melbourne Victory fans who were not involved in the pitch invasion.

"There are many, many good Melbourne Victory fans," he said.

"Many are families and children and parents who just want to go to a football match with their family and enjoy the game."

Melbourne Victory hopes for swift resolution of penalties

FA issued the show cause notice to Melbourne Victory earlier this week, compelling it to argue why it should not face serious sanctions for bringing the game into disrepute through the conduct of its supporters.

In a statement, Melbourne Victory said it would comply with all the sanctions handed down so far by FA and was working for a speedy resolution to the show cause notice so the football community could "move forward together".

"Melbourne Victory would like to take this opportunity to again reiterate that the actions witnessed at last Saturday night's match have no place at Melbourne Victory or in football," the statement said.

"There is zero tolerance for any aggressive or anti-social behaviour at this Club and in this game."

The supporter restrictions announced on Friday apply to the men's A-League team and will not affect women's A-League matches.

Nearly 30 people arrested over pitch invasion

Victoria Police said 29 people have been arrested out of 36 identified as linked to the violent event that left a goalkeeper, the referee, two security guards and a cameraman injured.

Police have released more images of men they wish to speak to over the pitch invasion.(Supplied: Victoria Police)

"Detectives are continuing to appeal for public assistance in relation to criminal damage and release of flares and missiles including chairs, buckets and bottles during the pitch invasion," police said in a statement.

Police still wish to speak to a number of people as part of their investigation.(Supplied: Victoria Police)

Of those arrested, 24 have been charged, with the remainder still being investigated or released with a fine or caution.

Many of the charges laid relate to lighting flares, riotous behaviour and violent disorder, after fans from the Melbourne Victory active area spilled onto the pitch.

Heavy police presence planned for next Melbourne Victory game

Police said there would be a "highly visible police presence" at AAMI Park for Monday's match between Melbourne Victory and Western United.

"Police were appalled by last weekend's pitch invasion and have laid a number of charges on those involved in the incident for violent disorder, criminal damage and assault," the statement said.

Anyone with information about last week's pitch invasion is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.(Supplied: Victoria Police)

"This should send a very clear message that police will not tolerate this kind of behaviour at sporting matches."

"We will once again be closely monitoring the behaviour of individuals and we will not hesitate to take swift action against any anti-social or criminal behaviour."

Football Australia has issued two lifetime bans to fans allegedly involved in the fracas, which caused last week's Melbourne Derby match to be suspended.

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Ticket sales to local Melbourne Victory games frozen by Football Australia, pending sanctions - ABC News
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Everybody appearing at Tweed Heads Local Court, Friday, December 23 - Tweed Daily News

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Everybody appearing at Tweed Heads Local Court, Friday, December 23  Tweed Daily News
Everybody appearing at Tweed Heads Local Court, Friday, December 23 - Tweed Daily News
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Local finishes charity run - bay 93.9 Geelong - Bay 93.9

[unable to retrieve full-text content]

Local finishes charity run - bay 93.9 Geelong  Bay 93.9
Local finishes charity run - bay 93.9 Geelong - Bay 93.9
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Manly's Brookvale Hotel snapped up by local Kelly family for $40m - The Australian Financial Review

In 2019, the Kelly family carved off a 3456sq m chunk of the original hotel site and sold it with a permit for a five-story apartment building (subsequently completed) to a developer for about $15 million.

The sale caps a huge year for the pub sector, where a record $2.2 billion-plus of assets are expected to have changed hands as investors have piled into the inflation-busting, recession-proof asset class.

Selling agents John Musca and Ben McDonald from JLL, who are on the hunt for a $175 million buyer for The Oaks Hotel in Neutral Bay, handled the invitation-only sales process for the Brookvale Hotel.

“Hotels commanding a virtual monopolistic trading position in strong retail locations will always be highly sought after and Brookvale is no exception,” Mr Musca said.

Pubs on Sydney’s Northern Beaches are among the most coveted in the country and values have soared in the past few years.

Notable sales include Manly’s Hotel Steyne, which The Australian Financial Review Rich Lister Sam Arnaout acquired in 2019 for $65 million for his Iris Capital Hospitality empire.

Two years later Iris Capital paid about $60 million for Manly’s Ivanhoe Hotel.

Looking to cash in on this appetite for hospitality premises around Manly, Rich Lister Robert Magid has put Manly Wharf on the market, asking $80 million.

The incoming owners of the Brookvale Hotel, the Irvin family, own 13 hotels in NSW and Queensland. Following a career in the pharmacy industry, Paul Irvin bought his first pub in 1970, before handing the reins of the Irvin Hotel Group to his son Joe.

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Manly's Brookvale Hotel snapped up by local Kelly family for $40m - The Australian Financial Review
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Tributes flow for legendary local football figure Dick Philpott - Geelong Advertiser

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Tributes flow for legendary local football figure Dick Philpott  Geelong Advertiser
Tributes flow for legendary local football figure Dick Philpott - Geelong Advertiser
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Lily's Florist admits to misleading customers after advertising as 'local' across Australia - Daily Mail

Lily's Florist admits to misleading customers after advertising as 'local' across Australia - Daily Mail

Tributes flow after passing of local footy legend - Bay 93.9

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Tributes flow after passing of local footy legend  Bay 93.9
Tributes flow after passing of local footy legend - Bay 93.9
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Andrews govt says to support local farmers this Christmas - Sky News Australia

The Victorian government is encouraging people to support local farmers and producers in the leadup to Christmas.

Victoria’s agricultural minister Gayle Tierney visited Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Market, meeting growers amongst the hustle and bustle of Christmas trading.

Ms Tierney says buying local this Christmas will help flood-ravaged farming communities despite devastating flood damage to parts of rural Victoria.

The state boasts quality produce including cheese, wine, ham and fresh fruit.

The state government has committed more than $3 billion to its food and fibre industry over the last eight years including a further $12.5 million in flood assistance.

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Andrews govt says to support local farmers this Christmas - Sky News Australia
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COVID-19 outbreak at local aged care facility - Bay 93.9

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COVID-19 outbreak at local aged care facility  Bay 93.9
COVID-19 outbreak at local aged care facility - Bay 93.9
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COVID-19 outbreak at local aged care facility - Bay 93.9

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COVID-19 outbreak at local aged care facility  Bay 93.9
COVID-19 outbreak at local aged care facility - Bay 93.9
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Cumbria coal mine: how to understand local support for the new pit - The Conversation Indonesia

The UK government recently approved a new coal mine in Whitehaven, a small coastal town in Cumbria, northwest England. The first mine to be given the go-ahead in 30 years is expected to produce 2.8 million tonnes of coking coal a year for steelmaking, and provide 500 new jobs. The decision has provoked an outcry, particularly because of its potential climate impact. Emissions from burning this coal are expected to add 8.4 million tonnes of CO₂ into the atmosphere a year.

But in Whitehaven, the decision has largely been met with relief. As a researcher engaged in an ongoing three-year long project to document local attitudes towards industry, I have tried to understand why support for the mine exists in Whitehaven. The arguments I present here are preliminary findings from my interviews with a demographically representative sample of residents, but these have not yet been published in an academic journal.

Media commentary has so far presented a partial account of why locals are generally in favour of the mine. Some suggest that deprivation is most responsible and that amid poverty, the mine’s promise of economic renewal is enticing. There is some truth to this account, but it overlooks the area’s complicated demography. Government data shows that wealth exists alongside deprivation in Whitehaven. Many of the community’s pro-mine voices are retired or otherwise comfortable.

Other commentators have described a yearning among Whitehaven’s community for a bygone industrial past. The town’s history is often discussed in favourable terms by the people I speak to. But the problem with words like “nostalgia” is that they imply people are merely sentimental about the past. Leaving aside the patronising undertones, this view obscures the fact that people have good reason to feel that changes in recent decades have not always worked in the area’s favour.

Memories are an important factor

Many of the people I’ve come to know through my research have described a way of life that was eroded. Older groups, where I have found support for the mine to be most pronounced, recount their memories of when Whitehaven was a thriving industrial hub. They can recall how, throughout much of the 20th century, dozens of pits were open along the coast, and Whitehaven harbour, where coal was shipped to the rest of the world, was a frenzy of activity. The Haig pit was the last to close in the mid-1980s.

Whitehaven Harbour today. Charlesy/Shutterstock

Even those in middle age can remember a more vibrant past. Many talk about the large chemical factory which towered over Whitehaven and employed many thousands of people. Marchon was opened in 1962 and closed in 2005. The factory was razed to the ground and the site now lies empty, with only the perimeter fence and its entrance gates remaining.

Industry provided jobs, but it did more for the area than pay the weekly wage, they say. Social life was ordered around the mines and factories, giving people a sense of identity and direction. As many of my interviewees have suggested, west Cumbria felt like the heart of a modern, expanding global economy. One man proudly explained that Workington steel, produced by burning coal dug up from Whitehaven, could be “found across the world”.

Others explain that, for working-class communities where value often lies in manual work, there were multiple opportunities to put your labour to use. “You could leave school on a Friday and start work on a Monday”, as one person put it to me. This stands in stark contrast to the situation in Whitehaven today, where what geographer Linda McDowell has called the “McJobs” of the service sector are increasingly prevalent, and work is more precarious and often less skilled.

A memorial in Whitehaven commemorating the men and women who worked in the coal industry. Powered by Light/Alan Spencer/Alamy Stock Photo

Whitehaven’s high street and town centre is now in a state of disrepair. Shops are boarded up. Once grand Georgian buildings lie empty while paint slowly peels from their exteriors. A group of young people I spoke with described it as a “ghost town”. Some say they are embarrassed at the state the town is in.

While the biggest local employer, Sellafield – a company which is decommissioning what was once an active nuclear power station also called Sellafield – provides secure and often very well-paid work for 11,000 people locally and thousands more through its supply chain, many feel the community is overly reliant on it, especially as work opportunities there are decreasing.

It didn’t have to be this way. The sense of “steady decline” in Whitehaven, as one person I spoke to described it, is not the result of something inevitable. It is due to decisions taken over time by politicians and the wealthy constituencies they respond to about which areas are worth investing in and which aren’t. The result has been a tacit settlement to concentrate investment in the south-east, and abandon communities elsewhere.

What’s the alternative?

How can the government fix the social conditions which make a new coal mine desirable? Perhaps, with a proactive industrial policy which offers places like Whitehaven a part in building an economy which meets the needs of today.

Several blueprints for this kind of change exist. One report by the charity Cumbria Action for Sustainability estimated that 9,000 green jobs – deploying renewable energy installations such as wind turbines and renovating homes to make them more energy efficient – could be created with the right programme of investment.

An idea floated at the 2019 general election involved building a steel recycling plant just north of Whitehaven in Workington. A factory of this nature would resonate with the area’s heritage, and provide a bridge between its past and reimagined green industrial future.

Until the political organisation exists to make ideas like this a reality, the same mistakes will arise, with new fossil fuel projects offering the only investment to communities eager for some alternative to decline.

This article was updated on December 16 2022 to correct the estimated emissions from the new coal mine.

---

Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?
Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 10,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

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Cumbria coal mine: how to understand local support for the new pit - The Conversation Indonesia
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Labor scraps rule that forced local councils to hold citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day - SBS News

KEY POINTS

• Local councils will no longer be forced to hold citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day.
• The change reverses a rule that was introduced by former prime minister Scott Morrison in 2019.
• The federal government says the move is for "operational reasons".

Local councils will no longer be forced to hold citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day in a move the federal government says is for "operational" reasons.

Rules introduced in 2019 under then-prime minister Scott Morrison or be stripped of their right to conduct them. Mr Morrison at the time said compelling local councils to do so would stop them from "playing politics with Australia Day".

Immigration Minister Andrew Giles on Friday revealed Labor would walk back that restriction but said it remained the government's "strong expectation" that councils would hold ceremonies on the date.

Councils will now be able to hold ceremonies three days before or after 26 January, in what the government described as a "pragmatic" decision to make processing more efficient.

Immigration Minister Andrew Giles said it remained the federal government's "strong expectation" that local councils would hold citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day. Source: AAP / Bianca De Marchi

“Australia Day holds great significance to many people across Australia. Our national day provides all Australians with the opportunity to reflect, respect, and celebrate," Mr Giles said.

"It is also the day when more people become citizens than any other time of the year and, for those who have joined our great Australian community from all corners of the world, becoming a citizen is an unforgettable occasion to be treasured forever.”

Mr Giles has also reinstated the rights of the City of Yarra and Darebin City councils to hold ceremonies. Both were , who blasted them as "out of step with Australian values".

For some Australians, , 26 January is not a day of celebration. It is seen as a day that commemorates the 1788 arrival of British settlers at Sydney Cove where they raised the Union Jack. For Indigenous people, and is referred to as "Invasion Day" by some.

Merri-bek this month became the third Melbourne council to announce with councillor James Conlan describing celebrations on the date as "pretty shameful".

But Labor insisted the reversal was made for "operational" reasons, saying councils had voiced concerns over higher costs associated with holding events on a public holiday.

“Australian citizenship is an important common bond for all Australians, whether by birth or by choice, and lies at the heart of a unified, cohesive and inclusive Australia," Mr Giles said.

"The government’s priority is to ensure that, where people have made the choice to become Australian citizens, they are afforded that opportunity in their own communities, with friends and family, in a timely way.”

At the beginning of this month, there were 98,000 outstanding citizenship applications, the first time that number had dipped below 100,000 in more than half a decade.

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Labor scraps rule that forced local councils to hold citizenship ceremonies on Australia Day - SBS News
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Everybody appearing at Cessnock Local Court, Friday, December 16 - Daily Telegraph

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Everybody appearing at Cessnock Local Court, Friday, December 16  Daily Telegraph
Everybody appearing at Cessnock Local Court, Friday, December 16 - Daily Telegraph
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The Bali Bonk Ban: Understanding local customs and laws when travelling - ABC News

There was a strong reminder last week of Indonesia's conservative values when new laws were passed banning sex outside marriage and unmarried couples from living together.

At first, it was said those rules would apply to tourists too, but officials have now backflipped to say tourists won't be affected.

Some locals and those in the tourism sector are worried the news laws will still deter people from visiting, especially those who identify as LGBTQI+. Other critics say this new criminal code violates international human rights laws and standards.

Today in The Conversation Hour, do you make sure you know the laws and the cultural and religious practices of the country you're visiting? And do you abide by them?

Credits

Broadcast 13 Dec 202213 Dec 2022Tue 13 Dec 2022 at 12:00am

Bali, Indonesia, Melbourne, Laws, International Law

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Local star makes powerful speech at disability hearing - K rock

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Local star makes powerful speech at disability hearing - K rock
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More cultural events and festivals heading for local streets in NSW in 2023 - The Greek Herald

Another 122 community and not-for-profit groups will be able to host cultural celebrations in their local communities next year thanks to more funding awarded by the NSW Government.

Minister for Multiculturalism Mark Coure said the groups had received a share of more than $1 million through the Stronger Together Festival and Events Grants program to host the events and festivals.

“Local streets right across our state are set to become so much brighter next year, thanks to each of the 122 local events we are funding,” Mr Coure said.

“These events are important for so many reasons; they celebrate our unique diversity, they bring people together and they break down barriers, which fosters greater understanding and respect between people.”

Each of the community groups received grants between $5,000 and $15,000 to host cultural events and festivals between 1 February and 30 June 2023.

Mr Coure said the grants program had been boosted from $500,000 to $1 million thanks to the 2022-23 NSW Budget.

“This year, through the Stronger Together Festivals Grants program, the NSW Liberals and Nationals have funded 283 community organisations with $2,098,329 to host events and festivals in their local areas,” Mr Coure said.

“Each of these events is a reflection of the rich diversity of our communities right across the state.

“This is one of the great things about our diversity here in NSW—you don’t need to travel overseas to experience the colour and vibrancy of other cultures, you can do it right here at home.”

For more information about the Stronger Together Festival and Events Grants program, visit www.multicultural.nsw.gov.au.

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More cultural events and festivals heading for local streets in NSW in 2023 - The Greek Herald
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More cultural events and festivals heading for local streets in 2023 - The Greek Herald

Another 122 community and not-for-profit groups will be able to host cultural celebrations in their local communities next year thanks to more funding awarded by the NSW Government.

Minister for Multiculturalism Mark Coure said the groups had received a share of more than $1 million through the Stronger Together Festival and Events Grants program to host the events and festivals.

“Local streets right across our state are set to become so much brighter next year, thanks to each of the 122 local events we are funding,” Mr Coure said.

“These events are important for so many reasons; they celebrate our unique diversity, they bring people together and they break down barriers, which fosters greater understanding and respect between people.”

Each of the community groups received grants between $5,000 and $15,000 to host cultural events and festivals between 1 February and 30 June 2023.

Mr Coure said the grants program had been boosted from $500,000 to $1 million thanks to the 2022-23 NSW Budget.

“This year, through the Stronger Together Festivals Grants program, the NSW Liberals and Nationals have funded 283 community organisations with $2,098,329 to host events and festivals in their local areas,” Mr Coure said.

“Each of these events is a reflection of the rich diversity of our communities right across the state.

“This is one of the great things about our diversity here in NSW—you don’t need to travel overseas to experience the colour and vibrancy of other cultures, you can do it right here at home.” For more information about the Stronger Together Festival and Events Grants program, visit www.multicultural.nsw.gov.au.

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More cultural events and festivals heading for local streets in 2023 - The Greek Herald
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‘Gamed by councillors’: How gag orders and secret arbitrations are stifling local councils - The Age

Allegations of councillors “gaming the system”, restricting ratepayer questions, fewer council meetings and preventing councillors from talking to the media are making councils more opaque than ever, critics say.

Ratepayers’ unhappiness with municipal leaders reached a flash point on Friday at the City of Yarra, when residents took to the streets outside the Richmond Town Hall and called for the Greens-led council to be sacked after it voted to slash the frequency of council meetings to just one per month.

Residents from the City of Yarra protest the reduction in council meetings on Friday at the Richmond Town Hall.Credit:Eddie Jim

Things were meant to be different. In 2020, in a bid to overhaul local government, the state government introduced the Local Government Act, butcritics claim transparency has worsened.

Residents are increasingly forced to submit questions for council meetings days in advance, and need to submit freedom-of-information (FOI) requests for information that was once freely available.

Local Government Minister Melissa Horne declined to comment on whether council transparency has worsened under the act.

But she did say: “We’re serious about improving culture in local councils and encouraging strong levels of community engagement, public transparency and financial management.”

Reduced public meetings

But at the City of Yarra, meetings will now be held at half the frequency of two years ago. Councillor Stephen Jolly, who failed to have the motion rescinded on Friday, says the move is undemocratic.

“Can you imagine if federal or state parliament unilaterally decided to only sit half the time?” he says.

But with no standard schedule for how often council meetings should be held, Municipal Association of Victoria (MAV) president David Clark says the outcry over Yarra’s move is a “storm in a teacup” and reflects the time pressures councillors face.

“Most of those councillors out there are working for, if they’re not working too hard, $30 an hour, if they are working hard doing their job, probably they are getting paid $20 an hour,” he says. “So I don’t blame them at all if they think they can do the business of the council in less time.”

Questions

Restrictions on questions from members of the public to councillors at meetings are now commonplace. A majority of councils require written questions that must be submitted in advance.

First-term councillor Daria Kellander is surprised by the restrictions imposed on councillors and members of the public in Hobsons Bay.

Questions for monthly council meetings have to be submitted 1½ days in advance. And if the resident isn’t at the meeting, the question won’t be read out.

“It’s almost like it is scripted in advance,” Kellander says. “As a councillor, I want to know what a resident thinks, whether it is good or bad. It’s a restriction on freedom of speech and freedom of thought.”

Freedom of information

Councils are increasingly requiring FOI requests from members of the public and journalists who wish to access information.

“Many councils still don’t publish committee minutes, council expenses and copies of reports the community would want to see,” says Dean Hurlston, head of Ratepayers Victoria. “This has resulted in an absolute mind-blowing amount of FOIs and councils hiding behind this system to avoid disclosure.”

Last year, councils across Victoria received 1482 non-personal FOI requests and 390 personal requests, according to analysis by The Sunday Age of the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner’s annual report.

Of these requests 550 were granted, 665 were partially granted and 103 were denied.

Lengthy delays in providing information are frequent, with the City of Melbourne still working on its reply to an FOI request made by The Age in February.

“It’s just a dog’s breakfast,” Hurlston says.

Codes of conduct

Councillors are increasingly gagged by councillor codes of conduct – the most extreme versions prevent councillors from saying anything that brings a council into disrepute.

City of Hume councillor Jodi Jackson says there needs to be one simple-to-understand code of conduct across councils. “At present each council can write its own code and some of those can be unnecessarily onerous,” she says.

City of Hume councillor Jodi Jackson warns councillor codes of conduct can be too onerous.Credit:Joe Armao

Hurlston says councillors are stopped from raising criticisms of council, which is their job.

“The definition of bringing council into disrepute is terrible,” he says. “It stifles political debate and each councillor’s right to freedom of political expression and opinion. The entire system is being gamed by councillors to hatchet-job each other.”

Horne declined to comment on the use of gag clauses on councillors, and says the legislation sets out a “clear framework” for the management of councillor conduct issues.

“All councillors are expected to abide by the standards of conduct under the Local Government Act and to uphold a standard of behaviour that their community expects and deserves,” she says.

Local Government Minister Melissa Horne says the legislation sets out a “clear framework” for the management of councillor conduct issues.Credit:Joe Armao

Councils are increasingly using arbitration hearings to solve minor issues and disputes between councillors.

At the City of Hume, just one council conduct matter has cost ratepayers $76,080 so far, with the matter still not resolved.

Ratepayers Victoria wants the government to open all hearings to the public, and Clark says the MAV is in “active discussions” with Horne about fixing the system.

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‘Gamed by councillors’: How gag orders and secret arbitrations are stifling local councils - The Age
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Monash Council gives local sports clubs ultimatum over pokies sponsorships - The Age

The City of Monash has threatened to remove local sports clubs from their ovals and clubhouses unless they stop promoting sponsorships with gaming venues, including RSLs, as it cracks down on gambling.

Sports clubs will also be barred from council-owned grounds if they hold meetings at any venue with poker machines.

The policy will affect about one-quarter of the 98 sports clubs in the council area, which takes in suburbs including Ashwood, Burwood, Chadstone, Clayton, Glen Waverley, Mulgrave and Oakleigh.

Council-owned grounds including Jack Edwards Reserve at Oakleigh will not be permitted to advertise gaming companies or venues with poker machines, even if they sponsor local sports clubs.Credit:Wayne Hawkins

The council has written to sporting clubs, groups and community organisations that use its facilities to explain its new Public Health Approach to Gambling Harm Policy.

It will not ban pokies venues – including local hotels, pubs and RSL clubs– from funding local sporting groups. But the sports clubs will be barred from promoting or advertising those sponsors in their clubrooms, in newsletters, and on fields and scoreboards.

The council, which will make an exception for RSLs on Anzac Day, has given sports clubs up to four years to change their uniforms and apparel.

Venues with poker machines in the Monash area, including Mulgrave Country Club, Leighoak Club, and Vegas at Waverley Gardens, give at least 8.33 per cent of their net electronic gaming machine revenue to sports clubs and community organisations each year.

In 2020/21, pokies venues in the area donated $2.2 million to sporting clubs and community groups and $5 million for operating costs and capital improvements.

Community Clubs Victoria, the peak body for local clubs, declined to comment. But a source said it was seeking legal advice on potential restraint-of-trade issues and was consulting all affected clubs.

One club official, who declined to be named because it might affect relationships with the council, told The Age the policy could have a big impact.

“In community support to junior sporting clubs, recognised charities, community groups and other worthwhile community-based organisations that really struggle, it mounts up to hundreds of thousands of dollars,” the official said.

The council’s move comes after data revealed gamblers lost $84.9 million on poker machines in the Monash area last financial year, despite venues being shut for 89 days due to COVID-19 lockdowns. Before this, an average of $110 million was lost annually.

Monash has ranked in the top 10 local government areas in Victoria for electronic gambling machine losses.

Monash Council will crack down on the promotion of gaming venues.Credit:Edwina Pickles

Mayor Tina Samardzija said Monash Council, a founding member of the Alliance for Gambling Reform, and other local councils wanted to stop the harm gambling caused.

“Preventing gambling harm is not just the responsibility of a few. Council plays a direct role in preventing gambling harm and has a proud history as a leading change agent for reducing gambling harm in our community,” Samardzija said.

The council will also press for regulatory reform including shutting gaming rooms between midnight and 10am, maximum $1 bet limits on poker machines and the elimination of sports-betting advertising.

It will also stage workshops to support clubs, groups and organisations identifying other fundraising strategies.

In 2019 Brimbank introduced a policy to charge clubs that operate poker machines on council land full commercial rates instead of peppercorn rents after the municipality lost a state-topping $139.5 million to the pokies in the previous financial year.

Darebin cut support for clubs that rely on gaming revenue and banned groups that operate a gambling venue from using council property, including sports grounds.

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Monash Council gives local sports clubs ultimatum over pokies sponsorships - The Age
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