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News blog, May 30: Police appeal for information on man wanted on warrants, Nationals gear up for schools fight
Gday one, gday all, and welcome to the Shepp News blog on this wet and rainy Monday.
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I’m Max Stainkamph, here to help you navigate your nasty case of the Mondays and keep a track of what’s hip and happening across the GV.
The boffins at the bureau inform me the rain will continue well into tomorrow, so don’t let that umbrella get too far from your grasp, while we’re heading for a top of 11 degrees so a jumper (or three) might not be remiss.
UPDATE, 4.30pm: Signing off with some good news
Congratulations are in order for some 100 students who celebrated their graduation today, with about 80 of them celebrating at La Trobe University today in Shepparton.
Gianni Francis made his way down there to have a chat to several of them, as well as vice-chancellor John Dewar.
UPDATE, 4pm: Birrell makes his choice.. in secret
Sam Birrell has not revealed which way he voted in the Nationals ballot this morning.
Barnaby Joyce and Darren Chester also stood for the leader’s position alongside new leader David Littleproud in a vote which was decided at a party room meeting in Canberra that lasted more than two hours.
NSW Senator Perin Davey, a strong advocate on water policy, was elected deputy leader promising to "hold the new government to account and make sure they don't forget the regions".
UPDATE, 2.50pm: Waaia wins big against depleted Katamatite
Over in the Picola District Football Netball League, Waaia produced another statement Picola District Football Netball League win on Saturday, downing Katamatite in emphatic fashion at the Waaia Recreation Reserve.
The Bombers put in an impressive four-quarter performance against the depleted Tigers, taking a 48-point lead into half-time and eventually running out 2.3 (15) to 18.15 (123) victors.
Waaia coach Mark Meyland said it was a reasonable four-quarter performance from the side.
Check out the full story here.
UPDATE, 1.40pm: And a new Nationals leader to boot
Just as I went to lunch, David Littleproud was announced as Nationals leader!
We don’t yet know if new MP Sam Birrell voted for ousted leader Barnaby Joyce or new leader David Littleproud — Darren Linton is tracking that down as I type.
UPDATE, 12.30pm: New report reveals mental health impact on young Australians
As a (well, reasonably) young Australian, this yarn from Evan Wallace caught my eye, talking about a new report released by Mission Australia and Orygen talking about the impact of COVID-19 on young Australians in 2021.
In a survey of over 20,200 young Australians aged 15 to 19, 51 per cent of those surveyed shared that COVID-19 had a negative impact on their mental health.
The survey indicated that Victoria was the state where COVID-19 had the greatest impact on youth mental health, with 69% of young Victorians stating that their mental health had been negatively affected.
Can’t possibly imagine why — regardless of if you reckon the lockdowns were warranted or not, they still sucked (to put it mildly).
UPDATE, 11.50am: Brief aside to Federal politics
I know we’re all still recovering from the Federal election, but some brief news from the Liberal Party’s meeting in Canberra this morning.
Scott Morrison is out as Liberal leader, with Peter Dutton stepping into his shoes as leader of the party and now opposition leader.
Member for Farrer Sussan Ley was elected as deputy.
UPDATE, 11.25am: Police appeal for information on court order
Police are appealing for public assistance to help locate Brody Matsen, with the 22-year-old wanted on warrants for contravening a court order.
Matsen is Caucasian, about 171cm tall, with a solid build and blonde/fair short hair.
He is known to frequent the Shepparton, Mooroopna, and Congupna areas.
Investigators have released an image of Matsen in the hope someone may have information on his current whereabouts.
Anyone who sights Matsen or has information about his whereabouts is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a confidential report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
UPDATE, 11.15am: Merrigum cruises past Lancaster with bittersweet victory
We’re checking in on the KDL now after giving interleague some time earlier in the day.
Merrigum have won their fourth game on the trot, but it’s come at a huge cost with coach Olivia Jackson went down with a knee injury.
The Bulldogs got up 44-25 in the clash with Lancaster, which was part of the KDL’s Say No To Violence round.
Around the courts, Girgarre secured an impressive 45-35 triumph over Murchison-Toolamba to pick up its second win of the season, while Stanhope kept Undera winless with a 63-30 win.
In the footy, Lancaster bounced back with a win while Stanhope, led superbly by a six-goal performance from Ryan Semmel, was too strong for Undera and triumphed 15.12 (102) to 7.8 (50).
Check out the KDL netball wrap here, while all your KDL footy news can be found here.
UPDATE, 10.15am: Woman asked if there was an ‘arsonists anonymous’ after unit fire
A woman who burnt down her social housing unit in Shepparton two years ago has been placed on a community corrections order after facing the County Court.
The court heard she told police at the scene the fire had not been lit on purpose but she had kicked over a candle because it wouldn’t go out.
She was arrested and interviewed, during which she asked a police officer whether there was an “arsonists anonymous”.
Read the full story from Anna McGuinness here.
UPDATE, 9.15am: School fight brews, interleague action wrapped up
Education will be a major campaign issue in the lead-up to the November state election, with the Nationals’ state conference supporting a motion for choice of secondary schools in City of Greater Shepparton.
Darren Linton popped along to the Nationals’ conference in Shepparton on the weekend, and it looks like we’re in for a nasty election fight over schooling.
Check out the full story here.
Meanwhile, I’m not going to link every interleague yarn because hooly dooly are there a lot of them, but Zac Standish and Aydin Payne have gone ham on covering the GVL clash with Ovens and Murray FNL on the weekend in Mooroopna.
Check out the wrap of the main football game here, meanwhile the netball wrap is here. Check out the sport section for the full details.
Journalist