PHOEBE DOYLE looks back at the events and issues from September in The Guardian’s in Review series
Friday, September 23
– The town of Ultima gathered to rededicate its war memorial to mark its 100 birthday. The Light Horsemen led three clergymen from the town hall to the cenotaph in the moving opening ceremony, before a blessing of the memorial ground and the laying of wreaths around the monument.
– After months of uncertainty, Mallee District Aboriginal Services (MDAS) and chief executive Jacki Turfrey decided to part ways. Ms Turfrey had been on indefinite unplanned leave since May. Bendigo-based Dallas Widdicombe was appointed to the position of acting chief executive.
Tuesday, September 27
– Buloke Shire Council appointed Hannah Yu as its new director of infrastructure and delivery. Ms Yu had already been a senior leader at the Buloke Shire for many years, being appointed as director of corporate services in 2017 after playing a “pivotal” role in the human resources department since beginning at Buloke in 2007.
– Beverford’s national darts champion Justin Thompson was inducted into the Australian Darts Hall of Fame. With an Australian championship already under his belt, Thompson told The Guardian that for Australian darts players, this recognition was the peak of the sport.
Friday, September 30
– Swan Hill’s September rainfall record was one of the highest ever, with the Swan Hill aerodrome recording 90.6mm of rain for the month. This was higher than the previous September record of 89mm in 2016 during the 25 years since the weather station opened, but just shy of the all-time record of 91mm recorded in 1992 at the Swan Hill Post Office where record-keeping began in 1884.
– Murray MP Helen Dalton called out an unidentified male MP who said “he should have got up and clocked her” during a debate regarding floodplain harvesting in NSW parliament. Ms Dalton said that whole she had received many barbs in her three-and-a-half years in parliament, some of the comments made during that particular debate were the worst she had experienced, and she was seeking an apology.
