The Local

12-10-2024

In every community around the country there are a multitude of stories to be told. So many of those tales are ones of diaspora, of individuals and families from all backgrounds fleeing poverty, war and social upheaval and creating a new life.

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Get your creative on, Gisborne writing and illustration challenge

09-01-2023

Gisborne Library and the Gisborne Gazette are calling for entries into the Gisborne Writing and Illustration Challenge.

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Take a tilt at the Mulga Bill Writing Award

09-01-2023

The Goldfields Libraries and Eaglehawk Festivals Inc. are calling for entries from writers all over Australia for the annual Mulga Bill Writing Award.

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Cafs needs your help this Christmas

09-11-2022

This Christmas the need for support across the Central Highlands has never been greater and Cafs (Child and Family Services) is working harder than ever to support families in need.

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Mwerre products on sale at Opera House

15-10-2022

IT WAS probably a bit of a “pinch me” moment. Liz Liddle had been running a soap making/bath products business for about five years when she saw a callout for Uncovered at the Sydney Opera House.

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Just sayin’…

27-01-2022

THIS edition is all about looking back so I thought I would take a stroll down memory lane, to my "born and bred" town of Frankston.

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Glen, about the house

18-01-2022

Last issue I mentioned that succulent plants weren’t just a group of weird little sun-loving plants that stored water on their swollen stems, leaves and sometimes, roots.

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One million fish bound for Lake Eppalock

31-12-2021

Recreational anglers will soon have one million chances to reel in a fish at Lake Eppalock with a record stocking for the waterway in the coming months.

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Recreational fishing tourism strategy

30-12-2021

The State Government has released its Victorian Recreational Fishing Tourism Strategy showcasing the diverse, year-round fishing opportunities on offer across the state.

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Victorian Landcare awards

28-12-2021

Victoria’s dedicated Landcare and environmental volunteering champions were celebrated at the 2021 Victorian Landcare Awards ceremony for their outstanding work in caring for the state’s environment and biodiversity.

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Bold vision for boating investment

28-12-2021

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New heights to attract tourists

28-12-2021

The State Government is transforming Bacchus Marsh into a bigger, better and more accessible location for visitors with the development of a destination park and new trail.

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Shire Hall returns to former Glory

25-12-2021

The eight month restoration of the historic Kyneton Shire Hall, funded jointly by the Federal Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure program and Macedon Ranges Shire Council is set to be completed in December.

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BASKETBALL BONANZA

17-12-2021

More basketball games are bouncing into regional Victoria in January 2022 as part of a festival of women’s basketball, with seven additional WNBL fixtures confirmed for Ballarat and Traralgon.

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Responding locally to climate change

17-12-2021

The Victorian Government is empowering the Macedon electorate to prepare and adapt to the impacts of climate change following the development of a new community-led adaptation strategy.

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BRIGHT FUTURE FOR SOCIAL HOUSING IN BALLARAT

16-12-2021

More Victorians will have a place to call home thanks to the State Government’s social housing investment in the Ballarat and wider Grampians area.

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Ballarat Health Services partner project receives $9 million research project grant

16-12-2021

Ballarat Health Services will deliver enhanced healthcare at home for older people in rural and regional Western Victoria through a project in partnership with the Western Alliance Academic Health Science Centre (Western Alliance).

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Money with Matt – Negative gearing is a positive thing. Yeah?

15-12-2021

Negative gearing – “the practice of investing borrowed money in such a way as to result in a loss that can be claimed as a tax deduction”

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Top tips for a safe home

15-12-2001

MOST burglaries are committed by amateur burglars looking for an easy target.

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Pathway to sustainability

15-12-2001

A LANDMARK new plan sets out a practical pathway for transforming Australian homes.

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Being prepared the key to summer safety

09-12-2021

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Bushfire support

07-12-2021

BEYOND Blue, Australia’s largest mental health organisation, has a dedicated service to help people manage the stresses and apprehension before, during and after the bushfire season.

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Launch of the Grampians Community Power Hub

26-11-2021

The Grampians Community Power Hub, led by BREAZE Inc, was officially launched on Friday bringing together community members, those working on the hub and the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Lily D’Ambrosio.

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Hepburn Hub project scrapped, Rex for sale

05-12-2021

THE controversial Hepburn Hub at The Rex project has been scrapped.

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ELECTIVE SURGERY INCREASES FOR REGIONAL AND PRIVATE HOSPITALS

02-12-2021

Public hospitals in Ballarat, Bendigo, Shepparton and the Latrobe Valley can resume up to 50 per cent of normal elective surgery from Monday 29 November, as Victoria continues to safely manage COVID-19 hospital admissions.

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Six-month anniversary storm recovery session

28-11-2021

Macedon Ranges Shire Council invites residents to join Dr Rob Gordon for a lunchtime webinar reflecting on the six months since the 9 June storm, and the reactions that people may still be experiencing.

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Landmark changes improving access to life saving cervical screenings

25-11-2021

As we mark the start of Cervical Cancer Awareness Week, the Morrison Government is ensuring all people eligible for a cervical screening test will be able to collect their own sample from 1 July 2022.

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Megan and Tom excited to take on The Guilly

22-11-2021

THERE is a real vibe happening at Guildford. And driving around you get the feeling it’s about to boom.

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Help shape the future of biosecurity in Victoria

22-11-2021

Victorians are being called on to take the lead in strengthening their state’s biosecurity system by nominating to join Victoria’s Biosecurity Reference Group.

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AWARD WINNING WORK IN VICTORIAN BIOSECURITY

21-11-2021

Agriculture Victoria has been recognised at the 2021 Australian Biosecurity Awards for its outstanding work in biosecurity.

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New financial counselling support for storm affected residents

20-11-2021

Macedon Ranges Shire Council has welcomed the announcement from Bushfire Recovery Victoria of a Storm and Flood Financial Counselling Program.

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Feedback sought on Nature Strip Landscaping Policy

Macedon Ranges Shire Council is reviewing its Nature Strip Landscaping Policy and seeking your feedback.

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WORLD-CLASS TAFE PRECINCT UNVEILED IN THE HEART OF BENDIGO

The State Government’s huge redevelopment of Bendigo TAFE has been unveiled, giving local jobseekers in the growing regional city more opportunities to get the skills they need for the jobs of the future.

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Lockdown pests, weeds and diseases this harvest

The pandemic has taught people more about biosecurity with measures such as movement restrictions, contact tracing, and proof of vaccination to reduce the transmission of the virus.

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RECOGNISING VICTORIA’S OUTSTANDING SENIORS

17-11-2021

Ballarat dementia advocate Anne Tudor OAM has received the 2021 Premier’s Award for Victorian Senior of the Year for her tireless work campaigning for dementia awareness and inclusive aged care services for the LGBTIQ+ community.

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MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR

14-11-2021

This month marks a year since the new Council was sworn in.

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Stories of the Storm

14-11-2021

SANDY Scheltema's Stories of the Storm series is supported by Hepburn Shire Council, Trentham & Districts Community Bank and the Trentham Lions Club. The series showcases stories of courage, tenacity, bravery and resilience within the community from people who experienced the terrifying storm of June 10, 2021.

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Power lines jeopardise World Heritage bid

13-11-2021

Power lines jeopardise World Heritage bid

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CresFest 2022 will be a joyful celebration of music and dance

13-11-2021

CresFest 2022 will be a joyful celebration of music and dance

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Hepburn Shire Council has begun distributing free firewood

13-11-2021

Hepburn Shire Council has begun distributing free firewood

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Macedon Ranges Shire Council is hosting free online training

13-11-2021

Macedon Ranges Shire Council is hosting free online training

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The 2021 Macedon Ranges Youth Award winners have been announced.

12-11-2021

They are Willpower – Lara Vicente, Nicely played – Hugo Lobb, Good deeds – Siena Payne, Skilling it – Gisborne Family Dental trainee dental nurses: Melanie Horvath, Lorissa Koleceg and Abbey Raynor, Well aware – Molly Consiglio and Pure imagination – Mount Players Youth Theatre Leadership Group. The awards are available to watch on Macedon Ranges Youth Facebook and council’s website at mrsc.vic.gov.au/youth

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The Good Grub Club: Sharing food and love

12-11-2021

WE MIGHT be seen as the wellness, spa and foodie capital of Victoria, but behind closed doors many people continue to be supported each week thanks to the efforts of Daylesford's Good Grub Club volunteers and community support.

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Kate Taylor imagines no more disability tropes

12-11-2021

IMAGINE there’s no disability tropes. I wonder if you can.

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Hepburn House residents out and about

11-11-2021

IF YOU think it's been a long 20 months or so, put yourself in the shoes of the residents of Hepburn House.

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Toys and vouchers needed for Christmas

11-11-2021

EVERY year Hepburn Regional Community Cheer collects toys and gift vouchers to make sure every child receives a toy for Christmas.

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Flowers of joy

08-11-2021

THE shopfronts of Daylesford and surrounds will come alive later this month with 120 beautiful floral installations designed to celebrate spring and move towards a better future.

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Celebrating five years at STIHL Shop Daylesford

08-11-2021

AS A youngster Dave Osborn would spend time with his grandfather who was in the logging trade. He learnt how to use a chainsaw and a passion for power garden tools, and particularly the STIHL brand, started to grow.

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Daylesford Bowling Club holds open day

DAYLESFORD Bowling Club held its open day for the 2021/2022 season on Saturday, November 6.

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More footage from June 2021 storm-affected properties

03-11-2021

Over the past few months, Bushfire Recovery Victoria has been capturing video footage from June 2021 storm-affected properties which have registered with BRV’s clean-up program. They include Diana and Shane who took over the Jubilee Lake Caravan Park just two months earlier.

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footage from June 2021 storm-affected properties

03-11-2021

Over the past few months, Bushfire Recovery Victoria has been capturing video footage from June 2021 storm-affected properties which have registered with BRV’s clean-up program. They include Central Highland local Paul Ulrik.

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Building new regional homes

25-10-2021

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Just sayin’… By Donna Kelly

YOU will find it hard to believe but I get annoyed at times. Yep, kind, placid me. If you really want proof, just ask Kyle. Maybe don't.

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Take a bow, young writers and dreamers

THIS is the second in The Local's series of primary students tackling the topic My Dream and secondary students on The Stranger for the Words in Winter festival.

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Take a bow, young writers and dreamers

THIS is the second in The Local's series of primary students tackling the topic My Dream and secondary students on The Stranger for the Words in Winter festival.

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Take a bow, young writers and dreamers

The Stranger for the Words in Winter festival.

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Sports boost

HE Trentham Sportsground Reserve Pavilion has been given a $2M funding boost from the second round of the state government's Community Sports Infrastructure Stimulus Program.

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Joe Camilleri: Country life, music and gardens

HE IS one of Australia’s favourite rockers, an ARIA Hall of Famer and together with The Black Sorrows he’s sold more than two million albums.

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Japanese artists’ connection with Trentham

VISUAL artists Akiko Nagino and Takahiko Sugawara met in 2006 and they are still together, travelling and making works. Growing up in Tōhoku the remote and scenic north east region of Honshu, Japan's largest island, they both completed studies at Tōhoku University of Art and Design in the city of Yamagata.

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GDTA guidebook for walks and bike rides

MOST people heading out into the bush for a walk or a mountain bike ride don’t have all day, so the Great Dividing Trail Association has produced a new guidebook, consisting of walks and bike rides within the Daylesford region, all short enough to complete in four hours.

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Supporting events for young Victorians

The Victorian Government is providing a significant funding boost for youth programs, offering more opportunities for young people to reconnect with their community as pandemic restrictions ease.

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Tutor program to continue

The Victorian Government will make sure that not one school student is left behind in the wake of the pandemic, with the state’s extraordinarily successful tutor program to continue until the end of 2022.

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New female-friendly pavilion at Hepburn

The Hepburn Burras Football and Netball Club and Hepburn Cricket Club now have more room to grow, with the completion of their new, female-friendly pavilion at Laurie Sullivan Reserve.

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Have your say on dogs and cats in the Macedon Ranges

Macedon Ranges Shire Council is calling on residents with and without pets to help shape its new Domestic Animal Management Plan.

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Business recovery support for agriculture industry

The Victorian Government is fast-tracking the road to recovery for agriculture and food supply chain businesses in rural and regional Victoria.

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Creswick trails update

The planning work is continuing on the Creswick Trails Network, a project which will see delivery of 60km of mountain bike paths and a trailhead at Creswick, with council expecting to begin works next year.

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Proposed renaming of Jim Crow Creek

Hepburn Shire Council is working with project partners, Mount Alexander Shire Council, North Central Catchment Management Authority and Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation trading as DJAARA, on the proposed renaming of Jim Crow Creek to Larni Barramal Yaluk.

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Celebrating Macedon Ranges Seniors

The Victorian Seniors Festival Reimagined is back in 2021 and to celebrate, Macedon Ranges Shire Council will deliver 'celebration boxes' to 30 older residents who have made significant contributions to the Macedon Ranges community. Council’s Corporate and Community acting director Gina Lyons said this year’s festival theme of ‘keep’n on’ recognised the resilience of older people and the many different ways they contribute to our community.

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Stories of the Storm

SANDY Scheltema's Stories of the Storm series is supported by Hepburn Shire Council, Trentham & Districts Community Bank and the Trentham Lions Club. The series aims to showcase stories of courage, tenacity, bravery and resilience within the community from people who experienced the terrifying storm of June 10, 2021.

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BlazeAid: Ready to help but hit by red tape

WHEN the Black Saturday Fires ripped through Kevin and Rhonda Butler’s farm at East Kilmore in 2009, their immediate concern was the safety of their sheep.

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The Lighthouse

The waving line between shore and sea dissolves footprints like friendship and time The way ahead is dark and uncertain A lighthouse on the cliff illumines the black sea where white birds hover as heralds.

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Embracing the six seasons of our land

07-06-2021

A TRADITIONAL smoking ceremony, community elders, a didgeridoo performance and a captivated audience of school children, set the scene for the unveiling of an amazing indigenous mural depicting the six main seasons of Djandak.

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Rush to buy regional double-edged sword

05-06-2021

ALL tiers of government need to think and act faster with Covid leading more and more people to regional lives, says REIV president Leah Calnan.

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Simple life and ethical farming

26-10-2020

WIFE and husband farming team Catherine Taumoefolau-Evans and Bohdan Evans with their three children Angus, Hepi and Leon, have returned to a simpler life.

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Come for the house, stay for the community

07-09-2020

ANGELA Flowers says, with a laugh, that when you buy in Clunes you don't just get a house, you get a community.

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Village or suburb? The great real estate debate

07-09-2020

THE much-anticipated after-COVID boom in country living is being seen as both an economic boon and a potential spoiling of the rural joys of places such as Daylesford.

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Melbourne buyers on their way

24-08-2020

MELBOURNE residents, tired of lockdown and now realising they can work from home, are beating a path to the Central Highlands, real estate agents have told The Local.

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Loss of land use rights concerns residents

24-08-2020

A GROUP of residents are concerned that a Hepburn Shire planning scheme amendment will remove their rights in terms of land use and development.

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Tradie Torque

17-08-2020

CHRIS Kendall has been painting houses for 19 years now and still enjoys his work – just don’t ask him for a really early start, like 3am. The Bullarto resident tried his hand as an apprentice baker for about six months after high school but didn’t like the early hours. Bricklaying was also not his thing.

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Network protesters urged to use their voice

03-08-2020

RESIDENTS protesting the proposed Western Victorian Transmission Network have been urged to voice their concerns directly to the State Planning Minister and put pressure on the Victorian Government to insist on an Environmental Effects Statement.

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Rent reduction query

15-06-2020

THE REIV requests an urgent change to the process that is currently in place for a commercial landlord to receive the coronavirus land tax relief.

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Construction grants

08-06-2020

THE Federal Government is supporting jobs in the residential construction sector with the introduction of the new HomeBuilder program.

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Money with Matt

01-06-2020

THE Australian housing market is a hot topic of conversation at the best of times, let alone in the midst of a pandemic.

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Real estate holding up

25-05-2020

REAL Estate Institute of Victoria president Leah Calnan has said Victoria’s property market seems to be holding its ground.

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Regional real estate

04-05-2020

THE Victorian Government is extending the $20,000 First Home Owner Grant for people buying or building a new home.

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Regional renting

24-02-2020

RENTING in Victoria remains tough, following another month of low vacancy rates, says the REIV.

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Great time to sell

24-02-2020

VICTORIA'S property market is humming along with multiple quarters of sustained growth.

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REIV regional insight

27-01-2020

REIV president Leah Calnan said the Victorian property market continued its strong run.

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