Fw: Mon.8.4.19 daily digest, part 2
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Quicker for students to swim to school from Avondale Heights
Moonee Valley Leader April 8, 2019
Parent Gemma Mowat, outside Maribyrnong College, has appealed for Avondale Heights’ odd zoning to be fixed. Picture: Andy Brownbill
Children are expected to swim or be “catapulted” across the Maribyrnong River to get to school quickly because of poorly planned school zones, some parents say.
A household’s zone is matched to the closest school as the crow flies, and that rule is due to remain when some school zones change this year.
But families living in Avondale Heights have revealed that they are cut off to their one zoned high school — Braybrook College — by the Maribyrnong River.
To get there, students have to travel through multiple suburbs, cross the river and drive past Maribyrnong College.
Avondale Heights mum Gemma Mowat has two young daughters and is planning ahead for secondary school options.
A few weeks ago she realised the school her girls were zoned for was double the distance of the closest state high school because of the river.
The Maribyrnong River.
“I’m only zoned for Braybrook Secondary College but Maribyrnong College is half the distance (by road),” she said.
“Unless they want to swim to school, it’s not going to help having a zoned school across the river.”
Rosehill Secondary College is about 6km away and is unzoned but Ms Mowat said she was wary of that changing by the time her children entered high school.
“Rosehill Secondary is not at capacity yet but in 10 years’ time when my kids go to school it could be zoned,” she said.
Cr Samantha Byrne successfully moved a notice of motion at last week’s council meeting to review the secondary school zones in Avondale Heights.
Cr Byrne said the Education Department had started a review of school zones and it was the perfect time to advocate for the change.
She said the long travel to Braybrook High School from Avondale Heights was not acceptable and the council should not be advocating kids to be “catapulted across the river”.
Education department spokeswoman Emily Williams said the State Government was in the process of creating a website for parents to check boundaries.
MORE NEWS
MELBOURNE SCHOOL ZONES SET TO CHANGE
TOMORROW’S LEADERS: SCHOOL CAPTAINS REVEAL THEIR FUTURE HOPES
TONNES OF RUBBISH PULLED FROM MARIBYRNONG RIVER
<www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/north-west/quicker-for-students-to-swim-to-school-from-avondale-heights/news-story/65b8d9555fa3a99350238daee9487cb1>

Vegan protesters dragged from CBD intersection after bringing city to a standstill
Mon.8.4.19 Herald Sun
video: Vegan activists cause peak hour chaos in Melbourne CBD
Vegan activists have been dragged from a major intersection in Melbourne’s CBD after spending hours chained to slogan-covered vans, causing havoc for morning commuters.
Protesters with signs and banners reading “vegan rising” and “this is a peaceful protest” began blocking cars and trams at the intersection of Flinders and Swanston streets from about 7am.
But hours into the protest, police started cutting the activists out of their chains before hauling them off the street.
Vegan protesters block the intersection of Flinders and Swanston Street Melbourne in support of animal rights. Picture: Andrew Henshaw
Vegan protesters are quite literally being hauled off. Lots of yelling and cheering from supporters. @theheraldsun pic.twitter.com/rGhPcEhUXM — Kieran Rooney (@KieranRooneyCM) April 7, 2019
Police now cutting chains protesters have used to attach themselves to vans.. pic.twitter.com/xRY3VKdG3t — Kieran Rooney (@KieranRooneyCM) April 7, 2019
Vegan protesters have chained themselves to vans blocking the intersection. Picture: Andrew Henshaw
It came as one of the group said they planned to stay put for as long as possible.
“The main message is the dire straights the animals are in, the planet and humanity,” Sally, who did not want her last name published, said.
“We’d like a vegan world.”
- Consider City Loop trains or Route 1/6/58/64/72 trams on Kings Way/William St as an alternative. — Yarra Trams
INCIDENT: CBD - A protest currently underway in the CBD has the Flinders Street Swanston Street intersection blocked. Police are currently on-site. Allow extra time. #victraffic pic.twitter.com/fegQOalKX3 — VicTraffic The protest disrupted trams running along Flinders and Swanston streets, with diversions put in place as commuters were directed to City Loop trains.
The protest is causing traffic chaos, with trams banking up on Swanston St.
Hundreds of protesters can be seen with signs. Picture: Andrew Henshaw
Drivers were also urged avoid the intersection before all protesters were removed by about 10.15am.
Some cyclists are not exactly loving the new traffic arrangements. pic.twitter.com/ro02HTeuDt — Kieran Rooney April 7, 2019
One commuter, Jerrie Bise, said the protest meant she was running 45 minutes late to work.
“I think people are entitled to their views but they shouldn’t affect other people’s lives,” she said.
“Because of them St Kilda Rd has been blocked all the way.”
Hours into the protest, police began forcibly removing activists who sat down in the middle of the intersection and refused to go, while trucks arrived to take away the vans.
Thrifty have now put their two cents in. (The activists used thrifty vans). Fast PR work by them. pic.twitter.com/R4Ht8g35AY — Kieran Rooney (@KieranRooneyCM) April 8, 2019
Car rental agency Thrifty Australia “condemned in the strongest possible terms” the activists’ use of the company’s vehicles.
“It is alleged that the vans have been chained, defaced and the tyres slashed,” Thrifty said in a statement.
“Obviously, the protesters are in clear breach of their terms and conditions and Thrifty will take all steps to recoup the costs and enforce our terms and conditions.”
A white van is parked in the middle of the Swanston St and Flinders St intersection. Picture: 3AW
The protest has caused major traffic and transport delays for morning commuters. Picture: Andrew Henshaw
Vegan activists said they were staging protests across Victoria, Tasmania, NSW and Queensland today.
Allison, who works at the Westside Meat abattoir at Bacchus Marsh, told the Herald Sun “they’ve got a truck and they’re just sitting there”.
Meanwhile, a dozen protesters and a van promoting an animal rights documentary blocked the entrance to an abattoir in Corio, near Geelong.
M.C Herd Meat Wholesales workers were forced to park their cars at the entrance of the site because of the protest, which also attracted a large police presence.
Protesters could be seen holding signs promoting the 2018 documentary Dominion, which includes hidden camera and aerial footage of animal agriculture processes.
A dozen protesters and a van promoting an animal rights documentary is blocking the entrance to an abattoir in Corio, near Geelong.
The G & K O’Connor abattoir at Pakenham also confirmed protesters and police were at the site.
It comes after the owners of a Gippsland goat farm cafe blamed “abusive vegan activists” for its closure.
The Gippy Goat cafe co-owner Penny Gandar said constant harassment since dozens of animal activists invaded the property just before Christmas led to the decision.
Over the weekend, vegan group Aussie Farms said hundreds of people would be staging protests today but the exact locations were being kept secret.
The protesters can be seen holding signs including “vegan rising”
“It is time for an informed national conversation about what we’re doing to animals,” Dominion director Chris Delforce said in a statement.
“Industry and government have been desperately trying to frame this as an issue of farmers vs. vegans, or farmers as victims, to keep the animals out of the conversation.”
Victoria Police earlier said it was aware of the protests and was monitoring the situation.
“It is understood protesters have blocked the intersection of Flinders and Swanston streets using vehicles, which a small number have chained themselves to,” it said.
“The safety of the community is our number one priority.
Vegan protesters block the intersection of Flinders and Swanston Street Melbourne in support of animal rights. Picture: Andrew Henshaw
“Victoria Police respects people’s right to protest peacefully but will not tolerate any anti-social behaviour.”
The president of the Victorian Farmers Federation Livestock Group, Leonard Vallance, blasted what he said was “a very small percentage of the population telling a very large percentage of the population what they can and can’t eat”.
“(Meat is) a legitimate business. People want to eat meat and it has to be slaughtered and processed somewhere,” he added.
It came after Prime Minister Scott Morrison labelled the protests “shameful” and “un-Australian” on 2GB radio.
“This is just another form of activism that I think runs against the national interest, and the national interest is being able to farm their own land,” he said.
RELATED CONTENT
MILITANT VEGANS BLAMED FOR GOAT CAFE CLOSURE
The Gippy Goat Cafe has been forced to close down. Picture: Instagram Militant vegans blamed for goat cafe closure
<www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/vegan-protesters-shut-down-city-intersection/news-story/ddf2443833098611fee8c3adf36afb5f>
After two hours of CBD chaos, police remove vegan protesters April 8, 2019
video Animal activists arrested on Flinders Street
About 9am police started to tell protesters to move on, cutting the chains and towing the vans.
Vegan protesters who brought a key Melbourne intersection to a standstill during peak hour as part of nationwide action targeting farms and abattoirs have been forcibly removed by police more than two hours after the disruption began.
Eleven tram lines were affected and traffic was blocked at the intersection of Flinders and Swanston streets in the CBD in one of several protests by vegans across the country.
The protesters are being led away one by one. Credit:Zach Hope
Animal activists invaded abattoirs and took three sheep from a Queensland farm in a wave of early-morning protests across four states.
The large protests in Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania and Queensland are being held to mark the one-year anniversary of the release of the film Dominion, which documents factory farming in Australia.
In Melbourne protesters parked several vans in the middle of the busy junction about 7am on Monday morning, with some chaining themselves to the vehicles.
Protesters being moved by police about 9am. Credit:Zach Hope
More than 100 people then formed a ring around the intersection, blocking peak-hour traffic.
About 9am, police started to tell protesters to move on, cutting the chains and towing the vans. Several people were arrested, with officers leading people away one by one. The intersection reopened about 10.30am.
"The safety of the community is our number one priority," a police spokesman said.
"Victoria Police respects people's right to protest peacefully but will not tolerate any anti-social behaviour or violence."
The vans, which had been parked in the middle of the intersection, are being towed. Credit:Zach Hope
As the intersection cleared, about 50 protesters stationed themselves at the front of the Melbourne Aquarium, where they chained themselves to each other using piping.
They said they were from Justice for Captives, the group behind the protests at Sea World and Outback Spectacular last year.
Protesters connected outside the Melbourne Aquarium. Credit:Zach Hope
Piping and chains are being used at the protest outside the aquarium. Credit:Zach Hope
Earlier, one of the organisers, Kristin Leigh, told The Age that protesters intended to stay for "as long as possible".
"We don’t want to be causing disruption but this is a climate emergency and an environmental emergency," she said.
The activists' co-ordinated campaign has targeted nine sites in Victoria, Tasmania, NSW and Queensland.
Activists have also driven trucks and let down the tyres to block entrances and exits to three abattoirs across Victoria, including MC Herd in Geelong, Westside Meats in Bacchus Marsh, and O’Connors Abattoir in Pakenham.
Several activists filmed themselves blocking the entrance of the Australian Food Group’s pig slaughterhouse in Laverton.
The protest is affecting tram lines and traffic. Credit:Zach Hope
The documentary film Dominion is described as a look at the "legal, standard practices employed daily in Australian farms and slaughterhouses that remain unknown to most consumers".
Chris Delforce from Dominion said he expected members of the public would be frustrated that their day had been disrupted.
“At the end of the day, when people see what these animals are going through, a small delay in their day doesn’t really compare,” he said.
He said he thought most people usually ended up feeling angrier at animal rights abuses than the disruption protests caused.
Protestors in the middle of the Melbourne CBD. Credit:Zach Hope
Dianne Delbridge came out of an office on Flinders Street to flashing lights and police roadblocks.
She was in hospital with a broken ankle when victims were brought in from the Flinders Street attack in 2017.
“The first thing your head goes to is ‘has there been another terror attack'. I’m sure that’s where everyone’s head goes,” she said on Monday.
“I think it’s ridiculous. I understand why people want to protect animals – I do myself – but I don’t think it’s worth disrupting and frightening people.”
Protestors chained themselves to vans in the middle of the intersection. Credit:Zach Hope
The Melbourne protest took "months" of planning, one of the protesters said..
"We knew what our job role was and we had marshalls for each group. When the vans came we stepped out and said it was a peaceful protest so people didn’t get scared or that it was an attack. We said ‘no one is going to get harmed, you’re just not going to get through'," she told The Age.
A spokesman from Thrifty Australia said the NRMA-owned organisation condemned in the "strongest possible terms" the actions of protesters who used the company's vans to block traffic in the CBD and in Pakenham.
"It is alleged that the vans have been chained, defaced and the tyres slashed," he said.
"Obviously, the protesters are in clear breach of their terms and conditions and Thrifty will take all steps to recoup the costs and enforce our terms and conditions."
<www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/vegan-protest-causes-chaos-in-melbourne-cbd-20190408-p51bui.html>


Melbourne’s footpath kiosks to go in city decluttering push
Herald Sun April 8, 2019
These footpath kiosks will soon be a thing of the past in Melbourne.
Central Melbourne’s nine footpath kiosks are being removed to help clear the city’s cluttered footpaths.
Two empty kiosks have already gone and another seven will not have their leases renewed in November, changing the CBD’s streetscape forever. The circular kiosks will remain.
Town Hall is open for offers for the rectangular structures that were installed between 1993 and 1996.
Council transport chairman Nicolas Frances-Gilley said the council was responding to overcrowding in the central city.
The newsstand business model had been in decline for many years with convenience stores taking much of the market, he said.
One of the kiosks on Bourke St that will be removed. Picture: Nicole Cleary
“The rectangular street trading kiosks were initially introduced as a way of activating the central city in a time when our streets were far quieter than what we experience today,’’ Frances-Gilley said..
“We have great respect for the historical and cultural value of the kiosks, so we have begun reaching out to find new homes for the structures once they are removed.’’
Fatih Dicle has run his retail kiosk on Elizabeth St, near Collins St, for the past two-and-a-half years and will now have to look for another job.
“Yes, I’m disappointed but not surprised after the council put us on a temporary lease last year.
“Business has been slow but not too bad,’’ Mr Dicle said.
Cigarettes and newspapers were his best sellers, especially during the morning and evening peak hours as passing foot traffic stopped by.
Fatih Dicle has operated his kiosk for over two years. Picture: Supplied
Mr Dicle’s Elizabeth St kiosk.
He blamed the decline in his trade on the opening of more supermarkets in the CBD in recent years.
The two that have already gone have found new homes — one will be used as a ticket booth at Chesterfield Farm in Scoresby and while the other is headed to Collingwood Children’s Farm.
The council put the kiosks out to tender last year seeking new operations, but most bids were in line with traditional uses.
The sites’ capabilities are restricted by limited services such as power, water and drainage.
“We welcome ideas on how the kiosks can be rehomed outside the central city and are looking for ideas that will provide public benefit,” Cr Frances-Gilley said.
Council will forgo $120,000 in lease revenue because of the kiosk closures.
The booming CBD has led to increasingly busy pavements as pedestrian traffic has soared.
The daily population of the city is forecast to jump from 911,000 now to 1.4 million by 2036, prompting the council to review the footpath space.
Last month, Lord Mayor Sally Capp flagged that CBD motorcycle footpath parking — legal in Victoria — would be reviewed along with other measures.
RELATED CONTENT
Police move in to remove vegan protestors who had been blocking the intersection of Flinders and Swanston Street Melbourne in support of animal rights.. Picture: Andrew Henshaw. Dozens charged over vegan protest
THE MANY OBSTACLES IN WAY OF PEDESTRIANS
BIKERS RESISTS FOOTPATH PARKING BAN
<www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/melbournes-footpath-kiosks-to-go-in-city-decluttering-push/news-story/7d1dfe954ce84cb8bb05498221ee95ff>

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