FREMANTLE Ho ERALD Volume 32 N 17 Your local, INDEPENDENT newspaper 41 Cliff Street, Fremantle Saturday April 24, 2021 Letterboxed: East Fremantle, Fremantle, North Fremantle, Ph: 9430 7727 Fax 9430 7726 www.fremantleherald.com Street Press: Beaconsfield, Hilton, O’Connor, Samson, Sth Beach (North Coogee) and Sth Fremantle Email: [email protected] the Cockburn War Memorial by STEVE GRANT after the local RSL’s mid- morning service. THE largely unheralded The release was the contribution of pigeons brainchild of Yangebup bird in saving Allied lives fancier Robert Sheehy, who Winged during the two world became fascinated by the wars will be recognised pigeons’ wartime service in Fremantle and after taking up the sport two Cockburn for the first years ago and discovering a time this Anzac Day. reference in a pigeon racing book. The Amalgamated “And when I read that Melville Homing Club book, I thought about the will be releasing hundreds warriors people saying they are rats of pigeons at South Mole with wings, that they shit in Fremantle after the everywhere, and I think Anzac Dawn Service on they should get a bit more Monument Hill, and later at respect,” Mr Sheehy said. Homing pigeons were used to get their carry messages by both sides of the conflict, particularly during World War I when telegraph cables were easily cut and wireless radio messages simple to parade intercept. Mr Sheehy says that put the birds high on the Germans’ most-wanted list. “In Europe the Germans used to go into the towns looking for them, to knock ‘em off, and in northern France they helped to save a lot of American lives.” In fact, one particular pigeon, Cher Ami, was awarded the French Croix de Guerre with palm for his heroism delivering 12 important messages across the Western Front. • Continued page 5 • Pigeon racer Robert Sheehy and Willagee MP Peter Tinley, an SAS veteran who’s thrown his support behind the recognition of pigeon’s role in fighting for the Allies during both world wars. Photo by Steve Grant by STEVE GRANT accompanied her elderly nurses told her they’d have mother for her jab. to dump unused vaccines PRECIOUS stocks of The White Gum Valley because they couldn’t be AstraZeneca vaccine resident, who didn’t want stored once opened. Hospital bins were thrown out from to be identified for fear of “We got there at 11.20am a Fremantle Hospital her mother’s second needle and there was virtually no clinic when there weren’t being jeopardised, says one else there, just one lady enough people booked that given shortages of the who’d had her vaccine and in for appointments, vaccine across the country, another gentleman who was she was shocked when booked in at 11.45,” the Covid vaccine says a woman who • Continued page 3 LEST WE FORGET. This year the ability to again commemorate ANZAC Day by gathering together will feel special. We will remember and honour those who suffered through their service and sacrifice as Australian Defence Force personnel and peacekeepers. We will reflect on the importance of community, compassion, solidarity, and peace. Contact: (08) 9335 8555 [email protected] Authorised by J Wilson, Australian Labor Party, 135 High St Mall, Fremantle WA 6160. PHONE 9527 6822 FOR ALL REAL ESTATE CONVEYANCING – anywhere in WA - Our services include: • When buying or selling a property • Private sales & family transactions • Changing or adding a name on title • Court order separation transfers • Subdivision applications • Amend/transfer title from the passing of an owner • Landgate enquiries & searches We can assist private sellers/buyers in preparing the Offer & Acceptance contract A family business since 1977 with Father/Daughter Duo Kim McDonald & Sarah Mahony LET THEIR EXPERTISE BENEFIT YOU 173 Parkin Street, Rockingham P (08) 9527 6822 • F (08) 9527 8368 • E [email protected] www.safetybaysetts.com.au Page 2 - The Herald, Saturday April 24, 2021 www.fremantleherald.com Vaccines binned One-stop shop for Mum • From page 1 woman told the Herald. Healthcare workers shun “The lady at the clinic said each vaccine had 10 doses, and they had to be used by 6pm, but vaccine over blood clots with nobody else booked in they were going to close up and throw it in the bin.” Concerned about the waste of the vaccine, she offered to promote the clinic amongst friends who work in health services or were old enough to meet the federal government’s criteria for Covid immunisation. Encouraged by the nurses she put up a Facebook post, but her contacts immediately started reporting that Fremantle Hospital was no longer coming up as an option. Your local bookstore has a gift for everyone When they contacted the hospital itself, they were told • Fremantle Hospital. the vaccinations would only be made available to healthcare She came back a short time later coming,” Mr Hazzard said. workers. confirming she’d be the point of “I must have been the only contact. GP knock-backs Local Government Act 1995 one who got that little window In the end the email came Mother's Day Campaign Print.indd 1 8/2/21 11:54 am when you could book in without directly from head office, but While vaccines might be being a healthcare worker,” after almost two days of waiting going begging in the health she said, although she said the the unattributed comment system, the Herald has heard gentleman who followed her wasn’t very enlightening. reports that some GP clinics mother was clearly retirement “While this query was are so under the pump they’re age. referred to the SMHS, WA refusing to vaccinate people who The Herald didn’t have much Health has also continued to aren’t already on their books. luck getting information from the follow-up your first enquiry One Coogee woman in her Health Department about what today and cannot establish the 80s and suffering diabetes and NOTICE OF INTENTION TO IMPOSE happened. veracity of the claim presented,” asthma, tried to book into a new Initially a spokesperson from was all they could muster. GP clinic because her regular DIFFERENTIAL RATES the department’s Covid team NSW health minister Brad doctor wasn’t able to comply at head office said to contact Hazzard revealed on Thursday with storage requirements for the South Metropolitan Health that there’d be a “fairly the vaccine and wasn’t included Service which runs Fremantle dramatic” … “70 to 80 per cent” in the roll-out. However, The Town of East Fremantle is in the process of fi nalising the 2021/22 Hospital. drop in his state’s health workers when she turned up for her annual budget. In accordance with Section 6.36 of the Local Government appointment, was left frustrated SMHS’s media representative turning up to vaccination Act 1995, the Town invites public submissions in respect of the intention said they’d been told only head appointments amidst fears because they were only offering office could deal with Covid- of blood clots linked to the vaccinations to existing clients to Levy Differential General Rates and Minimum Payments. related enquiries, but offered AstraZeneca vaccine. because they only had limited to clarify who was responsible. “They’re cancelling or not supply. The overall objective of the proposed rates in the 2021/22 Budget is to provide for the net funding requirements of the Town’s services, activities, fi nancing costs, and the current and future capital requirements of the Town, after taking into account all other forms of revenue. Police break up picket The following are the proposed Differential General Rates and Minimum Payments for the 2021/22 fi nancial year. by SOPHIE MANNERS CFMEU organiser Michelle decaying and the parks are Residential (GRV) 7.6006 cents in the dollar Sheehy said the unionists were falling in to disrepair,” she wrote A STRIKE by City of trying to see CEO Philip St John on a Facebook post. Commercial (GRV) 11.3196 cents in the dollar Fremantle depot workers after not getting a response to The union’s members look escalated on Friday when their latest correspondence. after the city’s sanitation, Minimum (Residential) $1132 “It was not long ago that we rubbish collection and parks and police were called in to Minimum (Commercial) $1693 break up a picket outside knew the City of Fremantle as a building maintenance. progressive and compassionate The council didn’t answer the council‚Äôs offices at employer,” Ms Sheehy said. questions on any maintenance A statement of the Rating Objects and Reasons has been prepared and Fremantle Oval. “The current management backlog, but repeated that the is available to view on the Town’s website www.eastfremantle.wa.gov.au Around 60 members of the have taken a very hostile disputed clause 19.3.2 of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, approach to their employees and workplace agreement was Submissions are invited from any elector or ratepayer with respect to the Mining and Energy Union are they are all disappointed.” simply a carry-over from the proposed rates, and any related matter, within 21 days of the date of this in a protracted dispute over a But the statement from the previous agreement which had clause in their work contracts council said the CFMEU were been voted on and accepted by notice. They should be clearly marked ‘Submission – 2021/22 Differential allowing the council to stand politely asked several times to the workers. Rates’ and emailed to [email protected] or received by them down in hard times. move away from the door. The council “will continue the CEO, Town of East Fremantle, PO Box 1097, FREMANTLE WA The council, which has been Ms Sheehy says while the to negotiate in good faith in the 6959, by Friday, 21 May 2021.