Multiple residents have reported finding suspicious markings at the front of their homes last night and this morning. One person said they found markings after a man came to their door claiming to be looking for a lost football.
Please report any suspicious activity to Geraldton Police on 9923 4555
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Lewis Freer for the Geraldton Guardian:
Geraldton Residents Demand Our Streets Back leader Michele McLean has launched a new petition calling on the WA Government to hold a Parliamentary inquiry into the causes of crime and anti-social behaviour in the City of Greater Geraldton.
Jessica Millward from the Geraldton Guardian has a great write up on the debate currently going on regarding adding another cafe to Geraldton's foreshore. (link)
Christian Watters, the proponent of the venture, went to the city with the idea for the small cafe. He's the energy behind the idea for the Geraldton Ocean Baths, and he and his wife own and run Jaffle Shack, Fleurs, and Cavania. Their reputation for working towards a more vibrant CBD and Marine Terrace is well proven.
Colin Dymond is also a well regarded local businessman, who currently owns the lease for the relatively new cafe called Two Foreshore, located right next to the kid's playground. The building is owned by the City of Greater Geraldton. They used to run a rest centre of sorts that sold ice creams, but recently leased the building out.
Mr Dymond's argument against the new cafe is basically that he wouldn't have spent the money on leasing and fitting out the building had he been aware the council was going to allow more competition on the foreshore.
Mr Watters' argues that the cafe will attract more people to the foreshore and CBD, benefiting all.
Click here to read Mr Dymond's original letter and public comments.
Geraldton MLA Ian Blayney is enthusiastic over the Government’s Sport for All program.
“The good news is the Sport for All program – which includes funding for Kidsport as well as Nature Play, ClubTalk and the Community Volunteer Project has been funded to the tune of $10 million over the next two years,” Mr Blayney said.
“Geraldton kids have greatly benefitted from the Kidsport program since its introduction by the Barnett Government.
“The City of Greater Geraldton has received $178,132.75 in Sportskids funding for kids at 73 sporting clubs with 673 boys and 691 girls assisted in their sports participation, this is a successful project” said Mr Blayney.
“The Sport for All program shows the government’s ongoing commitment for active pursuits is as strong as ever. I hope the community takes advantage of this program and gets involved,” Ian Blayney said.
The State Government has announced legislation will be introduced into State Parliament this week to close a legal loophole and clamp down on the promotion, sale and supply of new psychoactive substances.
“These synthetic drugs can cause serious health problems including tremors, chest pains, increased heart rate and blood pressure, seizures and an altered mental state. The legislation will help remove these substances from circulation within the community,” Geraldton MLA Ian Blayney said.
“These substances are extremely worrying for parents concerned about their children having access to them and the Government has moved to eradicate them from shop shelves.”
Mr Blayney said the legislation will make a real difference for the local community of Geraldton.
The new laws will give WA Police the power to seize and destroy a substance that has a psychoactive effect.
It includes penalties of $48,000 or four years’ jail for the manufacture, sale or supply of psychoactive substances and the promotion of synthetic drugs attracts a $24,000 fine or two years’ jail.
“This Bill will control these potentially harmful substances that have no legitimate use and help remove them from circulation in Western Australia.”
Those concerned about alcohol or drug use can call the Alcohol and Drug Information Service for support and referral on 9442 5000 or visit http://drugaware.com.au/Drug-Information.aspx
The incident occurred around 9pm Wednesday evening (20/5/15).
Geraldton Police attended and found two men nearby who were arrested in relation to the matter.
Police say each of the men had in their possession gloves, torches and other items that are commonly used to break into people's homes.
Both of the men were charged with burglary, as well as other outstanding matters that were not connected to this particular incident. They will appear in court today.
It’s time to dust off the cowboy boots the annual Mullewa Muster is here again – ye-ha!
Come and experience the red dust, rodeo action, beaut utes, whip crackin’, country music and big skies in the wild west on Saturday 30th May 2015.
City of Greater Geraldton Mayor Ian Carpenter said the Mullewa Muster was a great day out with something for the whole family.
“Visitors can experience the excitement of a Full Point rodeo as well as a Beaut Ute and whip crackin’ competition. There will also be lots of stalls and fun activities for everyone,” said Mayor Carpenter.
“The Mullewa Muster and Rodeo has come a long way and has attracted thousands of people since its inception in 2012. The event is a big drawcard for contestants as it is the highest paying prize money rodeo in the State. Last year a third of our competitors actually travelled from interstate for the Rodeo.”
This year the Mullewa Muster Country Music Concert will feature Adam Harvey, The Sunny Cowgirls, Chelsea Basham and Vince Jones & No Limits.
There will be gourmet burgers, fully stocked bars, oven pizzas, curries and much more food available throughout the day and into the evening. And if you need a bit more kit, you’ll find country outfitters on site, selling clothes, hats and cowboy boots.
Free camping is available on site and breakfast will be served on Saturday and Sunday morning.
For the full line-up and event times visit www.mullewamuster.com
An ICE TASKFORCE consultation meeting conducted in Broome this week by the National Ice Taskforce has been welcomed by Melissa Price, Member for Durack.
Broome was selected by the Taskforce, as one of eight locations across regional Australia to gather grass roots information on local impacts, effective programs and current efforts to combat the use of Ice.
Ms Price said she was very pleased the Ice taskforce had come to Durack and to Broome for the consultation session on Tuesday which was attended by more around 40 people.
“It was good to see a broad range of groups represented at the Ice meeting, including representatives from hospitals, the ambulance service, police, youth, training and various aboriginal medical services,” Ms Price said.
“Distressingly, it was reported that assaults on local ambulance drivers and medicos are increasing, apparently attributed to the use of Ice.
“The Kimberley locals are on the front foot with the Ice issue, endeavouring to address it proactively, with many involved in the Taskforce meeting also actively involved in the Kimberley Ice forum, which convened in April.
“From comments made at the Ice Taskforce meeting this week, it seems that Ice is not at the epidemic stage yet, so now is the time and opportunity to get the issue under control.”
“Ice is an issue that reaches deep into the community, so we need to work in partnership to tackle it and its impacts which are linked to anxiety, depression, psychosis, aggression and violence.”
Anyone can make a submission by 29 May 2015 to the National Ice Taskforce at www.australia.gov.au/drugs.
The late Colin Burgess received Mid West Charity Begins at Home funding to ease the financial strain on his family during his final days and beyond.
Mid West Charity Begins at Home (MWCBH) is encouraging Mid West residents living with serious or terminal illness to apply for financial relief.
The volunteer-run charity has captured the hearts of the region with its efforts to raise money to ease the financial burden of contracting a serious illness.
It has so far helped more than 110 Mid West families in need.
MWCBH president Chris Dobson urged anyone suffering financial strain from paying for medical costs incurred by serious illness to apply for financial relief.
“Having a serious or terminal illness is hard enough but also battling to pay the bills and keep the family financial afloat just adds to the burden,” Mrs Dobson said.
“It’s especially hard for people living in the Mid West as they often have to travel to Perth and live in the city while they undergo treatment – something that is not only huge emotional burden on families but a financial one too.
“Our aim is to ease the pain of such illness by lessening the financial strain at a time these people need it most.”
Geraldton woman Geraldine Burgess received such support while her now late husband Colin, better known as Scruff, battled for his life in 2012.
Mrs Burgess said the support not only helped financially but also in making her realise that people cared.
“The money was provided at what was a really terrible time,” Mrs Burgess said.
“I was unaware of who or what Mid West Charity Begins At Home was when they contacted me, letting me know that someone had nominated us for assistance. I was overwhelmed by the incredible support they offered.
“I felt very safe knowing that I had some money there.
“And it’s not just the monetary assistance, but also knowing that the community cared.”
While Mr Burgess was too ill to realise the money had been awarded to him and his family, Mrs Burgess said he would have been relieved to know his family had financial support.
“The Mid West Charity Begins at Home committee are such beautiful people – they understand that money can make a difference at that time and they also really cared,” she said.
MWCBH raises most of its money by selling tickets to its annual gala dinner, at which it conducts an auction of goods and services donated by the Mid West business community.
Anyone interested in applying for financial help can find out more and lodge an application online by visiting the website www.charitybeginsathome.org.au
Councils and incorporated not-for-profit organisations in the electorate of Durack can apply for funding of between $20,000 and $10 million for capital infrastructure projects under Round Two of the National Stronger Regions Fund.
Melissa Price, Federal Member for Durack said she strongly encourages eligible parties to apply, with the Fund designed to strengthen communities and deliver economic growth within Australia’s regions.
“More than 400 applications were received under Round One seeking funding of over $1.2 billion, reflecting the importance of this programme to Australia’s regions,” Ms Price said.
“Round Two applicants have more time to develop their applications, closing on 30 July, and the quality for this round is expected to be much higher.
“Please seek feedback if you were unsuccessful in Round One and contact my office for assistance.
“This programme presents an opportunity for local councils and organisation to receive funding towards priority projects, and I would hope that all eligible parties submit an application.”
Ms Price said following feedback from stakeholders on Round One, some changes have been made for Round Two.
“Under Round Two, $25 million will be quarantined for those projects seeking funding of less than $1 million. This will create more opportunities in Durack for those who may not need $10 million in funding, but do need a smaller amount to achieve real outcomes,” Ms Price said.
“Applicants will also be allowed to submit two applications. This is a boost for potential applicants in Durack allowing them to target two key projects which may not have been funded by other means.”
The Australian Government is providing $212 million to successful applicants under Round One of the programme.
More information on the programme, including on the application process for Round Two, is available at http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/nsrf.
Geraldton Police are asking for help from the public after a 67 year old woman was attacked early this morning.
Police say that around 12:10 am this morning the woman returned to her home in Abelia Street in Rangeway. She was in the process of closing her front gate when an unidentified male approached her.
Police allege the male hit the woman in the face without warning, and stole her handbag.
The attacker then fled on foot.
Police and the K9 unit attended the area however the attacker was not found.
The victim sustained facial injuries during the attack and later received medical treatment.
Geraldton Detectives will be investigating this matter and anyone with information is asked to contact the Geraldton Police Station on 9923 4555.
The City of Greater Geraldton is ‘changing up’ Reconciliation Week events this year by inviting other organisations to come on board with their own events and activities.
Mayor Ian Carpenter said that this year’s Reconciliation Week theme ‘It’s time to change it up’ meant that more organisations and members of the community are involved in Reconciliation Week than ever before hosting events and activities that celebrate the spirit of reconciliation.
“This year the City has changed it up by asking the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal community to come together in the spirit of reconciliation and sponsor or host events and activities of their own during the week-long celebration which takes place from Wednesday 27 May toWednesday June 3 2015,” he said.
“The 2007 Young Australia of the Year Tania Major, a recognised leader and advocate for Aboriginal people at both the state and national level will be speaking about ‘Walking in both worlds’ at the Western Australian Centre for Rural Health on Thursday 28 May, 4pm-6pm,
“Mid West Ports will be paying tribute to Kenny Maher (deceased) for 28 years of service with the Port and launching their own Reconciliation Action Plan at a morning tea on Friday 29 May and the Bundiyarra Irra Wangga Language Centre have activities planned for the Mullewa community on Friday 29 May from 8.30am-12 noon at the Mullewa Town Hall,” Mr Carpenter said.
The highlight of the week is the Reconciliation Concert featuring stand-up comedian, dance and rap artist Sean Choolburra and the Yamaji Music Collective. Sean who is known as the funniest and most enduring Aboriginal Australian comedian will be accompanied by five well-known local acts. Tickets are on sale now at the QPT Box Office, Civic Centre and Geraldton Regional Library at a special early bird price of $15 for adults and group/family tickets are only $10 each. The concert is on Friday 29 May at 7pm at Queen’s Park Theatre.
Other activities during the week include Gunnado Dance Performance Spectacular on Thursday 28 May 9am-3pm at Gunnado Farm, Aboriginal Arts, Crafts and Culinary Markets on Friday 29 May 5pm-9pm at Queens Park Theatre forecourt and Aboriginal stories will be shared during Oral History morning on Wednesday 3 June, 10am-11.30am at the Geraldton Regional Library.
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Picture via Mid West Police on Facebook
Police media release follows:
At about 3:30am on Friday 15 May 2015 police responded to a call for assistance at a property on Horseshoe Court, Deepdale.
Police dog ‘Bucky’ was deployed at the property where police will allege that two male persons were located. It will further be alleged that the two persons were attempting to syphon fuel from vehicles. The two males were subsequently arrested.
A 28 year old male from Spalding was charged with stealing and trespass while a 35 year old male from Carlisle was charged with stealing, trespass and possess drug paraphernalia. Both persons will appear at the Geraldton Magistrates Court at a later date.
Telstra has just announced that a company they recently acquired, Pacnet, recently suffered a major security breach.
Telstra says it was not informed of the breach until after the acquisition had been finalised.
Josh Taylor reporting for ZDNet:
The Australian Federal Police is a customer of Pacnet, and Telstra could not rule out that AFP information may have been accessed in the breach.
The number of people testing positive to illicit drugs while behind the wheel is continuing to increase in Geraldton.
Last Thursday (14/5/15) Police stopped a Holden Commodore travelling along the North West Coastal Highway in Beresford.
The 32 year old man who was driving the vehicle tested positive for illicit drugs.
Police also say they found a set of knuckledusters in the dash compartment of the vehicle.
Inquiries are ongoing in relation to the positive drug swipe test.
The Geraldton man will appear at the Geraldton Magistrates Court at a later date charged with "carry or possess prohibited weapon".
I was surprised to see the backlash towards the City of Greater Geraldton over the recent loss of jobs within the city staff. For the last two years incessant cries of "reduce the rates" have in no way been countered by anyone asking for the City to continue to spend money as it's needed.
Yet when the reality of reducing expenses actually occurs, no-one wants to see job losses, or wants their precious kerb side collection to disappear.
Perhaps this is to be expected. Only those who are negatively affected by something bother to sign petitions, create community groups, or attend council meetings. So those who are happy with moderate rate increases for the foreseeable future made no noise at all, and those who are secretly happy to see staff reductions at the city also made no noise when that happened.
I'd like to make some noise in favour of something that I don't think is under threat yet, but I'd like it to stay that way; namely the level of funding provided towards the arts and culture in Geraldton.
"Arts and culture" is a broad term. In many people's mind it basically means painting, or maybe it means "waste of money".
Arts and culture, to me, encompasses everything from performances and entertainment, to sculptures, literature and paintings. Sport also plays a massive role in the culture of the Geraldtonian, and needs to continue to be fostered.
Over the last 8 years, I watched my step daughter succeed year after year in the Randolph Stow awards. For those who don't know, Randolph Stow was a successful author who hailed from Geraldton. The awards are run by the City of Greater Geraldton through the Library, and the opportunity for young people to participate is city wide.
She is now at UWA studying to become an English Teacher. It would be inaccurate to say the only reason she chose that is because of the awards. But remembering her pleasure in receiving the awards each year makes me appreciate the contribution they played in fostering a love in her for the craft of writing.
As the accountants and number crunchers look at what the council is spending money on and what it needs to cut back on, items like these are going to be hard to justify. But I would argue that they are somewhat priceless.
As much as I love business and free enterprise, things like this are unlikely to ever be funded by the private sector, as a direct return on investment is essentially impossible.
But without a thriving culture, what makes Geraldton a great place to live?
The sports, music and arts scenes in Geraldton have all birthed wonderful stories. The Mid West punches well above its weight when it comes to the number of sports starts we've exported, considering our population.
We've also produced a premier, the first female parliamentarian, and multiple award winning authors, and I'm sure there's much more to come.
Geraldton has been fortunate to become host to a wonderful new organisation called the "Comedy Emporium" in recent years. We have the well known Sunshine Festival each year which gives many people a sense of Geraldton's identity, we have a popular local basketball team, football league and lots of people who are into their fishing and hunting.
I understand organisations like the Chamber of Commerce demanding rate reductions. If businesses can't afford to do business, Geraldton becomes a less practical place to live. But without the rich tapestry of arts and culture, Geraldton would become a place little to offer, giving people even less reason to stay, and thus do business.
Geraldton really is an wonderful place to live. If you scratch the surface of our friendly and laid back lifestyle, you'll see an enormous spectrum of culture and art that adds a unique flavour to life in our region.
Let's not allow that to fall into disarray like a poorly maintained road, for the sake of a few dollars a week.
Students speaking with PhD Candidate, Tim Doherty about Feral Cat Ecology.
Farming and conservation can go hand-in-hand. That’s a key message that came across loud and clear at a recent workshop attended by students from the Western Australian College of Agriculture in Morawa.
Organised by the Northern Agricultural Catchments Council (NACC), the workshop aimed to inform, motivate and empower the future environmental land-carers, stewards and leaders in the region.
Students tuning in on a presentation by Leah Adams.
“It was fantastic to see the keen interest in the environment by the next generation of environmental leaders in the region,” said Perenjori-based NACC Natural Resource Management Officer Sarah Gilleland.
Ms Gilleland said the field day helped the students to better understand and advocate for key environmental issues, such as the impact of invasive species, and gain a greater awareness of local biodiversity. It also provided them with tools to take action.
“It’s important that young people are informed and inspired to take a greater interest in understanding their local biodiversity, as well as conservation and cultural issues. We feel that if young people understand the issues better they will be more likely to take action,” said Ms Gilleland.
Environmental champion Like Bayley of Bush Heritage Australia was among the impressive line-up of presenters to share their knowledge and passion for Australian wildlife conservation.
“When I’m out in our beautiful landscapes, I truly appreciate that we are in a precious part of the world that needs to be protected. And I’m always willing to pass-on this appreciation and information that I gain to others,” he said.
Mr Bayley also encouraged the students to consider careers in environmental science, highlighting how rewarding, fun and diverse this type of work can be – from venturing out to explore nature reserves, to taking part in community events such as the Blues for the Bush concert.
Luke Bayley gives presentation on Bush Heritage and Environmental Science.
The students heard first-hand about local cultural heritage from Aboriginal Elder Alan Eagan, who described how the landscape surrounding Morawa has changed throughout his lifetime.
Many of the students took a keen interest in this topic with some noting that they would like to visit local heritage sites to gain a better understanding of their significance.
“I really want to thank each of the presenters – Luke Bayley from Bush Heritage Australia, Botanist Jenny Borger, Leah Adams from Shire of Perenjori, Tim Doherty from Edith Cowan University and local Aboriginal Elder Alan Eagan – for helping make the day such a success,” said Ms Gilleland. “And thanks also to the Morawa District High School and the Western Australian College of Agriculture who contributed to the workshop.”
For more information about NACC’s Biodiversity Program, contact Jessica Stingemore at NACC, (P) 9938 0106 (E) jessica.stingemore@nacc.com.au.
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