Hague appeal
Lawyers plan to appeal a murder conviction for Geelong’s Karl Michael Hague over the stabbing death of 16-year-old Ricky Balcombe in the city’s mall 23 years ago.
A Victorian Supreme Court jury found Hague guilty on Monday after prosecutors accused him of stabbing Balcombe as payback for damaging Hague’s car during a gang fight.
Waste ‘crisis’
Geelong ratepayers have paid State Government almost $35 million for a waste levy without seeing any of the money spent on alleviating Victoria’s recycling industry crisis, according to City Hall.
Council this week called on the government to “better support” the industry as it dealt with a building backlog of waste after China placed restrictions on imports of recycling materials.
Energy rising
Geelong manufacturers struggling with rising energy prices face more pain as new figures show further increases of 13 per cent.
Australian Bureau of Statistics confirmed the increases across electricity, gas and other fuels after Geelong Manufacturing Council revealed to the Indy earlier this month that members were sweating on price relief under the Turnbull Government’s National Energy Guarantee.
Council building
Geelong’s council has agreed “in principle” to consolidate its offices in a new Mercer Street building previously estimated to cost around $100 million.
The proposed building, opposite Geelong Police Station, would “unify the organisation, increase efficiencies and productivity, and release surplus assets for other economic uses”, Mayor Bruce Harwood said.
Obese ‘thief’
Police are hunting an “obese woman” who bought soft drinks during a spending spree with a stolen credit card at Grovedale.
The woman used the card twice at a Heyers Road supermarket before using it again the same day at a shop on Burdoo Drive, police alleged.
Chamber loss
An “abnormal item” related to non-financial memberships has contributed to Geelong Chamber of Commerce posting a $205,000 loss, according to outgoing president Kylie Warne.
The chamber tried to “engage” the exiting members but eventually wrote-off the monies previously thought owed for memberships, Ms Warne told her final annual general meeting as board leader.
Tolls rejected
State Government must “urgently” fund Great Ocean Road tourism infrastructure while rejecting suggestions of tolls, according to a federal MP.
The government must include funding in the budget because councils had struggled with the road’s infrastructure costs “for too long”, said Member for Corangamite Sarah Henderson.
