WTF: Anti-war group claim ‘warheads’ left at AMDA office
Was the bomb squad called in after a pack of lollies were handed to staff at the office of the organisers of the Avalon Airshow?
Geelong
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NOT THAT KIND OF WARHEAD
Did the bomb squad scurry into action after some lollies were handed to staff responsible for organising the Avalon Airshow?
That’s what anti-war group Disrupt Wars claimed in an Instagram post recently.
The bomb squad was called to the headquarters of Aerospace Maritime Defence Australia (AMDA), organisers of the airshow, after a suspicious package was dropped off at reception last month.
“One comrade held a pack of lollies. The comrade said ‘delivery for AMDA’. An AMDA staff member took the pack of lollies (no share),” the post read.
“The comrade offered a gold coin donation to support AMDA’s charitable work. She even offered to volunteer.”
According to the group, the two were kicked out of the building quickly, before police were called.
“Admittedly, the lollies were Warheads,” the post read.
“They are very sour. But not as sour as pretending to be a charity while promoting arms dealers.”
AMDA, which was contacted for comment, is listed as a charity on the federal government’s official Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission website.
As for the two “comrades” who made the delivery?
They were charged with intending to cause a bomb hoax and trespassing, and have been bailed to appear at Geelong Magistrates Court on April 22.
QUEENSCLIFFE COUP
Could City Hall be in the early stages of conducting a coup against its much smaller neighbour?
A recent Addy story detailing how the Borough of Queenscliffe managed to avoid Victoria’s local government amalgamations in the early 1990s has got tongues wagging.
Geelong mayor Stretch Kontelj has proposed a potential review of a situation that sees the Borough bureaucracy cater for just a few thousand people – or roughly a quarter the population of just one City of Greater Geelong council ward.
Commenting on an online post promoting the article, Mr Kontelj – perhaps seriously, perhaps cheekily – wrote: “In the case of Queenscliffe, maybe it’s time for a review?”
Adding to the intrigue, his comment comes a month after he and Queenscliffe councillor Donnie Grigau were pictured sitting next to each other at the Cats’ season opener against Fremantle.
Surf Coast councillor Adrian Schonfelder also weighed in, calling for the state government to step in.
“State government should conduct a review of local government in the region and consider Geelong council north of the Barwon river including Golden Plains and the Borough of Queenscliffe and Barrabool council south of the Barwon river including the southern parts of Geelong and Surf Coast,” he wrote.
Upon her election as mayor in November, Di Rule – a Liberal Party member like Mr Kontelj and Mr Grigau – said the Borough’s biggest challenge “was to remain relevant and independent, not overtaken by any neighbouring councils”.
Watch this space.
NOTHING TO SEE HERE
Beady eyed residents in Rippleside are becoming increasingly suspicious of a dodgy-looking waste pile that popped close to an under-construction playground.
Scheduled to open in mid-2025, the new play space replaces the much loved wooden castle adventure playground built back in 2001.
But as construction progresses on its replacement, a mysterious mound of unknown origins has also taken shape.
While the random pile of debris at a construction site might not seem too out of the ordinary, its concealment beneath a giant plastic sheet pinned down by boulders has highly strung locals fearing the worst.
Under current state guidelines, hazardous debris like asbestos is to be covered with “heavy duty builders plastic,” which is exactly what happened to the pile in Rippleside.
“Avoid contaminating the soil by covering the ground and vegetation with heavy-duty plastic sheeting to catch dust, debris and offcuts,” reads one manual from Asbestos Victoria.
So are local right to be worried? City of Geelong infrastructure executive James Stirton confirmed their concerns were justified, but that the threat is well and truly gone by now. “Our contractor is following a Soil Management Plan to manage existing contaminated soils,” he said.
“All known asbestos has been removed from the site and the City has obtained the proper clearance certificates,” he added.
Mr Stirton also confirmed existing materials onsite had been tested by a licenced hygienist and confirmed as fill material.
Breathe easy Rippleside!
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Originally published as WTF: Anti-war group claim ‘warheads’ left at AMDA office
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