Latest news with #AndrewChounding
ABC News
06-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Bega Cheese to close Victorian processing site to move jobs to NSW
Bega Cheese will close its northern Victorian site in Strathmerton and consolidate its processing and packaging operations into its premises in the Bega Valley. The company announced on Tuesday that after an extensive review, a phased closure of the Strathmerton site was expected to be complete by mid-2026. The decision affects approximately 300 staff at the Strathmerton site. "We are very aware of the impact of this decision, and we are doing our best to manage this transition with care and respect for our Strathmerton employees and the local community," Bega Group chief executive Pete Findlay said. "Where possible, we will offer redeployment to employees and continue to support them through this period." Bega says cheese production will not be affected by the closure of its Strathmerton site. ( ABC Great Southern: Andrew Chounding ) Bega said it expected $30 million in annual savings through the closure of Strathmerton as it moves to eliminate duplication in its production lines. The company said the consolidation would create about 100 jobs in the Bega Valley and that investing in its Ridge Street site would allow it to "enhance capability and modernise its cheese processing and packing operations". "As the business maintains its focus on delivering productivity improvement and growth, we continue to look at opportunities to simplify our operational footprint and invest for the future, ensuring we maintain globally competitive infrastructure," Mr Findlay said. The company has five other Victorian manufacturing sites in Tatura, Morwell, Chelsea, Koroit and Port Melbourne, which employ more than 1,700 people. The Victorian government has been contacted for comment. MP expects 'significant impact' State member for Shepparton Kim O'Keefe said it was disappointing to lose a major employer in the community. "This has a significant impact on those affected and the community more broadly," she said. "I hope that the staff are well supported during this difficult time. "I expect those employed at our Tatura site will also have concerns with the shock closure of Strathmerton." ABC Rural RoundUp newsletter Stories from farms and country towns across Australia, delivered each Friday. Your information is being handled in accordance with the Email address Subscribe
ABC News
06-05-2025
- General
- ABC News
False killer whale stranding reported near Bremer Bay in southern WA with four believed to have died
West Australian wildlife authorities are on their way to the state's southern coast following reports that seven false killer whales have been stranded. A spokesperson for Parks and Wildlife said it was believed they had stranded on House Beach, about 12 kilometres east of Bremer Bay and 540km south of Perth. It is believed the whales became stranded on Monday afternoon. The Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) confirmed four of the whales had died overnight, while three were still alive on the beach. Bremer Bay is known for whale spotting. ( ABC Great Southern: Andrew Chounding ) Remaining whales to be euthanased A spokesperson for the DBCA said staff were on the scene assessing the situation and would determine the most appropriate and humane course of action, likely to be euthanasia. A shark warning has also been issued for the area. False killer whales have been involved in recent mass strandings. In February, 157 whales became stranded on a beach near Arthur River The southern coast is known for whale migration with many tourists flocking to the area to watch the ocean mammals. Marine biologist Pia Markovic said false killer whale strandings were not as common as other whale species. "We had a mass stranding in Tasmania of about 150. Most of those had to be euthanased," she said. Marine biologist Piak Markovic says the whales may have followed a sick leader to the beach. ( ABC News: Jon Kerr ) Ms Markovic said the seven might be a sub-pod, as false killer whales often lived in groups in the hundreds. "One of the leaders, usually a female as they're a matriarchal society, may have gotten a bit sick … because their social structures are so well bonded, the rest may have followed her," she said. Ms Markovic said the species could grow up to 6 metres in length and weigh 1.5 tonnes. "Their name comes from their skeleton or skull structure, which is similar to killer whales," she said. ABC Great Southern — local news in your inbox Get our local newsletter, delivered free each Thursday Your information is being handled in accordance with the Email address Subscribe
ABC News
05-05-2025
- ABC News
Illegal campers leave 'unbelievable mess' on southern WA highway
Authorities along Western Australia's south coast are warning of serious financial penalties for roadside dumping after campers left piles of razors, rubbish and an excrement-filled toilet by a highway. A rest stop between the popular tourist towns of Albany and Denmark, about 420 kilometres south of Perth, was left in disarray after the Easter and Anzac Day long weekends. Both communities swell with tourists on holidays and long weekends, infuriating some residents. A portable toilet was left at a rest stop on WA's South Coast Highway. ( ABC Great Southern: Andrew Chounding ) Last year, locals in the Shire of Denmark erected a sign attempting to dissuade holiday-makers staying at a popular tourist town, while last month the City of Albany The moves appear to have pushed some campers away from the towns and into rest areas with fewer amenities. Razors and toilet paper were also found scattered across the rest stop. ( ABC Great Southern: Andrew Chounding ) Those who regularly used rest stops, like WA truck driver Glenn "Yogi" Kendall, said the situation highlighted declining etiquette and courtesy among some road users. "The long and short of it is horrible," he said. "If we pull up at night and we're trying to cook a feed in a barbecue and get stuff out, you're just walking around people's filth because they are just trash," he said. " No-one's got a shovel anymore, no-one goes into the scrub base … it's disgusting. " Glenn "Yogi" Kendall is frustrated by people misusing highway rest stops. ( Supplied: Glenn "Yogi" Kendall ) Mr Kendall said the problem had "skyrocketed" across the country with people dumping at rest stops instead of paying for campsites or tip permits. "It's disgusting that people dump stuff," he said. " It frustrates the crap out of us that people dump their household rubbish in somewhere I've got to stay overnight. " Mayor blames TikTok Albany Mayor Greg Stocks said he did not believe the city's policy of handing out fines and moving on campers had contributed to the problem. "I don't think so, logically you'd say yes, but when we had an issue at the waterfront at Christmas time and we moved people on, they just simply moved," he said. " When you've got TikTok and WikiCamps where people share information really quickly in that network they'll just go somewhere else that's not being policed. " Greg Stocks says people camping at rest stops were doing so illegally. ( ABC Great Southern: Andrew Chounding ) Mr Stocks said people who chose to stay overnight at the rest stops were doing so illegally but rangers had no authority to police the location managed by Main Roads. "It's really clear in the Caravan and Camping Grounds Act [from] 1995, you can't park in parks or you can't camp in public lands, beaches, parks or rest stops," he said. "But that doesn't stop people from doing it. Compliance is the issue in all of this." Dumpers face hefty fines Main Roads's Great Southern regional director Andrew Duffield said the department was trying to address the issue. Andrew Duffield says fines have been handed out to dumping offenders. ( ABC Great Southern: John Dobson ) "Fines are applicable for illegal dumping, and they're fairly significant fines, up to $62,000 for individuals or $125,000 for businesses," he said. Mr Duffield said there was a measurable correlation between illegal dumping and busy holiday periods, but also pointed out that much of the dumping included items from local residents. Cleaning products were also discarded at the site. ( ABC Great Southern: Andrew Chounding ) "People are using those areas as an opportunity to dump household rubbish," he said. " They're [dumping] beds, washing machines, tyres, oil, asbestos, even from time to time household waste. " He said overnight camping or dumping in the rest areas that prevented drivers from using them for their intended purpose could have a flow-on effect to other road users. Food cartons and scraps have been left at the site frequented by overnight campers. ( ABC Great Southern: Andrew Chounding ) "We want people to not drive when they're tired," he said. "We had a horrible Easter-Anzac Day period. We've seen 10 crashes on the network, including three fatalities. "We want people to stop and take a break when they're tired but we don't want people to abuse the rest areas." ABC Great Southern — local news in your inbox Get our local newsletter, delivered free each Thursday Your information is being handled in accordance with the Email address Subscribe
ABC News
28-04-2025
- Automotive
- ABC News
Albany funeral home fabricates truck hearse as vehicle options grow
Funeral home manager Chris Woonings says the use of a non-traditional hearse can be part of providing someone the right service. He said his fully enclosed truck hearse was a world first and could be a fitting farewell. Chris Woonings says the truck is an option for those who want something a bit different. ( ABC Great Southern: Andrew Chounding ) Mr Woonings, who manages a funeral home in Albany, 400 kilometres south east of Perth, said he carried out a funeral with a hire truck, but with the area's inclement weather it became apparent there were changes that needed to be made. "We had a coffin on the back and it rained really bad and the coffin got saturated," he said. "I thought there's got to be a better way to do this and more respectful." 'Show a person's character' Mr Woonings tracked down a 1982 Kenworth and spent 12 months carrying out the fabrication work needed to adapt it for use as a hearse. The truck hearse is a 1982 Kenworth. ( ABC Great Southern: Andrew Chounding ) "It's quite an old truck, it's probably vintage now but it has been given a new life," he said. "All types of people use it whether it's people that are truckies, ex-truckies, farmers or farmers' wives." He said it had been operational for about six months and demand had equalled that of a standard hearse. Chris Woonings decided an enclosed truck hearse was needed. ( ABC Great Southern: Andrew Chounding ) "People still want a bit of respect and a bit of formality, but inside that formality, they still want to show a person's character a little bit more," he said. "I think it's how you remember the funeral that counts. "If you can remember it with them going out in a truck, blowing the air horn, something like that, or the grandkids can remember it, it puts more of a positive light on the funeral." The truck hearse has been operational for about six months. ( ABC Great Southern: Andrew Chounding ) More options for personal funeral Australian Funeral Directors Association WA president Mark McKenzie said variations from the standard hearse were becoming more common. "A lot of the funeral directors are trying to provide a point of difference and to provide options to their clients," Mr McKenzie said. "Whether that's different at the service or just a different way for the coffin to be moved from the funeral home to the church or where the service is being held." Chris Woonings says the use of a motorcycle as hearse is more common. ( ABC Great Southern: Rosemary Murphy ) Mr Woonings has also added a Harley Davidson motorcycle with an enclosed carriage to his fleet. "Once again a unique type of audience," he said. " A lot of people may say, 'I love it, but that's not what my mother was or my father was, because they never rode a bike in their life'. " Modified vehicles In Pambula, south of Sydney, Hammond Conversions creates customised hearses that are sent across the country. Co-owner Kim Hammond said they had worked with a variety of vehicles. "We've got a Jaguar that's just about to go out the door, Fords, Holdens, the Hyundai Palisade is one that we're doing a few of now," she said. A Hyundai Palisade hearse produced by Hammond Conversions in New South Wales. ( Supplied: Kim Hammond ) "What generally happens is a client will send us their vehicle, just their standard vehicle. "We strip it out, we cut it in half, we manufacture all the strengthening, the new panels, all the wiring, all the panel beating, and then all the fit out of the inside." A custom Land Rover was used to transport the coffin of the Duke of Edinburgh at his funeral. ( AP: Steve Parsons ) Prince Philip also used a customised hearse. He helped design the dark green Land Rover hearse that was used for his funeral. The Duke of Edinburgh oversaw the modifications over a period of 18 years, and designed the open-top rear and special stops to secure his coffin in place. ABC Great Southern — local news in your inbox Get our local newsletter, delivered free each Thursday Your information is being handled in accordance with the Email address Subscribe
ABC News
24-04-2025
- ABC News
Big tech urged to update nav apps to refer to road workers rather than just roadworks
A West Australian local government has issued a plea for drivers to slow down when going through roadworks out of concern for the safety of their workers. The Shire of West Arthur, south of Perth, covers an area of about 2,850 square kilometres. Shire president Neil Morrell said they were seeing more frequent incidents of people ignoring reduced speed limits. West Arthur shire president Neil Morrell says he's heard from other local governments having similar issues. ( ABC News: Amelia Searson ) "We've had one of our graders hit by a light truck recently due to the fact that [the driver] didn't slow down," he said. " We really just want our workers to be able to go to work without danger and then go home to their families. " Mr Morrell said the incidents were not isolated to his area. "At an inter-shire meeting the other week, we brought this topic up and other [shire] CEOs and presidents said they've all got the same issue," he said. " We've got roadworks signs and everything like that, but people are just ignoring those. " Nearly half of those who participated in the recent national traffic controller safety survey reported weekly near misses. ( ABC Great Southern: Andrew Chounding ) 'Deserve to be safe' The 2024 National Traffic Controller Safety Survey collected responses from more than 1,500 traffic controllers across Australia. The survey found more than half had encountered vehicles that failed to stop at traffic control sites at least once a week, and 44 per cent reported near misses with speeding vehicles in the previous 12 months. In January, a traffic controller was killed on the Western Highway in Victoria. It is believed he was packing up road signage when he was struck by a passing truck. Police Minister Reece Whitby says workers have the right to feel safe while doing their job. ( ABC News: Rosemary Murphy ) WA Police Minister Reece Whitby said motorists needed to obey all posted speed limits. "Our road workers are exposed," he said. "If you've got someone who ignores those speed reductions and goes past at 100kph when they are on the edge of a road, it can be quite frightening for them and it's plainly dangerous. "Obey the law because it's not just you you're putting at risk on a road that might be under construction or having works on it … it's also the lives of those workers who are just doing their job that deserve to be safe." Mandatory not advisory Traffic Management Association of Australia (TMAA) chief executive Matthew Bereni said speed limits for roadworks were mandatory, not advisory. He said, as part of efforts to improve safety for workers, they had started a petition calling for the messaging alerts on navigation apps for roadworks to be altered from ''roadworks ahead' to include messaging about the workers. The TMAA wants alerts on navigation systems for roadworks. ( ABC Great Southern: Andrew Chounding ) "We are asking for those big technology companies to refer to people, and in particular we want them to say 'slow down for road workers'," Mr Bereni said. "The rationale for that is when we start talking about road workers we are talking about people, we are talking about individuals who have families and who have a right to go home safe at the end of the day. "This is why we want those big companies to start referring to road workers as opposed to just roadworks." ABC Great Southern — local news in your inbox Get our local newsletter, delivered free each Thursday Your information is being handled in accordance with the Email address Subscribe
