Perth Voice Interactive

STROKES can affect anyone; a fact all too well known to North Perth resident Marissa Iaconi.

Both Ms Iaconi’s parents suffered strokes, and having seen what they went through and knowing the battles many people will face, she’s naturally concerned for her own health.

“I used to think I’m invincible but I’m actually not – none of us are”, she says. 

Starting on November 1 she will be heading to her local parks and streets as part of Stride4Stroke, a fundraiser for The Stroke Foundation. Her goal is to walk 50 kilometres in one month.

Ms Iaconi says Stride4Stroke is just one way she’s taking better care of her health. 

She is also doing the Heart Foundation walk this month (another 50ks) and has been watching for “hidden sugars” in her diet.

Being diagnosed with hypertension and high blood pressure has been an “eye opener”, Ms Iaconi says.

Stroke is one of Australia’s biggest killers and a leading cause of disability.

Ms Iaconi’s father had one of the more severe cases. He was injured in a bus crash 20 years ago and suffered a stroke in hospital following the incident, dying shortly afterwards.

Her mother’s stroke was considered “minor” 30 years ago and Ms Iaconi says she recovered quickly.

“She still thinks that she has some lacking of memory here or there, but that could just be from her age now,” Ms Iaconi said.

Although Ms Iaconi is keeping her fundraising between family and friends, she wants to get the message out about looking after yourself to ward off a stroke, but also be aware of the symptoms so people know what to do if someone around them suffers from one.

by ALEX MURFETT

RETIRED Bayswater councillor Chris Cornish has delivered a post-council report on the $8210 graduate diploma units he billed the city for.

After two terms Mr Cornish decided not to contest the October 19 election, but a month before leaving he was reimbursed for four units of a Graduate Diploma of Applied Corporate Governance he studied between 2016 and 2018.

Mr Cornish told the Voice the study “serves no personal benefit to me” and helped in his role as chair of the audit and risk committee.

“The [chair’s] position can either be wasted by having someone with little understanding and who acts simply as a rubber stamp for the administration, or someone who will enquire, investigate and initiate,” he said in the report.

Mr Cornish has urged his replacement to also undertake study.

Bayswater policy requires councillors to report back to the next council meeting after a training event on why they went and how it.

Since Mr Cornish was only reimbursed late, it got shunted to the October 29 meeting.

Benefit

Bayswater councillors get $15,000 during their four-year term for conferences or training that will “assist them in fulfilling their role or otherwise benefit the Bayswater district community”.

But getting tertiary qualifications though allowances has been controversial at other councils around the country.

In 2018 Gold Coast city council banned reimbursement for any tertiary studies that were eligible for HECS or HELP loans, after a councillor claimed part of his business degree as an expense.

In Victoria in 2015, Darebin council came under the scrutiny of the state government after mayor Steven Tsitas claimed $16,575 for his Masters in Industrial Relations and Human Resource Management.

A municipal monitor’s report tabled in parliament said training should relate to “their role as councillor” and Mr Tsitas’ qualification would have been more relevant to someone within the council’s admin. 

McGowan government changes brought in this year require all councillors to undertake five short training courses for a total of six days’ training either in person or online. 

Mr Cornish says he hopes it is “sufficiently detailed, rather than just being a pointless waste of everyone’s time”.

At the October 29 meeting mayor Dan Bull acknowledged Mr Cornish as being the driver behind halving the amount councillors could spend on conferences, training and travel (they used to get $15,000 every two years before he proposed it be spread across four years). 

Other hefty training bills have included former councillor Brent Fleeton’s $7325 Australian Institute of Company Director’s course in 2017, and Cr Catherine Ehrhardt’s $3542 certificate from the same organisation, which has two classes still to come. 

Cr Ehrhardt had booked that course before the election, and pledged to repay the money if she didn’t win another term (she was returned with 70.84 per cent of the vote).

by DAVID BELL

HISTORY was made last Saturday (October 19) when Mark Irwin became Stirling’s first popularly-elected mayor.

Mr Irwin was re-elected as mayor with 39.20 per cent of the vote. Councillor Elizabeth Re came second with 23.08 per cent.

Mr Irwin says getting light rail on Scarborough Beach Road is still a top priority.

“We will continue with our number one priority – the Stirling City Centre – and lobby for funding of the trackless tram/light rail for Scarborough Beach Road,” he says.

“The next four years will be a very exciting time for the city in terms of large infrastructure projects such as the Stephenson Avenue extension, completion of Karrinyup Shopping Centre and the Westfield Stirling redevelopment.

“It is vital that we support and develop thriving and vibrant local centres across the whole city, as well as working towards a better integrated transport strategy for Stirling residents.”

But those residents didn’t seem too enthusiastic about their first chance to choose a mayor, with turnout a measly 26 per cent – down six per cent from the 2017 election.

Last Tuesday, Inglewood councillor Bianca Sandri was voted in as deputy mayor by her colleagues.

by STEPHEN POLLOCK

LISA SCAFFIDI’S three-term run as lord mayor of Perth quietly ended on October 19.

With the council currently suspended there was no election, but Ms Scaffidi had officially held the lord mayor’s title until Saturday.

Serving a total of 20 years on Perth council, Ms Scaffidi’s 12 years in the top job is second-longest after predecessor Peter Nattrass, who wore the chains from 1995 to 2007. A change in election dates during his reign gave him a couple of extra months over Ms Scaffidi.

Saturday was also the final date for councillors Jim Adamos, Jemma Green and Lily Chen.

Steve Hasluck, James Limnios, Lexi Barton and Reece Harley retain their titles as councillors until 2021 unless the inquiry recommends they be dismissed, and the local government minister agrees.

Ms Scaffidi has indicated she won’t be standing for public office again.

HALLOWEEN on Angove Street is back this Thursday October 31.

Town team North Perth Local are filling the street with pumpkins, black cats and ghouls for a free family eve of tunes and trick or treating.

This year the North Perth Town Hall will be transformed into the “Hall of Shadows”, with an interactive horror experience where participants learn of two angry spirits who reside in the foundations who’ve been woken by recent construction work.

The spirits are feuding and participants in the hour-long tale have to choose which one has to find a new haunt (aimed at 12 to 16 year olds, free but register via the “Hall of Shadows” Facebook page).

The Halloween fun runs between Woodville Street and Fitzgerald Street from 4.30-8pm.

IT was a close race for the two vacancies in Vincent’s south ward during Saturday’s council elections.

While incumbent Susan Gontaszewski was returned relatively safely with a 167-vote margin, newcomer Ashley Wallace narrowly pipped Joshua O’Keefe by 69 votes to take second place.

Full results:

• Susan Gontaszewski: 1430 votes (24.6 per cent of the vote);

• Ashley Wallace: 1263 (21.73 per cent);

• Joshua O’Keefe: 1194 (20.53 per cent);

• Adina Lieblich: 1053 (18.12 per cent);

• David McDermont: 451 (7.76 per cent);

• Peter Le: 421 (7.24 per cent).

Total turnout was a pretty small 24.61 per cent (the statewide average is projected to be 28.5 per cent), down from around 27.7 per cent in 2017.

This election saw Ros Harley retiring after eight years, and Jimmy Murphy after four.

The mayor is still Emma Cole as there were no other candidates.

North Ward also avoided a contest, with two candidates for two seats, which saw Dan Loden returning and joined by new councillor Sally Smith.

by DAVID BELL