Shane Crothers Homes' staff, customers and creditors still in the dark

Staff, contractors, and customers are still in the dark and wondering what to do as Shane Crothers Homes has still not entered into administration, despite Mr Shane Crothers telling staff, creditors and customers it was happening about 25 days ago. 

Mr Crothers also told customers that he had sold the business. Everything Geraldton has learned that this is not the case. 

A group of creditors who claim they are owed large sums of money have joined forces to try and make something happen, after still not being informed of who the administrator is. 

Below is a copy of original letter sent to customers around four weeks ago. It states that Shane Crothers Homes was to enter into Voluntary Administration immediatelyMr Crothers also told Everything Geraldton himself that Shane Crothers Homes Pty Ltd had entered into voluntary administration. 

Several staff from Shane Crothers Homes have contacted Everything Geraldton upset that they have not been paid money they are owed, have not been fired or let go officially, and have no idea what is going on. Apart from being owed holiday pay and entitlements, we were informed that some of the staff were still attending work until recently.

Multiple customers who were building homes through Shane Crothers Homes have also spoken with Everything Geraldton asking if anyone knew if the company had entered into administration yet, as they have been unable to move forward with insurance claims etc, and are just sitting in the dark. 

These are copies of emails sent to staff of Shane Crothers Homes over the last week or so, provided to Everything Geraldton by staff of Shane Crothers Homes. 

In one of the letters Mr Crothers blames a technical issue with the banks, lawyers and accountants for the delays.




Debbie Crothers contacted Everything Geraldton upset over a comment made on our website claiming they were "rubbing their hands together".

"It's all lies," she said. "It's just not true. We've lost everything. We even had to sell the boat to make sure everyone got paid."


What happened with the supposed sale?

We spoke with a local builder Mick Desmond, who told us he had been in discussions to take over the building of the homes through his company Norwest Building Group. "We were approached and asked if we would like to finish the houses off," Mr Desmond told us. "We said yes. I talked to some of the creditors and tried to get to the bottom of which trade did what on each home [in an attempt to be able to use them again on that home]."

Mr Desmond tells us the plan was for him to pay a sum of money into a trust account, which would then apparently be used by liquidators. In exchange Mr Desmond would then complete the building of the homes using tradies and contractors that were originally used on the homes. The contractors would not have received old monies they were owed, but the intention was to provide them work moving forward, according to Mr Desmond. 

Mr Desmond said he did not go through with the arrangement, and walked away from it last night. 

"I couldn't get to the bottom of how it's going to work. I couldn't get a guarantee of where the money would go," said Mick Desmond. "I met with Mr Crothers yesterday as part of doing due diligence," he said. Mr Desmond told us he wasn't satisfied with the state of the stocktakes he saw on the homes, and decided to walk away from the arrangement. 

"We're happy to still be involved in finishing the homes," said Mr Desmond. "However we've exhausted all opportunities through this avenue."

We asked Mr Desmond who it was that approached him to ask him if he wanted to finish building the homes, and were informed by him that it was representatives from a company called Hall Chadwick. 


Who is Hall Chadwick?

Hall Chadwick, according to their website, is a Chartered Accountant and Business Advisory firm with offices around Australia, including Perth. 

Everything Geraldton contacted them to ask questions regarding their involvement with Shane Crothers and Shane Crothers Homes, but they were not willing to talk. 

"We respectfully decline to make any comments in relation to Shane Crothers," was their response. 


Will people still get their homes built?

From the Department of Commerce for WA:

Residential building work contracts in Western Australia are governed by the Home Building Contracts Act 1991 (the Act). If residential building work valued over $20,000 is to be undertaken, the Act requires that a builder take out home indemnity insurance in the name of the owner before accepting payment or commencing work.
What is home indemnity insurance?
HII protects owners against financial loss if a builder cannot complete residential building work or meet a valid claim for faulty or unsatisfactory building work because of death, disappearance or insolvency.

Based on information provided by Dept of Commerce, it appears customers should be insured for exactly this kind of situation, and are able to have their homes completed if their builder becomes insolvent. The policy is in the name of the owner, not the builder.  

Click here to read more.


So what now?

We contacted Mr Shane Crothers this morning, who rang us back, but was not willing to make any comments at that time, other than that he was going to make a comment later this afternoon. 

We asked if it was true that the company still had not entered into administration, and were told a comment would be made later this afternoon. 

We asked if was true that Mr Crothers was leaving Geraldton, as per assertions made by creditors today. Again we were told a comment would be made this afternoon. 

We will update this article when Mr Crothers provides said comments. 

Update: Mr Crothers has sent the following statement

Our key priority throughout this process has been our clients. Our clients have been kept informed of our efforts to find another quality builder to facilitate a fast takeover of the unfinished jobs, avoiding delays related to the Home Indemnity Insurance system. 
This process has unfortunately taken a lot longer than we had anticipated due to negotiations with all parties involved and we regret the effect this has had on our clients, staff and creditors.
We will proceed with appointing a liquidator next week.

Isn't liquidation different to administration?

Yes. 

Read more here.


Mayor exercises discretionary powers for emergency works at St Georges

City of Greater Geraldton Mayor Shane Van Styn has exercised his discretionary powers under the Local Government Act to begin emergency works to mitigate erosion at St Georges Beach.

On Tuesday Mayor Van Styn approved immediate works which include the construction of a low level sandbag groyne and sand nourishment works.

Mayor Van Styn said it was with careful consultation with City staff that he decided to make the executive decision.

“I understand how rare it is to utilise this power but this is an extremely important issue that demanded immediate attention,” he said.

“Without me exercising my rights under the Local Government Act, this process could have potentially taken months which is time we just don’t have.

“We have very important community infrastructure at risk and that’s why I took immediate action.”

CEO Ken Diehm said the City asked the Mayor to consider the urgency of the matter and move this forward as erosion posed imminent threat to essential community infrastructure.

“We regularly review and monitor coastal erosion and it is vital we take the necessary steps to protect our essential community and public infrastructure,” Mr Diehm said.

“With damage that occurred over the weekend, we can see that the toilet block at Rundle Park and the road near St Georges Beach is under great threat.

“We have to act fast and look at our options, hence why the Mayor has used his discretionary powers to ensure an interim solution can be implemented before any further damage occurs.”

The City have engaged specialist consultants Royal HaskoningDHV to develop a foreshore protection scheme for St Georges Beach. A report from the company showed that erosion was the result of short period wind generated waves coinciding with high water levels.

The City are now working off Haskoning’s recommendation for a low-crested sandbag groyne and sand replenishment works.

“We believe the groyne will help to capture the sand that is getting washed away and it will give us more time to work on a long-term solution not just for St Georges but for the rest of our coast including Sunset Beach and Drummond Cove,” Mr Diehm said.

Whitehill Road in Drummond Cove has also been under scrutiny following damaging storms over the weekend.

Mayor Van Styn said the process being undertaken to combat erosion could not be rushed.

“We are not trying to jump the gun and we are going through all appropriate processes. A long term solution is something that cannot be rushed,” he said.

“Sand is moving from the south to the north and we are working with specialists on the Beresford Foreshore and are following the Department of Planning’s coastal hazard risk management and adaptation planning guidelines (CHRMAP) process.

“We know this is a sensitive issue and we have engaged with the community to ensure we get the best outcome for our residents.”

Works at St Georges Beach are estimated to cost $650,000 and there is money in the 2015/16 budget to undertake the project.

The groyne and sand works will begin in the coming weeks and may take up to two weeks for completion.

Traffic management will be in place during this time. Motorists and pedestrians are advised to exercise caution and obey all warning signs and direction from authorised City personnel and contractors.

Mums and Downsizing Corporates Reap Coworking Benefits

Members of purpose coach Fleur Porter’s Incubators program at work in Pollinators’ coworking spaces. Pictured are Kym Duncan, Kate Tonkin, Fleur Porter, Carolyn Correll and Clara Harris.

Work-from-home mums and downsizing companies in Geraldton are reaping the benefits of coworking as a way of escaping the home office and adjusting to a downsizing economy.

Pollinators, which offers the state’s leading regional coworking premise, is experiencing an increase in interest from both sectors as they adjust to personal needs and economic fluctuations.

Pollinators Space Lead Angie West said coworking offered the idea blend of social interaction and professional work space that mums who usually worked from home were seeking.

“Working from home is great but there are times when we yearn for the opportunity to network, to work from a professional space, and to bring clients to corporate meeting rooms,” she said.

“It’s amazing the kind of magic that can happen when like-minded people come together and meet while making a coffee in the coworking kitchen – it’s what’s known as the watercooler effect.”

Mrs West said coworking was also proving an attractive alternative to companies downsizing in response to changing economic times.

“It means these companies can maintain a professional office space and essential services such as a boardroom and meeting spaces without the overheads of having their own premises,” she said.

“And of course there are the benefits in reducing overheads by using a shared office space.”

The graduates of Geraldton Purpose Coach Fleur Porter’s eight-week ‘Incubators’ program meet in the coworking spaces monthly to support, encourage and inspire each other.

"We're all solo business people who are working on our own so it's great to be able to come together for that feeling of community and to encourage and support each other," Ms Porter said.

"I formed the Incubators graduate group to have that sense of tribe or community so coworking provides a way for the people working locally to extend that and get together."

The coworking trend in Geraldton is part of an international movement towards coworking, with the number of coworking spaces increasing by 36 per cent worldwide, according to the Coworking Europe Conference in Milan.

The conference survey found there are around half a million people working in coworking spaces across the globe. 

ACDC joins CreativeHub

ACDC Chairman Brendan Penzer, committee members Lizzy Robinson and Peter Howard, Pollinators Chairman Paul Dyer, Pollinators Space Lead Angie West and Pollinators Board Member Natasha Colliver.

Pollinators’ new CreativeHub premises is transforming into the vibrant, multipurpose creative space that Pollinators have planned for, with the Arts and Cultural Development Council (ACDC) the latest venture to move into the West End CreativeHub premises at 189 Marine Tce.

The ACDC move marks a major transformation for the region’s peak arts organisation, which is not only moving premises but also revamping the range of services it offers to the Mid West arts community.

ACDC Chairman Brendan Penzer said the move marked exciting times for the organisation.

“The move to CreativeHub will mean we’re part of this really exciting creative space,” Mr Penzer said.

“We’ll have a dynamic and flexible new exhibition and workshop space, and we’ll be around fellow creatives, who also use CreativeHub.

“We’re going through a period of real renewal and this move is one part of our transformation.

“It’s exciting times here at ACDC and we can’t wait to really revitalise the arts community from this new venue.”

Pollinators Space Lead Angie West said the ACDC move to CreativeHub married perfectly with Pollinators’ vision of offering a collaborative space for makers and creators to co-locate in a maker space.

“ACDC joins The Comedy Emporium and Headspace Geraldton as arts and youth services working from the same venue,” Mrs West said.

“We’ve also got plans for the entire top floor of the CreativeHub building located next door to be transformed into a ‘MakerSpace’ for smaller-scale creative ventures that will be able to link in with ACDC for exhibition space and workshops in the future.

“With the gorgeous artwork on the front of the building, and these exciting creative ventures inside, there’s a real sense of vibrancy, innovation and excitement – which is exactly what Pollinators had hoped for. 

"Watch this space for more developments at the CreativeHub.” The CreativeHub is supported by Panaceum Group and St John of God Hospital. ACDC is funded by the City of Greater Geraldton and Country Arts WA.

It's Geraldton

Nationals WA Member of Parliament and candidate for the seat of Geraldton Paul Brown MP, is thrilled with the announcement that Geraldton has been chosen as the home of Central Regional TAFE.

“Following the recent TAFE Reform announcements, there was a great deal of fear and uncertainty in the Geraldton community around the future of the former Durack Institute of Technology,” Mr Brown said.

“I lobbied extensively in Parliament and out in the community for Geraldton to be the home of Central Regional TAFE and am thrilled with today’s announcement.”

“Geraldton’s former Durack Institute of Technology is an award winning institute that features prominently year after year at the Australian Training Awards at National and State levels. It is fitting and a sensible decision that Geraldton has been chosen as the site of Central

Regional TAFE. It is a testament to the highly experienced and valuable educators, both past and present who have worked hard for this acknowledgement.” Mr Brown said.

The decision to base Central TAFE in Geraldton follows the recent announcement of former Durack Institute of Technology Managing Director Bill Swetman as the interim Managing Director of the Central Region TAFE.

TAFE reform has seen the amalgamation of the eleven TAFE colleges and their 70 campuses,many located throughout regional WA, to a network of five TAFE colleges. These five TAFE colleges have two TAFE colleges located in the Perth metropolitan area, and three TAFE colleges in regional WA. Regional TAFE colleges have be amalgamated under Northern Regional TAFE, Central Regional TAFE and South Regional TAFE.

TAFE campuses located in Exmouth, Carnarvon, Wiluna, Kalgoorlie, Merredin, Northam,Moora and Geraldton have come under the management of Central Regional TAFE.

The Geraldton campus will be the primary location for the college’s Managing Director Bill Swetman and the main administration centre. Additional executive staff will be situated across the other regional campuses to maintain a strong staff presence at these locations.

Coastal voices uniting in Geraldton

Sorting through beach wrack on Geraldton's coast.

Geraldton beach lovers are being called on to express their interest in joining a Geraldton-wide coastcare group.

The Northern Agricultural Catchments Council (NACC) is seeking to facilitate the establishment of the new group as well as bring together the number of dedicated coastcare groups already working on different sections of the Geraldton coastline, such as Drummonds Cove, Sunset Beach, Bluff Point and Point Moore.

The aim of this project is to establish a new umbrella coast care group across Geraldton that includes representatives from the existing groups and focuses on coastal issues that affect the entire Geraldton coast.

Geraldton’s coast is not only an important recreational asset for the community but it is also a very important ecosystem that requires community protection.

NACC Coastal and Marine Program Coordinator Dr Mic Payne said: “Most Geraldton residents feel a strong connection to their coast; it helps define our community and is a place where we go to relax.This new group will give local residents the capacity to become directly involved in managing this precious asset.”

Projects that the new group might undertake to help protect this environment include revegetating degraded dunes, managing pedestrian and off-road vehicle impacts, various community monitoring projects, controlling invasive weed species such as African Boxthorn and liaising with authorities on coastal erosion issues.

Dr Mic Payne said the group would provide more support for those wanting to volunteer their time in protecting the Geraldton coastline.

“Many local Coastcare groups are feeling the pressure of increasing impacts on coastal ecosystem whilst experiencing decreased Coastcare group membership. I hope that a broad membership base for this new group will help spread the workload and allow for frequent turn-over of office bearers to avoid burn-out,” he said.

The project is supported by the NACC and the City of Greater Geraldton, through funding from the the Department of Planning’s Coastwest Grants Program and the Australian Governments National Landcare Programme.

The inaugural meeting of the new group is planned for June this year.

iTunes tax payment scam

In the latest version of the phone scammers pretending to be the ATO, you will be asked to pay a tax debt via iTunes cards.

WA ScamNet has a copy of a similar voice message used in a previous scam. 

On 6 May 2016 a 52-year-old Mandurah woman reported to Consumer Protection that she had bought about $7,000 worth of iTunes cards to pay phone scammers. 

On 9 May 2016 a Melbourne grandmother told 9NEWS a similar story after losing $5000 on iTunes gift cards.

From time to time the ATO may contact you by phone, but you should be wary of unsolicited phone calls claiming to be from the ATO and offering you a tax refund or aggressively demanding a payment.

Our advice hang up or ignore the message. Do not call these scammers back. 

If you are unsure, contact the ATO directly on 1800 008 540.

More information and advice about this scam is available on WA ScamNet.

Budding Filmmakers in Action

Kids at Leaning Tree learn the art of filmmaking as part of the Scinapse’s SciFilms workshops.

Budding filmmakers have their creations on YouTube after learning the art of filmmaking at Scinapse's SciFilm workshops on April 29 and 30.

A group of students at Learning Tree school, and a group of adults at Pollinators’ CityHive, learned how to use their mobile devices to capture three-minute science-related stories, then edit them and prepare them for the big screen.

The top 15 shortlisted films from across the state will be screened on cinemas as part of Inspiring Australia's SciFilms competition, run in partnership with Film Harvest. Audiences will then vote live for their favourite.

Cash prizes will be presented for Judge's Choice and People's Choice.

You can view their creations on YouTube at https://youtu.be/kJVcb7KKWhc.

Scinapse chairperson Emma Jackson said the workshops were a fun and hands on way to learn how to tell a

science story, and share that in a visually interesting way to others.

She said the kids at Leaning Tree were particularly interested in learning the techniques of filmmaking using the simple story of washing hands.

"We got some great feedback, especially from the kids who got right into the subject - they couldn't believe that 95 percent of people don't wash their hands properly," Ms Jackson said.

Filmmakers can still submit three-minute films for the competition, with entries closing on July 22.

For more information on the SciFilm competition, visit the website www.scifilm.com.au.

200kg of meth seized following seizure of suspicious boat in Geraldton

Police will be holding a press conference later today in Perth regarding drug seizures related to the suspicious boat that came into Geraldton earlier this month.

It's being reported by ABC that up to 200kg of meth has been seized from an international drug syndicate following raids on homes in Perth on Saturday, in connection with the men arrested.

Details of the case and those charged has been suppressed by the courts up to now.

Around midday on 2 May 2016, some Everything Geraldton readers spotted the suspicious boat in Geraldton's port, and a number of men, pictured below, who according to onlookers "appeared foreign" were seen being questioned by authorities, before being taken away.

Police later confirmed 8 Chinese men with no entry visas for Australia had been arrested and placed in immigration detention, but would not comment on their investigations. 

The boat remained in Geraldton's port for several days while it was searched and contents from the boat removed.  

The suspicious boat

The men who were arrested  

The boat that took the men away  

Turn It Up Dancewear - Store Wide Sale SATURDAY 28 MAY 2016

If your wish list is bigger than your budget, then get down to Turn It Up Dancewear on 18 Anzac Terrace between 9.00am to 1.00pm thisSaturday 28 May for their Storewide with up to 50% off.

Turn It Up Dancewear also have a great range of dancewear, active wear, dance shoes, gymnastics equipment, make up, and accessories. Turn It Up are the proud stockist for a range of great brands.

Owner Roshelle is always looking into ways to offer additional services to our local dancers in Geraldton. Most recently Roshelle met with Bloch representatives in Perth to bring back to Geraldton a range of limited edition dancewear, and had some product training and over the coming weeks Turn It Up Dancewear will be receiving Pointe shoe training. This will allow in the future for local ballet dancers to be able to be fitted locally and assist those students not having to make an 800k round trip to Perth.


 

Finding meaning through helping others - Letter to the editor

Hi Everything Geraldton,

I have recently moved back to Geraldton after leaving the South West. Upon arrival I sourced help through Center Care for my depression and anxiety. After my final visit and finding myself ready to take some action towards improving my health I inquired into some volunteer organizations. Fortunately for me a voice from behind me piped up a said "Hi my name is Simone (Simone Mahoney) and I run midnight basketball." Simone also manages PCYC in Geraldton. Unfortunately Midnight basketball didn't start for another 6 months.

Like a good fishermen Simone dragged me into her net of fabulous volunteers at PCYC, where I have been able to give back to the community that I once called home. Under the guidance of Simone PCYC is getting busier than ever, hence this cry for help.

The volunteers at PCYC are an amazing mix of people and the array of positions are many. Fortunately the growing workload opens doors for others.

I would love for the people of Geraldton to realise that their community has a treasure in the PCYC and all it has to offer, but organisations like this can't function without the help of its community, and volunteers are a rare commodity.

People of Geraldton, if you feel like making a difference in the community then I can highly recommend being a volunteer at PCYC. Changing the world starts with our youth. So I'm encouraging anyone out there that needs to find some direction in their lives or just has time that could be used in a productive fashion to get in touch with PCYC and get involved with some of the fun and rewarding programs that they have to offer. There are no age requirements, just a desire to have fun and help others is all that's needed.

- Shane Williams

20%-70% off Frames and Sunglasses at Specs 2-4-1

Between now and the end of June, Specs 2-4-1 are having a massive 20-70% off sale on selected frames and sunglasses.

Specs 2-4-1 have a great range of frames to choose from and with brands such as these being available during the sale it will be difficult to pick just one pair.

Come in and see their friendly staff at 132 Marine Tce for details and to have a look at their available range, or call 9964 8922 to make an appointment for a bulk billed eye test so you can have the sharpest vision in the latest fashions at a great price.


 

Port levy scrapped after it generated double what it was intended for initially

Not sure who does the accounting for the state government. But a levy at Geraldton's port that was put in place to repay a $107 million loan in 2003, actually generated $210 million, and only reduced the loan by $40 million. 

The government has decided the debt is to be cleared and the levy scrapped, following letters from Nationals member MLC Paul Brown. 

Not everyone is happy with the levy being scrapped though. 

Click here to read full story. 

 

ABC: Farm Fish Harvest in Geraldton

A great short video from ABC Mid West, on Yellowtail Kingfish being bred in Geraldton. 

Midwest aquaculture trial harvest: Thousands of Yellow Tail Kingfish ready to hit the Australian market Fifteen thousand fat and healthy Yellow Tail Kingfish currently swim in Geraldton's Champion Bay waiting to be delivered to a local restaurant and markets in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Indian Ocean Fresh Australia have been working with the Mid West Development Commission to determine if it is commercially viable to farm fish in the pristine waters off Geraldton's coast.

These amazing local girls need our help with their volunteer work

Hi everyone!

Our names are Anna and Isabelle and we’re 15 and 16 years old from Geraldton. Earlier this year we got together to plan a volunteer trip to Ayutthaya, Thailand in September this year. We’re working with an organisation called IFRE who run incredible volunteer programs to help people in need all over the world, in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The company is based in Dallas, Texas and have been working closely with us to organise our trip. They do amazing things for disadvantaged people, and through volunteering with them later this year we will help them to carry out their mission in continuing to make the world a better place. 

IFRE offer many programs in Thailand, but we have chosen to take part in the Early Childcare and Learning Centre program which is run in the ancient city of Ayutthaya, about 90 kilometres from Thailand’s capital Bangkok. This program provides for children from the age of 2 years who attend a volunteer day care centre to enable their parents to go to work and earn the money needed to provide for their family. The goal of the program is to provide care and education for these disadvantaged children in order to lift them out of the poverty cycle so that they can embrace positive opportunities in the future. 

While in Thailand, we will work alongside other volunteers from all over the world to provide fun and educational activities for the children such as basic English and counting classes, music, art and dancing. The centre also focuses on giving the children valuable life skills which are needed to become independent contributing members of society, such as gardening, cleaning, healthy cooking, computing, basic building and repair skills and education about hygiene and personal health. We believe that this program will have an enormous impact on the quality of life for these impoverished children, and we hope to be able to contribute our timed effort towards continuing this mission. 

We have organised several fundraising events which have slowly but surely allowed us to raise the funds that we need to take part in this program. Volunteering is an expensive exercise, and we have made a realistic fundraising goal of $4000 which will enable us both to travel to Ayutthaya and participate in the program. This money would contribute towards paying for flights to Bangkok, the program fees and a donation to the centre. Any money raised above this goal would be donated to the centre so it can continue to provide fantastic opportunities for the children. 

Our previous fundraising efforts include holding a stall at the Geraldton Railway Markets and creating a crowd funding page through the website gofundme.com, both of which proved effective methods of fundraising and kickstarted our journey. However, we still fall considerably short of our final goal and our deadline is quickly approaching. We are in the process of organising several other fundraising opportunities through personal communities which we would invite the wider community of Geraldton to get involved in to support us in our endeavour to help the children. 

We would like to invite anyone who is willing to support our journey through donating to our GoFundMe pages. The system is super easy to use and we can guarantee that the money would go towards an incredible cause. Any donation, no matter how big or small would be so greatly appreciated and so please consider helping us out. Our pages are linked at the bottom of the article, as well as our contact details so please feel free go and have a look or contact either one of us if you have any questions at all about our trip! 

Thank you so much for taking the time to read about our volunteer mission, and we hope to hear from you soon!

 

Kind Regards and many thanks, 

Anna Wilson and Isabelle Laurent


READ UP ABOUT IFRE

About IFRE:
http://www.ifrevolunteers.org/aboutus.php

Thailand Projects:
http://www.ifrevolunteers.org/thailand/volunteer_in_thailand.php

Ayutthaya Childcare Development Project:
http://www.ifrevolunteers.org/thailand/work_disadvantaged_child.php

 

CONTACT US

Isabelle’s GoFundMe:
https://www.gofundme.com/isathailandfund

Anna’s GoFundMe:
https://www.gofundme.com/annathailandfund

 

Phone:
Isabelle: 0439 260 766
Anna: 0439 910 380

 

Email:
Isabelle: isabelle.laurent999@gmail.com
Anna: anmayw@gmail.com

Attorney General contacts the Prisoner Review Board regarding Greenough Axe Murderer

Geraldton MLA Ian Blayney has welcomed news that the Attorney General has sent forward his correspondence regarding the sentence review of Greenough Axe Murderer, William Patrick Mitchell, to the Prisoners Review Board.

“I am very pleased that the Attorney General has responded to my letter and to the petition I presented to the Legislative Assembly – which contained 3000 signatures – this way.

“By bringing it to the attention of the Board he is ensuring that they give consideration to the concern of the Geraldton community, when they review Mr Mitchell’s sentence.

“It is my hope that the Board also take into consideration the initial sentencing of Mr Mitchell and that decision that he should never be released from prison,” said Mr Blayney.

Letter to editor: Mudnutz Event, "I have requested a refund on 3 occasions"

Letter to the editor:

I recently bought and paid for 2 tickets to attend the 2016 Mudnutz event at Murchison Off road Adventures.( 23/4/2016 - 25/4/2016 )

I paid for 2 tickets @ $99.00 each to attend 3 days of events and 2 nights camping.
On Saturday 23/4/2016 at 0830 am we were informed by social media that the event had been cancelled entirely as there had been a direction from Dept of C.A.L.M (conservation and land management) that the proponents had no permission to hold the event.

The proponents of the event declare that they have sole discretion over the event and absolutely no REFUNDS will be given.
I believe as I have received no goods or services for my outlay that I have been mislead and cheated.
To call off the event after many were already at the site any many more still travelling to the site requires further investigation.

I have requested a refund on 3 occasions and have yet to receive a reply. The matter is now with the Dept of Consumer Affairs.

Did the proponents ever have permission to hold the event?
400-500 people at $99.00 per head for an event that never happened and a service that wasn't provided requires further investigation.

I am interested in your thoughts and the thoughts of other readers or others who were caught up in this debacle.

- Kevin Starling

 

Editor's note: Since sending this letter, the author has also tried ringing Murchison Off-road Adventures on the phone number listed on their website, which does not connect. 

Update: Following the publishing of Mr Starling's letter above, the owners of MOA contacted EG and strongly asserted that Mr Starling was lying. We have viewed copies of the emails he has sent, and also personally tried to ring the phone number provided by MOA. We believe Mr Starling is not lying, and has in good faith followed the steps provided by MOA several times to attempt to get a refund. 

Perth Wildcats are coming to Gero

The Perth Wildcats are taking their Regional Trophy Tour to Geraldton next month!

Championship players Greg Hire, Jesse Wagstaff, Matt Knight, Shawn Redhage and Corban Wroe plus assistant coach Jamie O’Loughlan will be making the trip to the Mid West.

The group will be hitting Indian Ocean Drive with all seven of the club’s championship trophies in tow and visiting 11 primary and high schools over the three-day tour.

The Wildcats will also visit Midnight Basketball where they’ll meet with young players from the region.

They will also hold FOUR different coaching clinics with the players, allowing kids of all ages the unique chance to improve their skills and have a lot of fun.

The clinics will be held at Activewest Stadium after school on Thursday 30 June and Friday 1 July. There will be two more clinics on Saturday 2 July.

You can find out more information and register for the clinics NOW by clicking here.

All seven Perth Wildcats Championship Trophies will be on display at each clinic!

Everyone who signs up for a clinic will become a Perth Wildcats member and receive a free gift pack.

The Geraldton tour begins Thursday 30 June and runs till Saturday 2 July.