IN BRIEF – November 29, 2018

Corangamite Seniors Forum to discuss Labor’s “retiree tax”

CORANGAMITE residents are invited to a Seniors Forum in Grovedale tomorrow (Friday, November 30) with federal Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Ken Wyatt alongside Corangamite federal Sarah Henderson. The pair will be answering resident concerns and listening to feedback from 3pm-5pm at the Dianella Hall, Grovedale Neighbourhood House, 2A Reserve Road. The meeting will focus on the effects Labor’s “retiree tax” may have on senior Australians and the Liberals’ concerns surrounding how this tax will impact low-income earners.

Shire fined $8,000 for landfill fire

THE Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) has fined the Surf Coast Shire more than $8,000 for breach of licence after a fire at its Anglesea landfill that required six CFA tankers to extinguish. EPA officers attended the Coalmine Road site on October 7 at the request of the CFA, after the contracted operators noticed the waste burning within a part of the landfill
which hadn’t been used in almost two years. The thermal imaging showed the hotspot had reached temperatures of up to 100 degrees Celsius, though operators had no formal procedure for checking for hot spots within the older waste areas and only used a thermal imager on the active tipping area.

Celebrate International Day of People with Disability

CLUBS, community groups, schools and businesses are encouraged to hold an event to celebrate International Day of People with Disability on December 3. Assistant Minister for Social Services, Housing and Disability Services Sarah Henderson, said the United Nations day aimed to help break down barriers for the 4.3 million Australians living with disability. Head to idpwd.com.au or phone 1800 440 385.

RSPCA releases statewide report on animal cruelty

RSPCA Victoria has released its statewide animal cruelty report data for 2017-2018. The society received 10,642 cruelty reports – about 29 per day, and an increase of almost 500 reports compared to last year (10,180). These reports contained 18,098 individual offences. Chief executive officer Dr Liz Walker was disappointed to note that for the third year in a row, issues with providing the most basic standards of living for animals (sufficient food, water and shelter) made up the highest proportion of offences reported.