News Flash! We made it!

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WE MADE THE FINALS !!!!!

Midwest Charity Begins at Home have just been announced as a FINALIST in the 2016 Telstra Business Awards in WA. The new category of 'Charity' is designed to recognise the significant contribution of not-for-profit organisations to not only Australian communities but the economy as well.

We are absolutely thrilled to stand with Cystic Fibrosis Western Australia, Telethon Adventurers and the Motor Neurone Disease Association of WA as 2016 WA FINALISTS.

We would like to once again THANK everyone who has supported us and had belief in what we do. You really do mean the world to us x.

Letter to Editor: Your opinion wanted on proposed public amenities at the HMAS Sydney II Memorial

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We would like to get the public’s opinion on the Proposed public amenities at the HMAS Sydney II Memorial as designed by the designers Joan Walsh-Smith and Charles Smith of Smith Sculptors.

The HMAS Sydney II Memorial is now recognised around the world and is in the top 1% of places to visit on Trip Advisor.

The Rotary Club of Geraldton is seeking support for this much needed project on behalf of the community and the 40,000 plus visitors of the site annually.

The Rotary Club of Geraldton

Aerial overview of proposed building

Bridge of the ship layout

Bridge of the ship layout

Bridge of the ship

Contemplation area

Front of building

Plan of layout of HMAS II Memorial

Letter to the editor: Use the power of your vote.

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This is an invitation to my fellow Durack electors to use the power of their votes to effect change. I believe that the current incumbent, Melissa Price, should be voted out from office. Her advocacy of Geraldton as a trial site for the cashless welfare card and disinclination to publicly justify her reasons for this marks her out as unsuitable for the office she holds. I invite Liberal and other conservative party voters to switch to the Nationals candidate, Lisa Cole. She would still be a government backbencher and at least comes from a party with a country identity. I ask Labor and Greens voters to put her as their second preference. Between us we can make Durack truly Price-less.

Mark Gilligan

Letter to Editor: Our jobs going to cheap overseas workers

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A bit of information for Tradesmen out there who may be finding it a bit tough at the moment.
Are you aware that our Australian Government is actively seeking foreign workers to do YOUR job-STILL?
Linked here is the Skilled Occupation List, issued May 2016.
https://www.border.gov.au/Trav/Work/Work/Skills-assessment-and-assessing-authorities/skilled-occupations-lists/SOL
On this list you will find
Electrician
Carpenter
Roof plumber
Fitter Turner
Brick layer
Cabinet maker
Shipwright
Tiler
Plasterer
Glazier
Panelbeater
Locksmith
Ships Office
Ships Engineer
Registered Nurse

How did I come across this?
Someone posted a link on Facebook to an Indian website showing it with hundreds of enquiries from people who will in all likelihood, do your job (and mine) for a pittance.
I thought it was a joke, until I searched it up on the Immigration and Border Protection website.
Perhaps you need to write to your local member Melissa Price here
http://melissapricemp.com.au/Contact-Melissa
and ask why, and what she is going to do about this if anything?
Or are you just going to sit on your ass complaining, and do nothing?
Apathy will kill your job, and mine.
You have about a month to do something, to find out where your local member stands, and find out what they are actually going to do.
Just write who you are, what you do and your work situation and ask why foreigners are being sought to take your job.
Doesnt need to be War and Peace.

- Rob. 

This woman's Spalding house has been destroyed by neighbouring vandals

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What follows is a letter sent to several government bodies and departments by a home owner at her wits' end. Natalie's home in Spalding has been damaged extensively, and as you will read, she has become caught between a rock and a hard place.  

We have included responses sent to Natalie as provided. 

We have also spoken to Natalie in person, and she tells us that despite the responses from various departments, she's still without a clue as to what to do, and has been advised personally by many of the officials she spoke with that there is no point in fixing the property as it will likely be damaged again. 

There is also a letter from another home owner on Strickland Street to the Housing Authority regarding one of their properties. 

I am writing to you all about my property at 70 Strickland Street Spalding, Geraldton. I bought this house off dad after my nanna died in approx. 2000. It is the only home I have ever had – will have.

It has been rented out mostly as I had to move from Geraldton for work. It was a great little house, great little suburb. 

Now it is overrun by ferals. It is now the Bronx of Gero, is it not? 

The DoHW built units next door. It was okay for the few first years. The units were promoted as accommodation for the elderly, given they a 1-2 bedrooms, 'we will choose good tenants, it will all be okay' the residents of the area where told. 

Things have changed. My last tenant at 70 Strickland had been there for about 2-3 years. Beginning of 2015 the tenant did not renew her lease due to the anti-social behaviour by the tenants living [in the] units and ‘gangs’ of feral youth, children and adults who move in and out of these units and across the suburb of Spalding. 

After the property had been vacated on the 08/04/15 I advised by my real estate agent (who had taken a potential tenant to view the place) that the house had been vandalised. I mean totally ruined. Stole the air con, smashed window, ripped out the light fittings, ripped out the blinds, holes in the walls, front door removed now missing, fence pushed over, they stole the rain water tank for Christ sakes. $10,000 worth of damage not to mention the loss of rent …..and this was just the start.

Got the house up to speed. Nearly ready to be rented gain – not that I am confident someone will rent it as its now in the middle of a war zone. 18th June – more damage, broken windows, entry screen door busted, more light fittings pulled out.

End of June 2015 they have now stolen the fake security alarms, ripped out and damaged all the new security screens, broken more windows. More damaged walls and fittings. The house is now boarded up and the graffiti is out of control. Started to get it fixed…again. (oh yes another report to useless police).

August 2015 – more damage lighting has been pulled out, bedroom walls and window frames kicked out, lots of wiring damage, cloth lines vandalized. They are making holes in the roof – this is letting moisture in! It’s just not stopping, no sooner than it gets fixed it’s another thing. Christ they are ripping through boarded up windows, they are ripping out security screens. 

12th august 2015 the real estate [agent] said they did not want to manage the property anymore – too much work, too hard. I am reeling, I am actually physically sick and come Christmas time I am despairing as to what I am going to do. I am now working just to keep my head above water to pay my mortgage and deal with the costs of repairs that insurance will not cover, the insurance excess. 

This was always going to be the home where I retired to, where I would die. Wondered if maybe I could build out the back. Mum needs somewhere to live, she is getting on in years. It’s not much, but I am a single middle age woman with little future prospects. But I just don’t know how this is ever going to happen now. I keep breathing and keep going.  The work is done again. 

I need a tenant in there to make the house more secure, but no real estate wants to manage the property. Regardless of the ongoing work the place is looking very sad and sorry. I can’t get a tenant until this stuff stops. It won’t stop until I get a tenant who can defend the house and themselves (as if they should have to). It is a vicious circle.

By the end of the year 2015 I am paralyzed numb and words cannot convey how distressed I am. Every email and phone call makes me want to vomit. I need to get the house up to speed again. I am desperately trying to find work in Gero just so I can go live in the house and try to do something about this even if I am at physical risk. But there is no work in Geraldton – I am stuck here working to try to pay the costs.

22/01/16 informed again the house had been trashed, that this time the damage is the worst it has ever been bad. All that repair work is meaningless….again. They even pulled out the plumbing and electrical power box. What hope have I got of any protection for my sad trashed little house. I feel so let down by the Geraldton authorities. This year insurance company very nearly declined to renew my insurance.

I note in March 2016 that the police are dealing with riots in Spalding.  The local gossip is that the police are even scared of the ferals. People report that they are living next door, across the road from drug dealers, the area is out of control.

The house and its surroundings is trashed with syringes all the garden and house which is now the new injecting room in Gero. When confronted they just walk next door into the units.

Residents in the area and the street are saying they can’t say or won’t report or do anything as they are too fearful of retribution. I cant ‘substantiate’ as I am not there – there is no one in the house to ‘substantiate’. What is even the point of reporting.

Police and DoHW shrug it off, say yeh its all too bad but they can’t do anything without evidence. Get the evidence, press charges, prosecute then they can help. Right – how the hell do I do that?  And I can guarantee the court will not take into account the history of my vandalised house for the fist offender charged. No one will ever be made accountable for the house.

I have worked in the NFP sector for the past 20 years. Do not talk to me about support programs, community responses, counseling, for these people. Do not talk to me about how disadvantaged these people are. Do not talk to me about the fact that “it’s just a few bad people’, most are good. I do not care anymore. Never again, will I work with these people, helping to build families,  support them to work through their grief, try to keep them out of prison, help in any way I can, work on their drug use, their perpetration of violence and sex abuse, their apathy and their dismal lives. 

I am not a violent person but all I want to do is make them feel the hurt I feel. Even though I know that this is illogical and wrong. What sort of person am I turning into?

And of course it has not stopped. In March 2016 there was more damage – to the floors, and someone has thrown plaster around. 

And of course and then there is more…….now to top it offthey have actually put a hole through the brick wall ….and done more damage. I am so scared – this hole in the ceiling is bad structural damage. Winter is coming.

A fence is not going to stop this. Security alarms are not going to stop this. Security screens are not going to stop this. Repairing the house is not going to stop this. Nothing is going to stop this.  I have had no choice but to stop all actions to affect repairs and make the house safe and livable. I have no choice but to do what I am doing now – writing to you.

Please can someone tell me what to do. The house is now so unsafe. What happens when the council tells me I have to pull it down or I have to do something about the state of the house? What do I tell them? What can I do? I have a mortgage for house that effectively does not exist. I am so trapped. Why do I have to have my human rights breached like this? 

I challenge you to go have a look at the house. Do not judge me for being a bad homeowner – look at it and realize who is responsible for this. I challenge you to go do this when the ferals are roaming the streets.  

This is not just me. Have a look at the house next door at 68 Strickland – it’s pretty much going down the same way. 

God knows who the ferals are. Some are living next door in the DoHW units. Some are ‘visiting’ people in the units. Some of them are just roaming in packs across Spalding and Gero,

I would like you to ask the DOHW (Housing Authority)

  • What have they done [if] anything over the past 2 years to manage their tenants?
  • How many people are living in the units?
  • Where are the dynamic and static security measures they have put in place that can monitor what is going on at the units and the surrounding homes that are been attacked and violated
  • How residents can and should make complaints – regardless of your more “streamlined complaints” mechanisms, when they live literally in fear of doing so?
  • How can incidents of disruptive behaviour be “substantiated” as dangerous when there is no one person who is holding residents by the hand to make reports as they are too fearful to do so?
  • Do I have to go on the dole, move to Geraldton, live in a house that would be considered unfit for human accommodation,  but risk my physical and safety of my property to “substantiated”, get evidence, prosecute and lay charges?
  • How do I identify individuals and a group of feral and rabid drug users when I am stuck here in Kalgoorlie unable to relocate because I have to spend the majority of my wages on paying a mortgage for a house that I can’t rent out and have to deal with the constant vandalism?
  • How are you adhering to the Residential Tenancies Act 1987 so Members of can be entitled to the quiet enjoyment of their own homes?
  • What level of case management is given to the residents of the units?

 

I would like you to ask the Police

  • What are they doing to in terms of investigating and responding to the break-ins and damage at 70 Strickland street over the course of the year?
  • How many times have undertaken forensic procedures at 70 Strickland street?
  • What are they doing to in terms of investigating and responding to the drug use not only at 70 Strickland but also at the DoHW units and in the suburb generally?
  • What have they done about the stolen motorbikes and other items that have been left at 70 Strickland and in the surrounding area?
  • What have done about the anti-social behaviour in the area?
  • On what level do the police think it is appropriate to tell me there is nothing the police service can do? That the community needs to respond (and be responsible) when the majority of the ‘community’ are the perpetrators and offenders, and the rest of the community are the victims who live in fear of retribution, who have no capacity, interpersonal or legal power and authority to effect change?
  • If telling homeowners that there is nothing they can do and to sell their homes is useful, proactive or practical given I could not give away the land, the house is trashed and if someone were going to purchase I would have to sell at a loss and still owe the bank?

Can you please ask the City of Geraldton

  • What is the council’s response to this matter, how they view and do they care about the fact that Spalding / Strickland street has become essentially war zone?
  • Why I / homeowners in the areas should pay rates for the privilege of been abused and victimised?
  • Why the council does not recognise that not addressing such issues does not in any way assist with falling property prices, that people increasingly need to move out, and will not move into the area this situation only reinforces bad reputations, and increases the stress already existing upon a economically depressed city?
  • What breaches of local government by-laws have been activated by this situation and what are they doing about them?

What is going to give here?

 My name is Natalie

Response from Ian Blayney's office:

Dear Natalie,

Ian has just been contacted by Minister Harvey’s office to advise that the Minister has personally responded to you, following his representation on your behalf.

He hopes the Minister has addressed your concerns and that the strategies being put in place go some way to resolving the problems you are having. However, he also hopes that if these fail that you will contact him to advise.

Ian has asked me to thank you for bringing this matter to his attention. Please don’t hesitate to contact his office for any further assistance.

Kind regards

Isabelle Scott
Electorate Officer to:
Ian Blayney MLA
Member for Geraldton
Shop 2, 5 Chapman Road
GeraldtonWA6530
Tel: 08 9964 1640
Fax: 08 9964 2982
Email: Isabelle.scott@mp.wa.gov.au

Response from Mayor

Good afternoon Ms XXXX

Your personal circumstances have been discussed with the Police at my regular meetings as well as with local members of Parliament. As a City we can only take action to remedy graffiti and damage to City property. On a more macro level we are working with Police to develop strategies to reduce youth crime and antisocial behaviour including the recruitment of a youth crime prevention officer, who it is hoped can target the known trouble causers and divert them to more positive activities.

Regards 

Mayor Shane Van Styn FCP

 

Further update from Natalie:

I spoke to the ranger at the council this week who suggested that that the report speaking to the above strategies in the council's domain will at a minimum take 6-7 mths to budget and/or implement. Mostly likely years to see any result. I heard that from her that they are also looking at using prison programs to assist in matters such as graffiti clean-up given the council states it is unable to assist with private landowners. I don’t feel that the time frame will assist. Given I have also worked with prisoner re-entry I am also uncertain how they are going to fund and get this program off the ground. This is all nice in theory. 

I know this is not about ME – they don’t know me – I am sure that if they did they might care. I would be more than willing to speak to the perpetrators and provide a victim impact statement – if they gave a shit - something they cannot do because they are so emotionally scared from their own abuse they do not have the capacity to empathise. 

Anyway...

Verbally both the police and the council staff are expressing deepest sympathy but also strongly recommending that I do not undertake any form of repair as they feel it will just be trashed again. I have not asked, yet feel that getting this in writing would not occur.

I need to stress that there is so much kindness out there – people are horrified and appreciative of the issue.

However also some relief that it is not them.

I have not heard back from the MP’s other than the whatever email from Ian. I have never had any feedback from DoHW.

Dear Ms XXXX

Please find attached response on behalf of Minister Harvey MLA in regard to your correspondence.

Yours sincerely,

Office of the Deputy Premier; Minister for Police; Road Safety; Training and Workforce Development; Women’s Interests 11th Floor, Dumas House, 2 Havelock Street, West Perth, WA 6005

T: (08) 6552 5900 | F: (08) 6552 5901

minister.harvey@dpc.wa.gov.au | www.premier.wa.gov.au

Response by Natalie to Liza Harvey

Dear Liza Harvey

Thank you for the written reply from your office about the damage to my property at 70 Spalding Street (as attached).

It is appropriate that a response to the anti-social behaviour in Spalding is now been considered. 

Yes, I was “appreciative of the information provided” by Senior Sergeant Bird and his contact. 

However, no matter the genuine sympathy expressed the situation is still what it is – dire.

Given: 

1. The strategies proposed, particularly any beautification of the suburb and other community based responses are going to take time, that is months to implement, 

2. Such strategies will not necessarily equate to an immediate and/or future cessation of the problem, 

3. None of the strategies mention specifically assist in my resolving the problem at 70 Strickland,

4. None of the proposed actions alleviates the fact that I am still living in fear every day, still sick to the stomach with worry over this problem.

As my house is not CGG property I take it to presume that the:

· “Graffiti on CGG property is to be treated as a priority task and removed immediately” – will not apply to my home?

· “Deployment of maintenance crews to immediately repair any damage to city infrastructure and property” – will not apply to my home?

Clearly while paying the mortgage, water rates, land rates, insurance and the other cost associated with the house I am still left with the need to have some sort of resolution to my immediate problem of addressing the vandalisation of the home.

1. Even if I had sufficient funds to repair the current damage what sort of assistance or guarantees is there that the house will be safe from further damage?

2. Even if I managed to get it repaired where am I going to find a real estate agent willing to manage the property ?

3. Even if both of these issues are addressed how am I going to find a tenant who will be willing to rent the property?

I am still yet to put in claim in for the last lot of damage to the insurance company because I am petrified that they will cancel my policy. 

I have CC’d in other authorities in this letter as I have not had a response from either the CGG or the Department of Housing to my initial email stating the damage. 

A copy of this email I sent is attached ……just in case anyone lost it.

As it now appears that state and local departments are communicating with one another, at one of your next meetings if a mutual discussion around ways of how my current circumstance can be addressed it would be appreciated.

I am not trying to be difficult (I am in desperate circumstances), I do appreciate the fact that some sort of action has been taken to address the macro issues.

I am glad that the people living the area and the suburb itself might have some sort of reprieve in the future.

However - I need some assistance as I just do not have the social support, interpersonal resources and/or the financial capacity to deal with this on my own.

For your consideration

Kind Regards, 

Natalie

Dear Ms XXX

The City acknowledges and thanks you for your correspondence in regard to the above matter.  

Please find attached the City’s response to your email of 15 May 2016.

Should you require any further information or clarification on this matter, please contact Neryl Beer at the City on (08) 9956 6720.

Kind regards
Amy Zinetti
Personal Assistant to the Director Development & Community Services

Everything Geraldton obtained a copy of a letter written to the Housing Authority by another resident on Strickland Street, regarding number 72, the property next door to the destroyed home. 

16-05-2016
Housing Authority
201 Marine Tce
Geraldton WA 6530

Attention: Geraldton Regional Manager of Housing Services, XXXX

RE:  72 Strickland St, Spalding, City of Greater Geraldton

I am writing you to bring your attention to the state of the above Homeswest property.

As the owner of XX Strickland St, I have witnessed firsthand the antisocial behavior from the tenants of this property. The drinking and drug use at the front of the property has become a daily & nightly norm that has resulted in the demise of the adjoining properties as well as the Homeswest property itself.

I will not go into all the details of this antisocial behavior as I know the local police have that information on file. Please don’t tell me that the police should or are going to fix this as it’s a pattern behavior that they can’t stop. I also now realize that it’s nearly impossible to get any Homeswest tenants removed, despite a genuine need for it.

My question is:  Why has the property been left in such a poor state for so long? I have been witnessing vandalism and graffiti for many months now with nothing being repaired (these are architecturally designed homes, surely they deserve at the very least to be maintained.) 

The properties next to and around 72 Strickland are also being destroyed. Graffiti is everywhere in the area, evidence of drug use, property damage including house brick walls being ripped out!? (It closely resembles a 3rd world war zone!) This is directly due to the behavior of some of the H.W. tenants and along with degeneration of this particular property. I am trying very hard not to go on and on but it is all so very unacceptable and SHOCKING! Please see attached pictures.

On Wed, 4th May, I made a complaint to DHW with ‘xxxx’ (Perth) who took my details and told me I would be contacted by a representative, no one phoned back. I made another attempt one week later Wed, 11th May, and spoke to xxxx (Geraldton) who referred me to the housing authorities ‘Housing Manager’  [Redacted - not current person looking after this property], I have phoned her and left call back messages, still to this day….waiting for her reply.

We expect the graffiti covering the front walls and driveway of 72 Strickland be removed and all damaged fences, reticulation boxes, landscape, letterboxes, etc… to be repaired. We are forced to put up with your tenants unacceptable antisocial behavior but we don’t have to put up with the complete demise of government property along with our neighborhood.

I request the housing authorities ‘Housing Manager’ [Redacted - not current person looking after this property]  who I’m told is responsible for this property, fulfill her job responsibilities. If she can’t then get someone who can.

[Name Withheld] 

Owners of: X Strickland Street, Spalding WA 

 

Letter to Editor: Dealing with Mental Health system

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April 20

I have in the past year been to a psychiatrist twice in Perth as I have bipolar and sciziod personality disorder. The first time the Perth psychiatrist compiled a report back to my Dr here in Geraldton recommending that I see a psychiatrist on a regular basis at mental health.

My Dr referred myself to mental health, I was seen by a triage nurse who refused myself based on the fact that I was not suicidal or threatening others. 6weeks ago I was sent to Perth by my workplace for another assessment by the same psychiatrist and the report came back recommending that I see a regular psychiatrist at mental health.

Once again my Dr referred myself to mental health and 2 weeks ago I was contacted by a lady at mental health who made an appointment to see myself at home. The time was made for wednesday 10.00am. I waited until 10.45am and then rang mental health who got her to ring me.

She explained she forgot and had gone shopping instead and commented that she didnt need to see me now as I seemed ok. She told me that the mental health psychiatrist would make an appointment for me soon.

Today I contacted mental health as it has been a month since the referral and asked when I would be assessed or seen. I was told that there was no referral and to go back to my Dr and request another referral.

At this I got angry and explained that this whole process was frustrating and asked why I was the one why had to try to arrange so called professional when I had the mental health issue? I was told to see my Dr.

As you can imagine I am extreemly frustrated at the lack of communication, lack of response and confusion caused by mental health staff. I feel truly sorry for those clients who are less able than myself to address this type of disfunctional so called service.

- Matt. 

Letter to the Editor: These people have decided to take the ashes of my Pop

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April 30

I just want to take a moment to talk about something that has happened to my family recently. Yesterday my Nans house was broken into.

The entire house was ransacked and many possessions were stolen, but that isn’t what bothers me. What is truly disgusting about this act is that these people have decided for some reason to take the ashes of my Pop.

Yes, they stole the remaining physical piece of a human being from his own family. They have literally stolen a mans dying wish to have his ashes spread with his partner, all for the sake of their own “benefit”.

Although I do not see where there is one. Along with this, the entire house is trashed. Kerosene has been poured over anything flammable in attempts to set the house ablaze and there is bleach throughout the entire house. There is nothing in the house untouched. I don’t know what they were looking for, but they certainly would not find anything of true value to them in my Nans home. My Nans house is an archive; it holds things from generations in our family and there is nothing in her home apart from items of sentimental value.

It is unforgivable to want to destroy something like that. With all this said, in this time of need I have seen people come together. It has been heartwarming to see just how many people have opened their homes to my Nan and offered their services. As we live in a materialistic society it is refreshing and relieving to see that people are still happy to help and not expect anything in return.

I encourage everyone to be more like this. Focus on what you can give to the world rather than what you can receive from it. It isn’t hard to be a decent human being, though do not expect anything in return as you will be disappointed. Kindness is rewarded all in good time.

It infuriates me that there are people in the world who could perform such despicable acts, but if we change our mindset goodwill can easily overthrow disdain.

(By Emily)

 

Response from city regarding ‘Geraldton may have to pay back $9 million’

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Letter to the Editor

In response to your article today ‘Geraldton may have to pay back $9 million to the federal government’, I would like the opportunity to provide some clarity around the commentary. 

The Karloo Wandina Project involved building Verita Road, Abraham St Bridge, the Ackland Street to Abraham Street connection, the extension of Columbus Boulevard, as well as water, electricity and sewerage infrastructure to enable the further residential and commercial development of the area.

At the time this project was approved Geraldton was experiencing strong growth but there was a shortage of available residential land, and house prices were becoming unaffordable for the average resident. 

The Federal Government’s contribution of $9 million was made on the condition that 400 affordable housing lots would be sold by the Department of Housing by June 2016, this date was later extended to June 2017. 

At the time, the Department of Housing were selling 80 affordable housing lots a year and there were no indications that this demand would wane. Put simply, selling 400 lots was not seen as a difficult target to reach as the residential housing market was booming and all indications were that it would continue to boom for some time.

The City of Greater Geraldton’s predicament is that we have spent the funding to build the required infrastructure but the Department of Housing will not be able to sell the required lots because of the significant downturn in the local residential property market.

The Federal Government has recently advised us that they are considering policy changes that may require the City to return the funding if 400 affordable housing lots are not sold by the Department of Housing by December 2017.

The City and our community does not have the capacity to repay the funds and have asked the Federal Government to provide a reasonable extension of time to suit our local market conditions. To date we have not had a response.

We have also had a number of discussions with the Department of Housing and have called upon Melissa Price, the Member of Durack to provide assistance on our community’s behalf. 

This is a ridiculous situation for our City to be put in. We have spent the money building the infrastructure that was required but because the residential housing market has collapsed and the State Government can’t sell the lots – the Federal Government wants us to pay it back.

We have a good relationship with Melissa Price and will continue to work closely with her to convince the Federal Government Policy makers to reconsider their position.

 

-Ken Diehm, City of Greater Geraldton CEO

(click here to read original article)

A plea for help from BMX club following 3 successive break ins

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Hi guys... I am the secretary for the Woorree Park BMX club.

We are needing the assistance of the public. Our club has been targeted and broken into 3 times in the last 13 days.

We hadn't gone public as not to draw too much attention to it but this last time they have taken all our medical supplies.

The first time they took all our food etc from freezers. The thieves are going to great lengths to do these break ins and damage is being done.

The public's help in notifying police if they see something suspicious after dark or even our club presidents number is on the fence.

We urge for anyone or everyone's help please. 😢

Regards, 

Jo. 

"I have an issue with Geraldton drivers" - Letter to the editor

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I have an issue with Geraldton drivers, an issue that is probably shared by a large proportion of the people who live here. You see, on a regular basis I encounter the small minority of drivers that cannot seem to park their cars.

I don't know what it is that makes it so hard for some drivers to successfully place their vehicle inside two white lines. Or why some drivers are in such a rush to get wherever they are going that they cannot take the extra 60 seconds to reverse their car, straighten up and park in the centre of those two white lines.

I know this problem might seem insignificant, petty even but when I regularly have to climb over the back seat of my car to place my children in their child restraints because I cannot open the passenger door far enough to squeeze them in, the problem starts to wear on me.

Case in point (there was no way I could open my door wide enough to get my kids in the car without hitting the side of their car, I tried):



The issue is compounded by the fact that our carparks are on the small side and only one way. Sometimes you have no choice but to play the "reversing game" (where you go in and out and in and out and in and out...) in an attempt to get out of your own park without hitting anyone else's car. Sometimes you get lucky and can drive out through the empty park in front of you.

Unfortunately the law is somewhat ambiguous on the whole "parking correctly" thing but this excerpt from the Drive Safe Handbook stands out to me:

3.18 Parking To ‘park’ means to permit the vehicle to remain stationary whether the vehicle is attended or not - except for the purpose of avoiding conflict with other traffic, complying with another law, or picking up or setting down passengers or goods (for a maximum of 2 minutes). Before you park your vehicle, ask yourself:

* is it safe to park here;
* is it legal; and
* will it cause trouble to other road users.

Though I did find this information in the Road Traffic Code 2000 Reg 179 interesting as well:


Subject to sub regulation (2), a driver parking a vehicle on a length of carriageway, or in an area, on which parking bays are marked (whether or not a “park in bays only” sign applies) shall position the vehicle completely within a single bay. If a vehicle is too wide or long to fit completely within a single parking bay, the person stopping the vehicle shall park the vehicle within the minimum number of parking bays needed to park that vehicle.

Though I doubt they meant this when writing that regulation…


It would be muchly appreciated if people could take that extra 60 seconds, think about the people around them and park properly. 

From your local Annoyed Driver

- N. Thompson

 

Finding meaning through helping others - Letter to the editor

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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

These amazing local girls need our help with their volunteer work

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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

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

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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. 

Thanks for some great service

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I would just like to say a kind word to the staff at Harvey Norman, computer section.

My wife & i had a few unwanted computer problems and the help was more than sales and service. One problem was fixing up a critical area on a tablet, asked what payment and and the reply was `none, just helping you out, no charge`.

Great help thanks to Gavin & staff at Harvey Norman computer section.

- Leon

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We love hearing your stories of great customer service in town. Feel free to contact us with any notes of thanks you think should be published by emailing geraldton@justeverything.com.au  

Building site on Polwarth Parade being robbed

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Just sent in to Everything Geraldton from a resident on Polwarth Pde, Deepdale. 

"A loud car has been doing laps up and down the street for a hour or so. We heard a loud bang and I looked outside and saw tailights a going very slowly down the street. A few minutes later the same loud car, a v8, had stopped outside the front of my house and turned off the car. I went outside to look what was happening and saw a man putting a 6m long timber into the back of a well body utility vehicle. I asked him what was he doing and he ran to his car. It struck me as suspicious so I took the rego of the vehicle and he sped off quite quickly down the street. I yelled after him that I got his rego. The car turned into a driveway a little way down the street, I couldn't see which but it was very close. I could hear people talking and doors closing. I had a look at the place I thought they had been stealing from and saw a spotlight torch on a pile of timber that had some missing. I rang the police and told them what happened. Two patrol cars arrived within minutes and did patrols of the area. I don't know if they found the people stealing or not but they seem to have left the area now. They collected the torch from the building site. We are sure someone on the street will know who has a dark loud v8 that has been out driving tonight. I would sure like to know who the person is who has been stealing tonight. I sure don't want them on my street anymore!"

Cat brutally attacked - owner desperate to find it

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Sent in to Everything Geraldton today: 

This morning around 8.45am returning home from dropping my children off from school, I was turning into Bayview Street from Newhaven St in Mt Tarcoola when a brown and white bull arab looking dog followed my car home. I was hesitant to open my door as the dog was waiting for me. As i went to open it the dog used its nose to open it further. It seemed friendly enough at the time.

Fast forward 5 minutes when my daughter and I were on the lawn checking the dog's tag, I noticed our black cat was sitting on the garden bed next to the front door. When I went to shoo our cat away, she was sadly mauled by this dog. For 5 minutes this dog shook the shit out of our cat who we have had for 5 years.

The dog took the cat with him up the street while we raced inside to call the ranger.

I just want to ask the public if anyone has seen her as we would like to give our baby a burial and be able to say goodbye.

Thank you

0407063303

Near miss - Barrett Drive T Junction

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Everything Geraldton.

NEAR MISS -  3:10pm 6th May 2016
AtT Junction of Brand Highway and Barrett Drive, Tarcoola Beach.

We were travelling south on Brand Highway, when an off white 4WD vehicle came off Barrett Drive turning north on Brand Highway, as another vehicle turned left, off Brand Highway, up Barrett drive.

But then as we were travelling south on Brand Highway, an orange coloured dual cab vehicle -on the STOP SIGN, turned out onto Brand Highway turning RIGHTto go north, as our white car was going south. I was the passenger..All I could see in front of our car -was the orange coloured vehicle...........Oh my!!!

BUT for my husband's quick thinking and driving, as he veered suddenly to his right, we would have hit the orange coloured dual cab vehicle.

Wow!!  What a lucky escape for both vehicles. (Hope the driver reads this???)

ThisT-Junction, with Barrett drive has a STOP SIGN...has had a number of accidents at the sight..

Coming from the north, Brand Highway has two lanes.  Very close just south of Barrett drive, on Brand Highway the road becomes ONE Lane.  Drivers on Barrett Drive STOP SIGN, who want to turn RIGHT to go north on Brand Highway, DO NOT WATCH THE VEHICLES CLOSELY ENOUGH.  SOME VEHICLES TURN LEFT UP BARRETT DRIVE, (with flickers on), WHILE OTHERS LIKE OUR VEHICLE , (without flickers on),  GO STRAIGHT AHEAD – SOUTH ON BRAND HIGHWAY.   We feel very lucky that no accident happened today.

 

Beryl & Robert of Wandina.