• Janice Doherty, and Suzanne Keane from Hawaiian are keen to find the Christmas nativity. Photo by Jeremy Dixon

THERE is no nativity scene at Melville Plaza this year but it’s not political correctness gone mad—just poor inventory management.

The baby Jesus in a manger scene has been a staple for 30 years but isn’t making an appearance this Christmas because it’s been lost.

Melville local Janice Doherty had noticed its absence and asked a staffer why, and was at first told it had been “banned”:

“[The staff member] said we live in a multicultural society and don’t do that anymore—it might offend somebody,” Mrs Doherty told the Herald.

But the head honcho of Hawaiian, the group that recently bought the centre, said that’s not the case at all.

Evan Briers says the old decorations were deemed daggy and a new lot were trucked in and the nativity has simply gone missing.

“We were not aware of the history of the nativity with the local community,” Mr Briers says. “Our team has gone on the hunt of where it may be.”

He says Hawaiian embraces Christmas at all its shopping centres.

by JENNY D’ANGER