Month: January 2014

THE threat of legal action by Frankston MP Geoff Shaw over an article written by former mayor Christine Richards is a Mexican standoff. The article headed “There’s more to Frankston than beer and bogans” was published in The Age on 7 January and led to Mr Shaw’s solicitor Quinn McCormack seeking a formal apology from Ms Richards (“MP’s defamation threat”, The Times 16/1/14). Ms McCormack claimed the article, which was co-signed by four other former Frankston mayors, “made a number of defamatory imputations” including that Mr Shaw “had acted violently, had engaged in bullying, had misappropriated public funds and was…

NO fires can be lit in the open across the Mornington Peninsula or in Frank­ston as from Monday. The CFA last week declared the Fire Danger Period (FDP) for both municipalities and warned residents to be “fire ready”. French Island has also been included in the fire ban. During the danger period, fires cannot be lit in the open air without a written permit from the CFA or the municipal fire prevention officer at Mornington Peninsula or Frankston councils. Anyone lighting a fire in the open without a permit faces fines of $17,000 and/or 12 months in jail. Barbecues and…

BALNARRING’S catamaran world champion Robbie Lovig has rivals for best yachtie in the Western Port region – two teenagers he has been coach­ing for about 14 months. Michelle Bursa and Chelsea Haynes, both 17, secured a place in the Australian team for the ISAF Youth World Championships in Portugal in July when they won their Hobie 16 class two weeks ago off Blairgowrie and Sorrento on Port Phillip. Mr Lovig, 29, who with his French crewman Andy Dinsdale won the Hobie Tiger Worlds in Germany last winter, said they were the first-ever female team to represent Australia in the class.…

HASTINGS MP Neale Burgess has ridiculed speculation the Port of Hastings could be privatised, labelling any plans that pre-empt the outcome of a $110 million state government planning study as “a nasty joke”. While refusing to rule out potential future privatisation, Mr Burgess said it was ridiculous to speculate on possible financing models when feasibility studies into the viability of the project were yet to be completed. A report in the 18 January edition of The Age newspaper suggested the state government was “actively considering” privatising the ports of Melbourne and Hastings to raise up to $8 billion. The state…

HE may have had little to do with art and even less with the Mornington Peninsula, but King Solomon is the name four artists have chosen for a new gallery in Sorrento. The quartet’s first exhibition in the heritage-listed Masonic Centre in Point Nepean Rd opened on Australia Day weekend and ends on Sunday. Foundation member John Bredl said the gallery space in the centre would in future feature “select artists from the peninsula and beyond”. The four artists involved initially are Bredl, Beverly Whiteside, Jennifer Feller and Hans Van Vlodrop. Mr Bredl said he and Mr Van Vlodrop were…

HOW easy is it on a hot day to go for a swim or lie on a surfboard? Not very, if you happen to have a physical disability. On Saturday 18 January, close to 300 people at Pt Leo Beach were given an insight into each other’s lives when Disabled Surfers Association Mornington Peninsula held its first event for 2014. More than 230 volunteers made it possible for 41 disabled surfers to know the feeling of being on a board pushed along by the natural energy of a wave. The simple joy of being hit by a wave can be…

LEADING Senior Constable Mick Mears is no stranger to receiving accolades and awards for his decades of work as a youth resource officer with Victoria Police. But this still didn’t prepare him for the “shock” of being named Mornington Peninsula Shire’s 2014 Citizen of the Year on Australia Day at Rosebud. The 67-year-old veteran police officer is now into his 44th year with the force and has been based at Mornington since 1980 where he has dedicated himself to working with peninsula schools and young people. Affectionately known as Constable Mick, the former army reserve drummer has earned much praise…