Local chassis builder's 41-car Gold Coast 500 haul - V8 Sleuth

Paul Ceprnich. Pic: Supplied

YOU may be surprised to learn that 41 chassis competing at the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 have come out of a single workshop.

The man who created them certainly is.

Pace Innovations has gone from strength-to-strength since it was founded by South African Paul Ceprnich in 2006.

Armed with experience including a Le Mans winning campaign with BMW and a stint with Paul Morris Motorsports in Supercars, Ceprnich found a niche with Pace.

Fast-forward to this weekend and 41 of the 63 locally-built cars in action at the event have come from Pace’s shop in Yatala, north of the Gold Coast.

A bare Gen3 chassis at Pace in 2021. Pic: Supplied

“I was watching the categories roll out over the weekend, and I couldn’t believe how many cars that have come from Pace Innovations,” said Ceprnich.

“It really took me by surprise. I am very proud of what we have achieved over the past 17 years – seeing so many cars that we have played a major part in being here on the Gold Coast and Australian motorsport in general.

“We will continue to build and construct chassis for our industry, and we have more projects on the go now which we are really looking forward to unveiling in the future.”

Pace constructed 15 of the new Gen3 Supercars in the field, as well as supplying every team with common chassis kits and other control components including exhaust systems.

The Supercars teams with Pace-built Gen3 chassis are Brad Jones Racing, Matt Stone Racing, Blanchard Racing Team, Tickford Racing, Dick Johnson Racing and Grove Racing.

Ceprnich’s company began its work in the category supplying partly built chassis to teams late in the Project Blueprint era.

It did the same during the Car of the Future/Gen2 era that followed, having designed the control platform for the championship.

Pace also constructed all 21 SuperUtes racing on the Surfers streets this weekend, including the roll-cage, complete rear axle carriers, front hubs and the control braking systems. 

In the Sports Sedans, five cars including MARC 1’s and 2’s, along with the new IRC GT, also run by MARC Cars, have all come from their Gold Coast factory. 

The only category at the event that Pace has not built cars for is the Porsche Carrera Cup, but even then there is some involvement.

To allow for the Surfers new kerb sensor system, Pace was commissioned to design and supply a common transponder mount for all the cars to align with the system used by Supercars.

Ceprnich is at the Gold Coast street event this weekend, acting as engineer and driver coach for Porsche Carrera Cup Pro-Am leader Sam Shahin.

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Local surfer's story of surviving to thriving is set to inspire - Echonetdaily

If you’ve been feeling the need for something uplifting lately, you may well find it in the story of local surfer and surf coach Karin Ochsner.

Karin lives with a rare immune condition that makes things that many of us take for granted – like living indoors, wearing normal clothes, and eating regular food – potentially life-threatening.

Local surfer and surf coach Karin Ochsner riding her bike at Broken Head. Image: Sean O’Shae

It has forced her to live her life out in the elements with little protection beyond a basic tarp or umbrella, to regularly change her environment, and to be incredibly careful about what she puts in and near her body.

But somehow, Karin has found a way to lead an extraordinary life: sharing her gifts as a surf coach, explorer and adventure guide, and inspiring people with her story.

This tale of healing and thriving against all odds is the subject of a new documentary, ‘Surviving to Thriving’, which premiers at Byron Theatre at 6.30pm on November 8.

Following on from Karin’s first documentary Surfing to Survive, the second film tracks her challenges and triumphs as she confronts her deepest fears and past traumas.

This includes having to live outdoors during the 2022 floods, having a heart-pounding interaction with a shark, and being forced to move around to cope with her condition.

It is also a story of healing, documenting Karin’s growing insight and understanding of her health challenges.

Local surfer and surf coachKarin Ochsner must live outside as a result of her health condition. Image: Almerindo Lana

‘The process of making this film has helped me a lot in understanding my illness better and also for getting the support I needed to travel back to the places where my health is best at certain times of the year,’ Karin says.

Karin describes the documentary as a ‘real community baby’, being created and funded through the efforts of many talented locals who have donated their professional skills for free or for a very good price.

It features Northern Rivers legends such as Delta Kay, former surf champion Pauline Menczer, and well-known surfers such as Kieren Perrow, Joel Fitzgerald and Joel Paxton.

Former surfing world champion Layne Beachley is also in the mix, along with outdoor professional David Summers, and Scientist Leo Guida.

For more information or to purchase a ticket for the film premier go to www.surfingtosurvive.com.

You can also support Karin and her film by participating in a raffle to win a custom made Joel Fitzgerald surfboard featuring artwork by Ozzie wright. Tickets are available at www.surfingtosurvive.com.

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"Cowards" Says Veteran Local Health District Nurse Under Her Breath After Parents Reveal They Bought A Snoo - The Betoota Advocate

ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact

A nurse at the French Quarter District Health Centre has laughed at two new parents today and labelled them ‘cowards’ after the stressed young couple revealed to her that they bought a Snoo.

The Snoo bassinet uses technology to essentially rock a baby back to sleep while blasting white noise in their ears, a technique that is known and proven to get a baby back to sleep again after stirring in the night.

It does so automatically as to not wake the sleeping parents, maintaining the fragile sleep environment. However, they’re worth as much as a high-kilometre 2010 VE Commodore Omega with stretched timing chains.

Nurse Sheila Davis confirmed to The Advocate that she did call Pogo (35) and Melanie (38) Stick ‘weak cowards’ and ‘soft as cavoodle shit’ for spending $2000 on a robotic cot.

“I used to think flying domestic business class was a sign that you have too much money,” scoffed Nurse Davis.

The 40-year veteran of the Queensland Health service paused to take a deep drag from her Peter Stuyvesant Filter.

“But it’s buying a Snoo. If you buy a Snoo, you’re soft. I’m sorry, but that’s just my opinion. I had this young couple in today, they’d just bought a Snoo. They said they were tired and needed to sleep. Excuse me!”

Nurse Davis let out an earth-shattering cough.

“Christ,” she said.

“Parents these days have more dollars than sense. A baby will cry at night and if you can’t handle that then God help you. If you’re looking at getting a Snoo because your baby can’t sleep then go look in the mirror and wake up to yourself,” she continued.

“Give me a break.”

Nurse Davis let out another seismic cough.

“Back in my day, we just got on with it.”

More to come.

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Local fire ban extended for Far Northern Region residents - Queensland Fire and Emergency Services

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Local fire ban extended for Far Northern Region residents  Queensland Fire and Emergency Services
Local fire ban extended for Far Northern Region residents - Queensland Fire and Emergency Services
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Local CFA crews help battle Queensland fires - Bay 93.9

Six firetrucks from the Geelong region are heading to Queensland to help with the firefighting efforts around Toowoomba.

Local CFA boss Brendan Lawson said a number of volunteers would be driving the vehicles to Albury tonight.

“Those crews will drive from Albury to Coonabarabran and then the following day to Toowoomba,” he said.

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“We’re really lucky that volunteers have given their time up to drive our vehicles up there.”

Mr Lawson says crews from Geelong region will be flying out of Melbourne on Wednesday.

“They’ll jump on those trucks and be involved in protecting Queensland and the Toowoomba community.”

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Local Irishman Impressed By The Stunning Range Of Reasonably Priced Waistcoats At Tarocash - The Betoota Advocate

ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact

A Irishman living in our town’s French Quarter is pleased today after learning of fabled menswear shop Tarocash and the treasure trove of waistcoats that are available for purchase there at a reasonable cost.

Opposite Michael Hill Jewellers and adjacent to The Reject Shop, Tarocash was founding tenant of the Betoota Heights Stockland and has been serving the entry-level suit market in that part of town for nearly a decade.

From single-use suits to genuine leather loafers, Tarocash has it all. From birthdays to weddings to a nice suit to be buried or cremated in, the shop has you covered.

But it’s the waistcoats that have caught the imagination of Cork man Colm Tramore.

The 25-year-old civil construction worker explained to The Advocate that he was fresh from having his Caesar-style haircut touched up at JustCuts when he spied the tasteful waistcoats in the corner of his eye.

“I damn near fell over, I did,” he said.

“$90 for a charcoal grey waistcoat. That’s stunning value. Imagine the price when they were on sale. And that’s not all, you can buy a whole three-piece suit there for $200. That’s less than 10% of my tax home pay each week. I can have a hundred of them,”

“In fact, the lady in the shop said young men often get one just to wear once. They wear them to the races then instead of taking it to be dry cleaned, they just throw the suit in the bin or chuck it in the fireplace. I can get around that way of living,”

“This waistcoat is machine washable, too. The suit pants are machine washable. The lady even said I can machine wash the loafers, too. Just not the jacket. That has to be dry cleaned or folded up and jammed in a baby bottle sanitiser and put in the microwave. This tech hasn’t even caught on in Ireland yet and we’re a tech hub!”

Betoota is now facing a chronic shortage of waistcoats after Colm posted the Tarocash selections in the “Irish In Betoota” Facebook group, which has disappointed a number of young men planning to visit the ‘Cash before the Diamantina Stakes this weekend.

More to come.

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TCG Darwin Local Court list, Monday, October 30 - NT News

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TCG Darwin Local Court list, Monday, October 30  NT News
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Five local dishes to try when you next visit Bali - SBS

--- Experience Lauren Camilleri's Bali on Paradise Kitchen Bali, streaming free on  from 21 September. ---

Bali has a rich culinary scene woven with diverse flavours, spices, and traditions.

While the island's unique geographical location has cultivated a culinary melting pot, there are plenty of local dishes you cannot miss.

Whether you opt for a humble warung, a street-side food truck, a charming cafe, or a renowned restaurant, here are five Balinese dishes that should be on your list when you visit Bali.

Nasi goreng

Nasi goreng, or fried rice, is a staple of Balinese restaurants and households. What sets nasi goreng apart from other fried rice is its bold and aromatic flavours from ingredients such as tamarind and shrimp paste and the darker brown colour of kecap manis (sweet soy sauce).

Nasi goreng Credit: Kitti Gould

Often served with fried egg and garnished with fried shallots, prawn crackers and slices of cucumber and tomato, nasi goreng remains a favourite among locals and tourists alike. They are also versatile with many available throughout the island as well.

Babi guling

Babi guling is an iconic Balinese dish. Translated 'turning pig', it is a spit-roasted pig often associated with ceremonies, such as weddings and funerals.

The pig is stuffed with herbs and spices and roasted over an open fire for a few hours. The tender, juicy chunks of meat are often served with rice, vegetables and sambal matah, with the option to add other varieties such as crispy skin and blood sausage.

Finding babi guling in Bali will be more challenging than getting your hands on nasi goreng. Indonesia is predominately a Muslim country, the places are limited. Some of the well-known outlets include Ibu Oka in Ubud and Sari Dewi in Nusa Dua.

Nasi campur

Translated as 'mixed rice', nasi campur is a plate of steamed rice, served with a variety of side dishes such as chicken, vegetables, fish and eggs. It's a bit-of-everything dish that allows you to taste and experience the different flavours of the region.

Depending on where you dine, your experience of nasi campur will vary. It is most likely a set menu at a restaurant, while at a local warung, you'll likely be choosing your sides from the display. Some roadside stores may serve them wrapped in banana leaf or brown paper bags.

Gado gado

Gado gado is not your ordinary leafy green salad but a flavourful medley of steamed or blanched vegetables, tofu and tempeh with luscious peanut sauce called "bumbu kacang". Made of roasted peanuts, palm sugar, garlic, tamarind, and chilli, this sweet and slightly spicy salad is a comfort dish.

While traditionally a vegetarian dish, some may come with other proteins such as chicken or served with prawn crackers. It's a dish that reflects Bali's rich, fresh produce.

Find the recipe .

You can eat gado-gado on its own, but it's also a great side dish. The peanut sauce will last for up to 5 days, but once tossed, it's best eaten the same day. Credit: Louise Hagger

Roti bakar

This popular street snack in Bali may not reach the top of the health food list, but it is well worth a try. The chances are, if you ever walk past a roti bakar store, you'll not be able to resist the aroma of a generously buttered loaf of toasted bread with layers of chocolate and condensed milk.

In Bali, the roti bakar may have a local twist with the addition of coconut or pandan. Sink into roti bakar with Balinese coffee, known for its robust and bold flavours.

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Local fire ban for South East Region residents | Queensland Fire ... - Queensland Fire and Emergency Services

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Local chassis builder's 41-car Gold Coast 500 haul - V8 Sleuth

Paul Ceprnich. Pic: Supplied

YOU may be surprised to learn that 41 chassis competing at the Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 have come out of a single workshop.

The man who created them certainly is.

Pace Innovations has gone from strength-to-strength since it was founded by South African Paul Ceprnich in 2006.

Armed with experience including a Le Mans winning campaign with BMW and a stint with Paul Morris Motorsports in Supercars, Ceprnich found a niche with Pace.

Fast-forward to this weekend and 41 of the 63 locally-built cars in action at the event have come from Pace’s shop in Yatala, north of the Gold Coast.

A bare Gen3 chassis at Pace in 2021. Pic: Supplied

“I was watching the categories roll out over the weekend, and I couldn’t believe how many cars that have come from Pace Innovations,” said Ceprnich.

“It really took me by surprise. I am very proud of what we have achieved over the past 17 years – seeing so many cars that we have played a major part in being here on the Gold Coast and Australian motorsport in general.

“We will continue to build and construct chassis for our industry, and we have more projects on the go now which we are really looking forward to unveiling in the future.”

Pace constructed 15 of the new Gen3 Supercars in the field, as well as supplying every team with common chassis kits and other control components including exhaust systems.

The Supercars teams with Pace-built Gen3 chassis are Brad Jones Racing, Matt Stone Racing, Blanchard Racing Team, Tickford Racing, Dick Johnson Racing and Grove Racing.

Ceprnich’s company began its work in the category supplying partly built chassis to teams late in the Project Blueprint era.

It did the same during the Car of the Future/Gen2 era that followed, having designed the control platform for the championship.

Pace also constructed all 21 SuperUtes racing on the Surfers streets this weekend, including the roll-cage, complete rear axle carriers, front hubs and the control braking systems. 

In the Sports Sedans, five cars including MARC 1’s and 2’s, along with the new IRC GT, also run by MARC Cars, have all come from their Gold Coast factory. 

The only category at the event that Pace has not built cars for is the Porsche Carrera Cup, but even then there is some involvement.

To allow for the Surfers new kerb sensor system, Pace was commissioned to design and supply a common transponder mount for all the cars to align with the system used by Supercars.

Ceprnich is at the Gold Coast street event this weekend, acting as engineer and driver coach for Porsche Carrera Cup Pro-Am leader Sam Shahin.

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Local chassis builder's 41-car Gold Coast 500 haul - V8 Sleuth
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Five local dishes to try when you next visit Bali - SBS

--- Experience Lauren Camilleri's Bali on Paradise Kitchen Bali, streaming free on  from 21 September. ---

Bali has a rich culinary scene woven with diverse flavours, spices, and traditions.

While the island's unique geographical location has cultivated a culinary melting pot, there are plenty of local dishes you cannot miss.

Whether you opt for a humble warung, a street-side food truck, a charming cafe, or a renowned restaurant, here are five Balinese dishes that should be on your list when you visit Bali.

Nasi goreng

Nasi goreng, or fried rice, is a staple of Balinese restaurants and households. What sets nasi goreng apart from other fried rice is its bold and aromatic flavours from ingredients such as tamarind and shrimp paste and the darker brown colour of kecap manis (sweet soy sauce).

Nasi goreng Credit: Kitti Gould

Often served with fried egg and garnished with fried shallots, prawn crackers and slices of cucumber and tomato, nasi goreng remains a favourite among locals and tourists alike. They are also versatile with many available throughout the island as well.

Babi guling

Babi guling is an iconic Balinese dish. Translated 'turning pig', it is a spit-roasted pig often associated with ceremonies, such as weddings and funerals.

The pig is stuffed with herbs and spices and roasted over an open fire for a few hours. The tender, juicy chunks of meat are often served with rice, vegetables and sambal matah, with the option to add other varieties such as crispy skin and blood sausage.

Finding babi guling in Bali will be more challenging than getting your hands on nasi goreng. Indonesia is predominately a Muslim country, the places are limited. Some of the well-known outlets include Ibu Oka in Ubud and Sari Dewi in Nusa Dua.

Nasi campur

Translated as 'mixed rice', nasi campur is a plate of steamed rice, served with a variety of side dishes such as chicken, vegetables, fish and eggs. It's a bit-of-everything dish that allows you to taste and experience the different flavours of the region.

Depending on where you dine, your experience of nasi campur will vary. It is most likely a set menu at a restaurant, while at a local warung, you'll likely be choosing your sides from the display. Some roadside stores may serve them wrapped in banana leaf or brown paper bags.

Gado gado

Gado gado is not your ordinary leafy green salad but a flavourful medley of steamed or blanched vegetables, tofu and tempeh with luscious peanut sauce called "bumbu kacang". Made of roasted peanuts, palm sugar, garlic, tamarind, and chilli, this sweet and slightly spicy salad is a comfort dish.

While traditionally a vegetarian dish, some may come with other proteins such as chicken or served with prawn crackers. It's a dish that reflects Bali's rich, fresh produce.

Find the recipe .

You can eat gado-gado on its own, but it's also a great side dish. The peanut sauce will last for up to 5 days, but once tossed, it's best eaten the same day. Credit: Louise Hagger

Roti bakar

This popular street snack in Bali may not reach the top of the health food list, but it is well worth a try. The chances are, if you ever walk past a roti bakar store, you'll not be able to resist the aroma of a generously buttered loaf of toasted bread with layers of chocolate and condensed milk.

In Bali, the roti bakar may have a local twist with the addition of coconut or pandan. Sink into roti bakar with Balinese coffee, known for its robust and bold flavours.

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Five local dishes to try when you next visit Bali - SBS
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Katherine Local Court list, Thursday, October 26 - NT News

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Katherine Local Court list, Thursday, October 26  NT News
Katherine Local Court list, Thursday, October 26 - NT News
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Local heroes: Australian-made fashion labels that deserve your money - The Age

Peter Strateas and Mario-Luca Carlucci, the designers behind locally produced luxury brand Strateas Carlucci, know they’re in a small – and somewhat endangered – club.

In the same week that Melbourne-made denim brand Nobody Denim went into liquidation (the company’s assets were subsequently bought by another Australian brand, Outland Denim), Carlucci says unless consumers throw more support behind local labels, there will more forced closures.

Staying homegrown … Strateas Carlucci designers Peter Strateas (left) and Mario-Luca Carlucci (right) with models, including 13-year-old Ryder Carlucci.Credit: Simon Schluter

“People are more aware, they want something locally made, great quality, ethically sourced, fabrics to be organic and all of that but are they willing to make that jump with the price point? The answer is sometimes no, sadly,” says Carlucci.

But, says Strateas, the team isn’t getting too down about the shrinking state of local manufacturing, which had a temporary revival during the pandemic. “We’ve always looked at the limitations we have [of being Australian made] and find the positives in it,” he says. “Sometimes it’s influenced the way we have designed.”

Strateas and Carlucci launched their luxury streetwear label in 2013 to immediate acclaim, earning them some of the nation’s top emerging design prizes and the honour of being the first Australian label to show at Paris Men’s Fashion Week, back in 2015.

If their first decade in business was about conquering the international market, then their second, buttressed by the impact of the pandemic, is about building their customer base here before once again showing in Europe.

But in a tightened economy, they realise not everyone has $1000, or more, to blow on a jacket. Taking a leaf from designers they admire, such as French contemporary luxury brand Jacquemus (founded by Simon Porte Jacquemus), they’re expanding their accessories, jewellery and kids’ ranges. The new offering will be part of a solo show at Melbourne Fashion Week on Thursday.

“[Jacquemus is] disruptive, but he’s also become a household name – that’s where we wanted to be,” Carlucci says. “We still have plans to get to that level.”

The trick is to branch out without selling out, says Carlucci.

The designers hope their kidswear will fill a gap for parents looking for something less gendered, as well as something sustainable (many are made from offcuts from the adult styles) and a little “edgy”. Most pieces will cost less than $100.

“Kidswear was very skewed on [gender lines], and very ‘kiddy’,” says Carlucci, who has a 13-year-old son and a daughter, who is six. “We found there was a big discrepancy. There are the designer brands playing in that space, and then you have your high street or fast-fashion brands … So we found there was a gap in the market.”

The fashion week show will also debut a capsule range of luxury upcycled pieces produced in partnership with sustainable fashion incubator and retail space Future From Waste Lab.

At our meeting, Carlucci is wearing a jacket made from the scraps of recycled suits the pair sourced from “all over” – op shops, factories, salvage operators and a big call around their extended circle. To the trained eye, it’s obvious how much work went into the jacket, but they agree some consumers still struggle to understand that upcycled doesn’t mean a cheaper pricetag.

“How do you make waste luxury? For someone to see it and not say, ‘That looks like an upcycled garment?’” says Carlucci.

For everyone else, there’s always an earring – or a kid’s T-shirt.

The Strateas Carlucci runway, featuring Cub Sport, is at Melbourne Fashion Week on October 26, mfw.melbourne.vic.gov.au.

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Katherine Local Court list, Thursday, October 26 - NT News

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Katherine Local Court list, Thursday, October 26  NT News
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Local school trials new program - Bay 93.9

Geelong’s Nelson Park School will be part of a pilot program that’ll provide access to before and after school care for students with a disability.

Fifteen schools across Victoria will be involved in the program in 2024, providing care specifically designed and staffed for disabled children.

The Victorian government said parents raised the issue, saying it was one of their biggest challenges to find suitable care outside school hours or during school holidays.

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Education Minister Ben Carroll said all children deserved the best opportunities.

“This will make sure families of children with disability get the tailored care they deserve in the familiar environment of their own schools,” he said.

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How your local pub is changing forever - Daily Telegraph

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How your local pub is changing forever  Daily Telegraph
How your local pub is changing forever - Daily Telegraph
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The Local Project grows its editorial team with new hires - Mumbrella

The Local Project’s editorial team is growing with some new hires.

Signalling the next step in their evolutionary journey, The Local Project is pleased to announce the recent appointment of David Meagher as managing editor and Virginia Jen as editor. The welcome of Meagher and Jen signifies The Local Project’s continued growth in their industry-leading editorial offering.

Meagher, a celebrated journalist, editor and author, joins The Local project from The Australian newspaper’s monthly luxury lifestyle magazine, WISH, where he was the editor for 15 years. Jen has been appointed as editor, joining from her most recent role as deputy editor of Vogue Living for the last four years.

Founder and director Aidan Anderson notes, “The Local Project is dedicated to our ongoing development in every aspect of the business. The editorial team is the core of the company. It plays a significant role in ensuring we offer valuable insights and establish meaningful relationships between industry leaders and our global audiences.

“Our vision was for The Local Project to be the leading voice for the local design community. Given our highly engaged audiences from a large range of demographics and backgrounds, Meagher and Jen bring extensive experience, knowledge and network to grow our reach and share our messages far and wide.”

Before Meagher’s time at WISH, he was the deputy editor of The Australian Financial Review’s weekly Life & Leisure section and its quarterly, The Sophisticated Traveller Magazine. Meagher is also the author of four non-fiction books in his career and continues to contribute as a feature writer for some of Australia’s leading luxury, lifestyle and business publications.

Jen’s inspiring career includes her time at News Corp Australia and as a regular contributor to leading fashion, luxury, hospitality and design titles, including GQ, Gourmet Traveller, Home Beautiful, Country Style and Belle, among other publications.

To round out the editorial offering, Deborah Cooke has recently joined the editorial team as partnerships editor, bringing 30 years of experience in client management, client strategy development, writing and editing at Fairfax Media and various Australian titles.

With over 50 years of combined experience in media and publishing, Meagher, Jen, and Cooke represent an important evolution for The Local Project and its team. Anderson comments, “The breadth of David,Virginia and Deborah’s combined experience will allow us to continue to offer editorial content of the highest standard across Australia, New Zealand and North America.”

He adds: “We have exciting projects and changes lined up for 2024 and beyond, and we can’t wait to work on these developments with their wealth of industry knowledge.”

Rose Onans, who is currently on maternity leave, will resume her position as head of editorial in late 2024.

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China local governments launch crackdown on dogs after child was mauled - The Guardian

Local governments across China have launched a crackdown on dogs after a toddler was mauled by a rottweiler earlier this month.

The child was injured while walking with her mother in Chengdu on 16 October, leading authorities to announce they would tighten control of dogs while reiterating the importance of “civilised dog ownership”.

China state media reported the toddler was transferred out of the ICU on 23 October and her vital signs are stable at the moment. The police have taken criminal coercive measures against the dog’s owner, and the case is being further investigated.

Henan’s Shenqiu County announced it would focus on prohibited dogs, unregistered dogs and strays. On the same day, Sichuan’s Ebian Yi Autonomous County decided to carry out a county-wide crackdown – saying any dog found unattended in a public place would be considered a stray dog for capture.

Social media posts from inside China showed landlords or community committee members breaking into people’s houses and forcibly taking away their dogs. Some of the animals were later killed.

It was reported that a university in Liaoning Province fired a security guard who strangled stray dogs on campus. Chinese local news reported that students killed stray dogs in a dormitory in a vocational college in Sichuan.

According to the 2021 China Pet Industry white paper, the number of stray dogs is 40 million while the number of stray cats is 53 million. In 2019, China ranked fifth in the world in terms of the number of deaths from rabies, based on data released from the International Journal of Infectious Diseases.

China does not have any special laws relating to stray dogs at a national or local level.

“Many places in China have introduced local regulations involving stray dogs, but due to the low level of legal effect, insufficient law enforcement, too light penalties, and insufficient supporting facilities, the feasibility of these regulations is poor,” China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation said on their website.

The indiscriminate killing of stray dogs has aroused some public anger.

People in Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, took to the streets with signs calling for and end to animal cruelty on 22 October.

“Not all stray dogs are bad dogs, not all people are good people! Please stop killing animals,” Chinese actor Cya Liu Ya-se posted on her Weibo.

“It’s OK to not love them, but please don’t hurt them. I sincerely ask that we all be kind, reasonable, and not abusive!” said another Chinese actor – Di Yang – on his Weibo. Both accounts were banned shortly after the posts.

Internet users also called on the public to go to the State Council website and leave a message asking the government to stop abusing and killing stray animals, to reasonably disclose the way stray cats and dogs are handled, and to call on the state to legislate for the protection of animals.

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Oenpelli Local Court list, Tuesday, October 24 - NT News

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Oenpelli Local Court list, Tuesday, October 24  NT News
Oenpelli Local Court list, Tuesday, October 24 - NT News
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China local governments launch crackdown on dogs after child was mauled - The Guardian

Local governments across China have launched a crackdown on dogs after a toddler was mauled by a rottweiler earlier this month.

The child was injured while walking with her mother in Chengdu on 16 October, leading authorities to announce they would tighten control of dogs while reiterating the importance of “civilised dog ownership”.

China state media reported the toddler was transferred out of the ICU on 23 October and her vital signs are stable at the moment. The police have taken criminal coercive measures against the dog’s owner, and the case is being further investigated.

Henan’s Shenqiu County announced it would focus on prohibited dogs, unregistered dogs and strays. On the same day, Sichuan’s Ebian Yi Autonomous County decided to carry out a county-wide crackdown – saying any dog found unattended in a public place would be considered a stray dog for capture.

Social media posts from inside China showed landlords or community committee members breaking into people’s houses and forcibly taking away their dogs. Some of the animals were later killed.

It was reported that a university in Liaoning Province fired a security guard who strangled stray dogs on campus. Chinese local news reported that students killed stray dogs in a dormitory in a vocational college in Sichuan.

According to the 2021 China Pet Industry white paper, the number of stray dogs is 40 million while the number of stray cats is 53 million. In 2019, China ranked fifth in the world in terms of the number of deaths from rabies, based on data released from the International Journal of Infectious Diseases.

China does not have any special laws relating to stray dogs at a national or local level.

“Many places in China have introduced local regulations involving stray dogs, but due to the low level of legal effect, insufficient law enforcement, too light penalties, and insufficient supporting facilities, the feasibility of these regulations is poor,” China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation said on their website.

The indiscriminate killing of stray dogs has aroused some public anger.

People in Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, took to the streets with signs calling for and end to animal cruelty on 22 October.

“Not all stray dogs are bad dogs, not all people are good people! Please stop killing animals,” Chinese actor Cya Liu Ya-se posted on her Weibo.

“It’s OK to not love them, but please don’t hurt them. I sincerely ask that we all be kind, reasonable, and not abusive!” said another Chinese actor – Di Yang – on his Weibo. Both accounts were banned shortly after the posts.

Internet users also called on the public to go to the State Council website and leave a message asking the government to stop abusing and killing stray animals, to reasonably disclose the way stray cats and dogs are handled, and to call on the state to legislate for the protection of animals.

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China local governments launch crackdown on dogs after child was mauled - The Guardian
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Darradong Local Council: trailer - TV Tonight

Aussie comedy legend Pauly Fenech (Fat Pizza, Housos, Bogan Hunters) is back with a brand new slapstick series Darradong Local Council.

The cast includes George Kapiniaris (Mayor Theo), Melissa Tkautz (Tanya), Vince Sorrenti (Vinnie) and social sensation Jon-Bernard Kairouz (Feraz).

Shining a light on the corrupt council of Darradong Shire, Fenech stars as outrageous council worker Fox, whose excessive bludging, inappropriate behaviour and NSFW antics have created a media frenzy.

The nine-part series explores how corruption rears it’s head across all departments of council life, including workplace sex scandals, inappropriate use of council funds and drug testing.

Darradong Local Council is produced for the Seven Network by Antichocko Productions.

9.30pm Thursday, 26 October on 7mate

Inappropriate comedy is bound to offend!

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Local elections: Geraldton Mayor out for the count but Liberal candidate wins a spot in Rockingham - The West Australian

Jake DietschThe West Australian

Failed state and federal Liberal candidate Peter Hudson - who sparked outrage after implying his opponent would have to quit if she fell pregnant - had his ailing political career revived after winning a council seat -- but in regional WA, Geraldton’s ex-boxing mayor Shane Van Styn was knocked out.

Votes were tallied across WA local governments from Saturday, with the introduction of optional-preferential voting dramatically slowing the count and leaving many results still uncalled as of Monday.

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Local elections: Geraldton Mayor out for the count but Liberal candidate wins a spot in Rockingham - The West Australian
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Everybody facing Tennant Creek Local Court, Monday, October 23 - NT News

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Everybody facing Tennant Creek Local Court, Monday, October 23  NT News
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Blue coup: Local club lands retired AFL star - Geelong Advertiser

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Blue coup: Local club lands retired AFL star  Geelong Advertiser
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Ed Curnow signs with Lorne as playing coach in Colac District League - Geelong Advertiser

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Ed Curnow signs with Lorne as playing coach in Colac District League  Geelong Advertiser
Ed Curnow signs with Lorne as playing coach in Colac District League - Geelong Advertiser
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More English councils face bankruptcy, leaders warn, as deficits reach £4bn - The Guardian

Many more councils in England are at risk of bankruptcy, town hall leaders have warned, as unprecedented financial pressures force local authorities to prepare drastic cuts to services to cope with a collective £4bn deficit.

The bleak message, set out in a letter to the chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, said council budgets were “under pressure like never before” because of the rapid deterioration in their finances caused by inflation and soaring demand for social care.

Without an injection of government cash even well-run councils – both Labour and Conservative controlled – were at serious risk of running into financial difficulty over the next 18 months, the Local Government Association (LGA) said.

It said an “inflationary storm” had dramatically widened English councils’ estimated budget gap by an extra £1bn since July alone, with resources outstripped by the soaring costs of child protection, special educational needs and homelessness services

Councils reporting major overspends this autumn are scrambling to meet their legal duty to balance their budgets by next April, typically proposing cuts to “discretionary” spending in areas like bus subsidies, museums, leisure centres, recycling centres and grants to local charities.

Remaining resources are being increasingly focused on coping with huge demand for “core” statutory services such as social care – which accounts on average for 64p in every pound spent by top tier authorities, up from 56p six years ago – and providing temporary accommodation for homeless families.

“Councils remain firmly in the eye of the inflationary storm and severe funding and demand pressures mean that council finances are under pressure like never before,” said councillor Pete Marland, chair of the LGA’s resources board.

He added: “None are immune to the risk of running into financial difficulty and others have already warned of being unable to meet their legal duty to set a balanced budget and are close to also having to issue section 114 [effective bankruptcy] notices.”

The blame for a string of recent bankruptcies at councils including Birmingham, Thurrock and Woking has tended to fall on mismanagement, governance failure and reckless commercial borrowing, but the LGA said the underlying weakness of local authority finance meant the risk of insolvency was now universal.

It stressed the crisis in local authority was not related to council type or political control and said the debate about council funding should not turn into a “political mud-slinging exercise”. It said it was wrong to assume that only “failing” councils would end up in financial difficulty.

Last month Tory-controlled Hampshire council said it faced “financial meltdown” and urged the government to step in to fix what it called the “broken” system of local government finance. Havering council in east London, run by Labour and independents, said it faced bankruptcy in the next six to 12 months.

The letter to the chancellor, co-signed by LGA chair, Shaun Davies, and the leader of the LGA’s Conservative group, Kevin Bentley, urged Hunt to use next month’s autumn statement to take immediate action to address the crisis and set out a more sustainable long-term direction for council funding.

It said: “The ‘easy wins’ and ‘low hanging fruit’ in terms of savings have long since gone. Instead, councils are almost immediately faced with hard decisions about cutting valued services, along with increasing council tax and fees and charges during a cost of living crisis.”

In July the LGA estimated that English councils faced funding gaps of £2bn in 2023-24 and £900m in 2024-25. It has since revised those figures in the light of Bank of England inflation forecasts to £2.4bn and £1.6bn respectively.

A spokesperson for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said: “We have made £5.1bn of extra funding available to local authorities through the local government finance settlement, making almost £60bn available for the sector – up 9.4% on cash terms on 2022-23. We continue to monitor pressures on all councils and we stand ready to talk to any council that is concerned about its financial position.

“Councils are ultimately responsible for the management of their own finances, but the government has been clear that they should not take excessive risk with taxpayers’ money. We have established the Office for Local Government to improve the accountability for performance across the sector.”

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More English councils face bankruptcy, leaders warn, as deficits reach £4bn - The Guardian
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Everybody facing Katherine Local Court, Friday, October 20 - NT News

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Everybody facing Katherine Local Court, Friday, October 20  NT News
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Ad Giant Ogilvy Delivers Bonkers Spot For Local Real Estate Agent - B&T

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Local hospital saved from review - Bay 93.9

Health care group St John of God says its maternity services in Geelong are safe from a review, as it takes a closer look at its operations in Bendigo.

The private hospital is also looking at its Intensive Care services in Bendigo, saying there has been a drop in demand in the central Victorian city.

CEO Michael Hogan said there were other issues including staff shortages, increase in costs and people cutting back on certain private healthcare services

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However he said they were not looking at a review of Geelong.

Demand for maternity services at the local hospital has been growing, after Epworth closed its maternity suite at its Waurn Ponds hospital earlier this year.

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Everybody facing Nichols Place Darwin Local Court, Thursday, October 19 - NT News

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Everybody facing Nichols Place Darwin Local Court, Thursday, October 19  NT News
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Everybody facing Nichols Place Darwin Local Court, Thursday, October 19 - NT News

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Local family has dream home plans for Geelong West property - realestate.com.au - realestate.com.au

35 Hope St, Geelong West, sold under the hammer at auction.

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A family looking for a dream new home site in Geelong West has snapped up a knockdown rebuild prospect that last sold for $26,000 in the 1970s.

Two bidders contested the four-bedroom weatherboard home on a premium 743sq m block at 35 Hope St.

It sold under the hammer for $1.08m at Saturday’s auction, beating $960,000 to $1.03m price hopes.

RELATED: Workmates encourage Belmont buyer to attend auction

Scarcity of mid-price homes fuels competition

A Geelong retail strip buyers could bank on

The property had been in the hands of the one family for almost 50 years.

Jellis Craig Geelong agent Marcus Falconer said there were three buyers with their eye on the prized block.

“It sold to someone who is going to build their family home there,” Mr Falconer said.

“So they basically live in the area and competed against another local for the property. Both of them were looking at it as a site for their dream home.

“It was hotly contested with three buyers, only two of them really had an opportunity to fight it out.”

The kitchen and meals area.

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There are high ceilings in the loungeroom.

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The home, which CoreLogic records show was last traded in 1976, offered buyers a blank canvas to renovate or start over.

It was presented in liveable condition and retained original features such as a wide entry hall and timber mantelpiece in the loungeroom, as well as a large backyard with double garage and shedding.

But the location, between Pakington St’s shopping strip and Geelong train station, proved the biggest hook.

The 743sq m block was a big selling point.

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Mr Falconer said there was strong demand for new home sites in the neighbourhood, despite a wider softening in the land market.

“I think the central ring of the city, that two-and-a-half kilometre ring of the city is still moving quite well and in high demand so Geelong West is certainly bucking the trend,” he said.

Geeong West has seen an uptick in prices over the past three months, with the median house price sitting at $902,500, according to the latest PropTrack data.

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Local family has dream home plans for Geelong West property - realestate.com.au - realestate.com.au
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