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Articles by Patrick Laverick
White Flat Oval grandstand cleared of rough sleepers
The White Flat Oval grandstand has been cleared and fenced off, bringing an end to months of anti-social behaviour that terrorised the ground's users and neighbours. Neighbouring residents and users of the ground are relieved, with Ballarat Bulldogs coach Gary Sternberg happy to see the rough sleepers moved on to more appropriate accommodation too.
Anti-social behaviour at White Flat Oval has left users of the oval worried
Some rough sleepers at the White Flat Oval in Ballarat have worried users of the ground with their anti-social behaviour. The Ballarat Bulldogs are regular users of the ground, a local footy team for people with intellectual disabilities. Their coach Gary Sternberg has been busy meeting with council and social services to try and work out what to do, saying it's a tricky balancing act to ensure his players are safe, while also ensuring there's somewhere for the rough sleepers to go.
A new campaign expresses frustration about the state of Ballarat's roads - ABC listen
You might start to see a new bumper sticker popping up on cars around Ballarat soon, with a message that sounds like a broken record at this point: Fix Our Roads! The Ballarat Residents and Ratepayers Association have printed these stickers, and have heard from other ratepayer groups interested in running a similar campaign. The group's President Bruce Crawford says the message to fix local roads isn't being heard.
3.5 million Australians have used sick leave for non-health related reasons this year
Approximately 3.5 million Australians have 'chucked a sickie' this year, using sick leave to take a day off work for non-health related reasons. Belinda Fyffe is the CEO of Proven Group, an external HR consultancy based in Ballarat. She says there's no foolproof way to do this, however it has led to some very creative excuses to take a day off work.
Rail trail for disused Castlemaine to Maryborough corridor one step closer - ABC listen
A passionate group of locals have been trying to get the disused rail corridor between Castlemaine and Maryborough turned into a rail trail for a few years now. They're now one step closer to that, with a feasibility study on the project giving it a glowing endorsement. The secretary of Castlemaine-Maryborough Rail Trail, John Carruthers, says the next step is to secure funding to build it.
Cottage industry emerges for mechanics as classic car owners convert petrol vehicles to electric
The relentless move towards electric vehicles (EV) in Australia has created an uncertain future for the nation's 20 million petrol and diesel-powered vehicles, but some motoring enthusiasts have electrified their classic cars.
Delaying Melbourne Airport's rail link has some worried over other major projects - ABC Ballarat
Melbourne's airport rail link has seen construction delays and the state government has said it's not going to meet its original completion date of 2029. There's no new completion date set yet, and the government is tight-lipped about the future of the whole project as we head towards next month's budget. Committee for Ballarat Chief Executive Michael Poulton is worried the flow-on effect from delaying a major project will disrupt other major projects that will benefit regional Victoria.
New research shows sleep apnoea causes issues with socialising, memory and overall brain function - ABC Radio
Some new research into sleep apnoea has discovered more ways in which this condition affects the way your brain works. Previous research showed it affects cognitive functions like memory and attention span, but this new research has found social cognition is also impaired thanks to a lack of oxygen and disrupted sleep.
Private e-scooters permitted on Victorian roads in major changes to trial program
Electric scooter riders have welcomed the lifting of a ban on private e-scooters on Victorian roads as part of a major shake-up in a state government trial.
Malcolm Turnbull's bust unveiled on Ballarat's Prime Ministers walk - ABC Ballarat
Every Prime Minister has been immortalised in bronze and displayed in Ballarat's Botanic Gardens. Malcolm Turnbull's is the latest to be unveiled today, commemorating his three years as Prime Minister of Australia. Credits Patrick Laverick, Producer Broadcast 8h ago8 hours agoThu 3 Nov 2022 at 8:35pm Ballarat, Canberra, Political Leadership, Political Parties and Movements, History, Gardens
Developers lodge plans for $11-million multistorey building in unassuming Ballarat backstreet
Plans have been lodged with the City of Ballarat to build a six-storey, mixed-use building in a small one-way street dominated by loading docks and carparks.
Falls Festival's proposed new location has neighbouring sheep farmer fearing 'months' of disruption
A sheep farmer is facing down one of Australia's biggest music festivals to prevent tens of thousands of revellers setting up next to his property this summer.
Gym closures during lockdown hitting people with disabilities and rehabilitation needs
Gym closures during lockdown have complicated rehabilitation plans and cancelled mobility classes for people with disabilities.
Patrick Laverick
The annual music festival, which takes place in late December, has left its former home in Lorne but a property owner near its proposed new site says his farming operations will suffer if Colac Otway Shire allows organisers to hold the event there.
How one town's taxis and restaurants came together to keep their doors open
Food delivery services have become an essential part of dealing with lockdown and are taken for granted in large towns and cities.
Unemployment figures in Ballarat reveal close to 6,000 jobs lost in a month, with locals warning more may happen
Nearly 6,000 jobs have disappeared in Victoria's Ballarat region over the last month due to the coronavirus pandemic, with local business groups concerned the job losses may continue if JobKeeper is not extended past September.
Unemployment figures in Ballarat reveal close to 6,000 jobs lost in a month, with locals warning more may happen
© Provided by ABC Health Ballarat has been hit hard by job losses due to the coronavirus shutdown. (Supplied: City of Ballarat) Nearly 6,000 jobs have disappeared in Victoria's Ballarat region over the last month due to the coronavirus pandemic, with local business groups concerned the job losses may continue if JobKeeper is not extended past September.
Expanding the travel bubble still the preference of many Victoria-SA border communities
The people of the small town of Nelson in south-west Victoria have to cross the state border to get to the nearest city, Mount Gambier in South Australia.
Burial rights documentary illustrates decades-long fight to return ancestors to country
By Emma Nobel, Steve Martin and Patrick Laverick Posted March 03, 2020 15:49:40 Bonnie Chew says she cannot remember a time when Aboriginal ancestral remains were not being kept in boxes at museums and Aboriginal activists were not trying to bring them home. In 1985, the first instance of repatriation saw the remains of 38 ancestors returned to traditional owners from Museums Victoria.
Homeless and emergency housing stretched to double its capacity in freezing Victorian city
Posted July 01, 2019 06:08:29 Tightening rental markets have increased pressure on housing services, with Uniting Care Ballarat's front line services reaching nearly double its budgeted capacity.
Teen seriously injured, schools evacuated after gas explosions
Police have evacuated an area near Bacchus Marsh, north-west of Melbourne, after two people were injured in explosions. A teenage boy has been taken to hospital in a serious condition with burns and a man has minor injuries, after the incident at Maddingley around 1:30pm. Police believe there were two explosions after a gas pipe was ruptured at a worksite. The Bacchus Marsh Secondary College and Bacchus Marsh Grammar were evacuated, along with the Providence Catholic nursing home.
Power prices: Businesses urged to negotiate contracts before expiry to gain the upper hand
Businesses large and small are being told to brace for steep increases in their energy contracts this year and are urged to start shopping around before their contracts expire. One such small business currently renewing its power contract, Ballarat's Miners Tavern, had its electricity provider originally offering a new contract at 20 cents per kilowatt — more than double last year's cost. Bar owner Simon Whiting said he negotiated the price down to 16 cents, but it was still a sharp increase.
New wave of refugees make boats to build bridges | Geelong Indy
WE ARE SAILING: Project initiator Peter Doyle with some of the participants and one of their boats under construction. An Iraqi community group has joined forces with Iranian and Slovenian counterparts to build a fleet of wooden boats for community use in Geelong. The president of the city’s Syriac community, Mukhles Habash, said building the boats was different to anything his community had done before. “They don’t imagine ever doing that,” he said.
Motors run for mental health
ROUGH RIDERS: Emergency service workers arrive in Geelong on the first leg of their Breakthrough Ride for PTSD awareness. Paramedics and emergency services have visited Geelong as part of a motorcycle ride across regional Victoria to raise awareness of mental health issues in their field. The second annual Breakthrough Ride had more than 50 emergency services workers taking part across the week, travelling through towns including Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton, Wangaratta and Seymour.
Books are in the black
Geelong Heritage Centre celebrates its 100,000th visitor with the arrival of the St Mary's Grade 3/4s, who received books for their school. Front centre is Hugh Buckby. (Rebecca Hosking) The $45 million redevelopment of the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre has paid off, with a huge surge in visitors. The centre averaged 4000 visits a year before the works and on Wednesday it welcomed its 100,000th visitor after opening two years ago.
It’s the giant globe of Chrissy
Here comes Santa Claus – Geelong’s waterfront has turned on the festive spirit with a giant interactive 3D snow globe painted out the front of the Carousel. Santa’s little helpers were on show to launch the painting this week, with Central Geelong Marketing’s elves showing how everyone can become part of the picture. Artist Scott Jensen prepared the striking image as one of five for Central Geelong Christmas Trail. More of his work will appear around the city area over the next few weeks.
1900 in high-tech jobs as ‘incubator’ comes online
A new business incubator will lift Deakin University’s high-tech workforce at Waurn Ponds to 1900 by the end of the year, according to Professor Peter Hodgson. The Manufutures incubator would accommodate up to 50 small manufacturers to boost the university’s existing research workforce, the vice chancellor of research said. Manufutures would add around 200 jobs to an existing 1000 researchers on-campus and another 700 equivalent full-time staff at neighbouring Epworth Geelong, Prof Hodgson said.
Students get slice of new tertiary scholarships - The City Journal
Radio and Podcasts Students get slice of new tertiary scholarships Disadvantaged university students will be given assistance with education-related costs under a new scholarship program. Domino’s has teamed up with The Smith Family to deliver the program to 15 tertiary students, which will pay the expenses related to studying, such as text books and laptops. Domino’s head of giving, John Harney, says it will help young people who can’t afford the costs surrounding their studies.
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