CWA wins fight to stay put

THE DANDENONG branch of the Country Women’s Association (CWA) has been told it can continue to meet in its hall following the group’s backlash to relocation plans by Greater Dandenong Council.
As revealed in Star earlier this month, the Dandenong CWA had vowed to fight a decision by council to evict it from the Palm Plaza Reception where it has met for 40 years.
Council was planning to relocate the group to the Dandenong Senior Citizens Club in Langhorne Street.
Its members claimed the exercise was to cut-costs and was an insult to both CWA and the senior citizens groups.
“They think we are all old people and they can throw us in together,” Ms Hester said at the time.
But following this week’s council meeting, Dandenong Ward councillor Jim Memeti told Star the CWA did not have to move.
“We are not going to force them to move. But we are going to show them different locations and they should have a look, because they might find something better,” he said.
But Dandenong CWA treasurer Marilyn Hester said the group had no plans to move.
However, she said the latest decision not to force the group to move proved council was ‘finally starting to listen’.
“Finally, they have also discovered their information on the CWA and senior citizens has been incorrect.”