THE Fair Work Commission has told Mornington Peninsula Shire to negotiate with terminated employees and not layoff any more people. The recommendation was made during a conciliation hearing last Wednesday when two unions took the shire to the commission following the termination of 12 staff on Friday 13 March. New shire CEO Carl Cowie laid off four people prior to 13 March and one after for a total of 17 including two of the shire’s four directors (“Jobs go in shire shake-up”, The News, 17/3/15). The Australian Services Union and Professionals Australia (APESMA) went to Fair Work to force the…
Day: March 23, 2015
LAST week’s visit by the cruise ship Pacific Pearl was a shot in the arm for Mornington Peninsula traders and local tourist operators. The P&O liner carrying 1800 passengers docked at Mornington for the second time in a month – this time on a four-day, one-stop visit before returning to Sydney. Mornington chamber of commerce spokeswoman Kim Rowe said a younger demographic made the passengers more independent. “The average age was about 59 or younger and there were buck’s parties on board, girls on girls’ trips – it was a real contrast to last time,” she said. “A lot said…
FORMER Prime Minister and Merricks resident Malcolm Fraser died on Friday. He was revered as a radical in his retirement, perceived as a statesman. Leaving “toxic” party politics behind in 2010, having presided in 1975 over one of Australia’s most notorious political events, “The Dismissal”, he moved on to speak out against apartheid, in support of multiculturalism, strongly in defence of refugees, and on the rights of Indigenous Australians. “It’s time for Australia to grow up,” he stated. Entering parliament in 1955 at the age of 25, Mr Fraser, with his craggy good looks and gruff personality, was seen as…
HUNDREDS of names have been added to an online petition calling for the head of a Mt Eliza ashram to step down while police investigate allegations of sexual abuse. “Signatures” have come from around the world, including Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, Serbia, Kazakhstan, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the Unites States. Messages left on the petition call for the managers of the tax exempt Shiva School of Meditation and Yoga to appoint a new leader to replace Russell Kruckman, also known as Swami Shankarananda and Swamiji. One message suggests selling the ashram in Tower Rd and distributing the proceeds to…
THE state planning tribunal VCAT has been told food trucks will not return to Rye. The claim was made in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal last month during a hearing instigated by Rye traders led by one of the town’s restaurants, Baha Tacos. Traders were seeking a declaration from the tribunal that food trucks would not return to the town unless a planning application was submitted to and approved by Mornington Peninsula Shire. The case had its genesis last November when food truck traders under the banner of Australian Mobile Food Vendors Group set up on a vacant block…
Fran Henke spoke to Tamie and Malcolm Fraser in 2013 about their love of gardening. When the President of Open Gardens Australia says this will be the last time of opening her garden, you have to wonder why. Age? Aggravation? Twenty five years ago Tamie and Malcolm Fraser opened their garden in Victoria’s western district to support the new scheme and to help keep staff going on their property, ‘Nareen’. “There was drought, stock prices were low, it was a difficult time,” said Mrs Fraser now president of Open Gardens Australia. A different story today: the Frasers have gardened at…