Month: October 2016

INTRIGUE surrounds the workings of the Peninsula Community Legal Centre, whose board resigned last month after their recommendation to solve a “governance problem” was rejected by members. Chairperson Amanda Graham wrote to members late last month saying independent legal advice had recommended the centre’s constitution be amended to resolve the problem, but that three proposed resolutions put forward had been voted down at a special meeting on 8 September. This prompted the board to resign – a move over which it is now backtracking to enable the appointment of an administrator “to demonstrate that all options had been explored in…

A $60 MILLION upgrade to South East Water’s Mt Martha Water Recycling Plant will provide an alternative source of water for local businesses and community organisations, while reducing the environmental impact of its water treatment processes. Eastern Victoria MP Daniel Mulino opened the upgraded facility last week and met with customers making use of the new recycled water supply. Construction of the tertiary treatment plant was central to the two-year project. It can deliver 26 mega-litres of Class A recycled water each day to farms, wineries, business and council facilities. The upgrade also includes an Australian first thermophilic anaerobic digestion…

MORNINGTON Peninsula Post Polio Support Group will celebrate 20 years of advocacy and referral for polio survivors in the Frankston and Mornington Peninsula on Tuesday 18 October. The group, previously led by Mt Martha resident Dennis Doull Lloyd, who died in February aged 83, brings polio survivors together to share friendship and stories. Group secretary and Hastings resident Fran Henke said there was now greater awareness thanks to the persistence of support groups, although there are always challenges, such as the new National Disability Insurance Scheme, which cuts off at age 65. “Most had polio prior to 1956 when the…

VOTERS will not know how much Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors spent on expenses during the full current four-year council term before this weekend’s council elections. The shire’s 11 councillors collectively spent $135,357 — about $100,000 more of ratepayers’ money on expenses compared to neighbouring Frankston and Kingston councils — over a 12-month period in the 2015-16 financial year. The 11 shire councillors also spent about $150,000 more than 18 Frankston and Kingston councillors combined in 2014-15. The shire previously pledged to publicly release all councillors’ expenses for the first two financial years of this four-year council term but has subsequently…

THE RSPCA will not be laying charges against the Ace-Hi ranch in Boneo, which was raided by inspectors in May. As reported in The News, the RSPCA visited the Boneo Rd property amid claims by a former manager of under-feeding and overworking of horses. At the time, the RSPCA said it had investigated “a number of welfare concerns at Ace-Hi in the past decade” as well as more recent reports raising concerns for the welfare of horses on the property. The officers left without laying charges and have now ended their investigation. On Friday RSPCA Victoria released a statement confirming…

SIX candidates are running for one seat to represent the Red Hill ward at Mornington Peninsula Shire council for the next four years. The Red Hill ward is a mostly rural area and borders Rye/St Andrews to the west and Western Port Bay to the south east. Ballot papers are being mailed out to voters by the Victorian Electoral Commission ahead of Mornington Peninsula Shire elections on 22 October. Voters should return completed ballot papers well before a final deadline of Friday 21 October, 6pm. Voters who have not received a ballot pack by Wednesday 12 October should call  the VEC on 8619 1615 to…

FIVE candidates are running for one seat to represent the Cerberus ward at Mornington Peninsula Shire council for the next four years. The Cerburus ward includes Tuerong, Merricks North, Balnarring, Bittern, Hastings, Crib Point and Tyabb. Ballot papers are being mailed out to voters by the Victorian Electoral Commission ahead of Mornington Peninsula Shire elections on 22 October. Voters should return completed ballot papers well before a final deadline of Friday 21 October, 6pm. Voters who have not received a ballot pack by Wednesday 12 October should call  the VEC on 8619 1615 to arrange a replacement. PHIL BURN What suburb do you live in? I…

EIGHT candidates are running for two seats to represent the Nepean ward at Mornington Peninsula Shire council for the next four years. The Nepean ward includes Rye, Blairgowrie, Sorrento and Portsea. Ballot papers are being mailed out to voters by the Victorian Electoral Commission ahead of Mornington Peninsula Shire elections on 22 October. Voters should return completed ballot papers well before a final deadline of Friday 21 October, 6pm. Voters who have not received a ballot pack by Wednesday 12 October should call  the VEC on 8619 1615 to arrange a replacement. GEOFF BOAN What suburb do you live in? Rye. What is your occupation? Franchisee.…

TEN candidates are running for three seats to represent the Seawinds ward at Mornington Peninsula Shire council for the next four years. The Seawinds ward includes Safety Beach, through Dromana, McCrae and Rosebud to Rosebud West and Tootgarook. Ballot papers are being mailed out to voters by the Victorian Electoral Commission ahead of Mornington Peninsula Shire elections on 22 October. Voters should return completed ballot papers well before a final deadline of Friday 21 October, 6pm. Voters who have not received a ballot pack by Wednesday 12 October should call  the VEC on 8619 1615 to arrange a replacement. SIMON BROOKS…

FIFTEEN candidates are running for three seats to represent the Briars ward at Mornington Peninsula Shire council for the next four years. The Briars ward includes Mount Eliza, through to Mornington and Mount Martha, and borders Port Phillip Bay and Moorooduc. Ballot papers are being mailed out to voters by the Victorian Electoral Commission ahead of Mornington Peninsula Shire elections on 22 October. Voters should return completed ballot papers well before a final deadline of Friday 21 October, 6pm. Voters who have not received a ballot pack by Wednesday 12 October should call  the VEC on 8619 1615 to arrange a…

SIX candidates are running for one seat to represent the Watson ward at Mornington Peninsula Shire council for the next four years. The Watson ward includes Baxter, Somerville, Tyabb and parts of Moorooduc and Pearcedale. Ballot papers are being mailed out to voters by the Victorian Electoral Commission ahead of Mornington Peninsula Shire elections on 22 October. Voters should return completed ballot papers well before a final deadline of Friday 21 October, 6pm. Voters who have not received a ballot pack by Wednesday 12 October should call  the VEC on 8619 1615 to arrange a replacement. LISA DIXON What suburb do you live in? I live in Baxter – Watson ward.…

Somerville Highway Patrol is appealing for public assistance following a hit-run in Pearcedale on Tuesday 11 October. Investigators have been told a green coloured Subaru station wagon was traveling south on Craig Road, Pearcedale, before making a right turn into Baxter-Tooradin Road into the path of an oncoming motorcycle about 4.30pm The Subaru wagon initially stopped a short distance from the scene before fleeing without rendering assistance or exchanging details. The rider, a 56-year-old Pakenham man, was taken to hospital with serious injuries. Anyone who may have witnessed the collision or with information about the incident is urged to contact…

A former Mornington Peninsula Shire councillor and candidate for the Briars ward in this month’s municipal elections, has come out and publicly admitted to having being jailed for drug trafficking. Leigh Eustace was 22 when he was convicted of trafficking heroin two years earlier. Now 58, he says he “did the crime and served the time”. Mr Eustace readily admits to making mistakes earlier in life but sees no reason, other than for political gain, why his crimes have been published on social media. He said he had made “some poor decisions” and supplied friends during the 1970s “when hard…

IT might seem like a lark, but head and beard shaves for seven workers at the Decmil site, Hastings, last week were serious business. The group, led by Ian Stead, lost their locks to raise money for the Peter Mac Foundation – and exceeded everyone’s expectations by generating a $3285.25 total thanks to the generosity of 50 colleagues at the plant. Mr Stead, backed up by Ryan Jackson, Ryan McDonald, Shane Bisby, Tony Ta’ Avili, Peter Moore and Kieran Mulholland, then added to their appeal takings through a sausage size and tin rattle. They chose the Peter Mac Foundation because,…

MT ELIZA resident Bob Greaves received a Council of the Ageing Senior Achiever Award at a ceremony at Government House last week. He was one of eight recipients of the award presented as during the 2016 Victorian Seniors Festival. It offers more than 1300 free and low-cost events all over Victoria, including a great array of social, cultural, educational and body-and-soul activities. Other local award recipients were Vishnu Prasad, of Skye: Promotion of Multiculturalism Award, and Verna Phillips, of Carrum Downs: Veteran Community Award. An Age-Friendly Victoria Award went to Peninsula Transport Assist which provides transport for older people in…

AT 90, Sidney Cartlidge deserves a well-earned rest and could be forgiven for hanging up his harmonica. But the music has not stopped for the sprightly nonagenarian, who still enjoys entertaining others and can be found regularly delivering “music therapy” and playing tunes at aged care homes around Mornington. A harmonica player since he was 10 in Staffordshire, England, Mr Cartlidge’s love of music and enthusiasm for performing have not waned over the years, despite a forced hiatus in 2014 when he and his musician mates had to seek a new venue. At the time, the self-funded concerts he performed…

PARENTS double and triple parking at Mt Eliza Primary School pick up and drop off times are still risking lives and creating traffic chaos, despite years of campaigning for safe parking practises. A resident, who did not want to be identified, told The News pick up and drop off times outside the school were “a nightmare” as parents tried to squeeze their cars in wherever they could to wait for their children. He said he had complained to police, the Mornington Peninsula Shire council and the school for two years about the “dangerous” double parking that occurs every school day.…

PEOPLE living in Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula have higher levels of mental health disorders than the Victorian average, with health services struggling to cope with demand. Figures from the state’s mental health intake service, Neami, put the two areas ahead of some of its biggest neighbours, including Bayside, when it comes to mental health. Peninsula Health, the peninsula’s main providers of health services, is stretched to capacity, with waiting lists in many cases for people needing assistance. Peninsula Health operations director Sharon Sherwood says demand for mental health care on the peninsula had been steadily  rising for the past…

James was a member of Australian Crawl for seven years, releasing four studio albums in five frenetic years in the ’80s. He’s been a solo artist for the past 28 years, releasing eight studio albums, plus two acoustic collections, a covers album and two live albums… He has been a part of our lives since making an unforgettable debut on Countdown in 1979. “I just feel that I’m getting better,” James Reyne says. “I’m a better singer and a better songwriter.” It’s a simple statement, but also remarkable – considering that this is an artist who has sold more than…

MORNINGTON Peninsula and Frankston foster carers may soon have the opportunity to transform the way vulnerable children and young people are supported under a new model of foster care. Under the internationally-recognised model, professionalised foster carers will be trained to provide intensive support for children and young people who experience significant emotional or behavioural problems. The state government is investing $5.6 million to trial a ‘Treatment Foster Care Oregon’ program, which supports the state’s child protection and family services system and aims to keep young people out of residential care. Professionalised foster carers will work with at least 28 children…

A WAVE of night-time burglaries at small sporting and leisure clubs across the Mornington Peninsula has members on high alert. Detective Senior Sergeant Peter Drake, of Mornington Peninsula CIU, said more than a dozen robberies had occurred at club houses at Rosebud, Dromana, Balnarring, Mt Martha, Merricks, Crib Point, Mornington, Flinders, Red Hill and Hastings. “They may be connected but we are not certain at this stage,” he said. “They are a warning that club officers should check their security and make sure windows and doors are locked, and that CCTV is installed where possible.” Flinders Cricket Club was hit…

A FLYING mammal that lives on the Mornington Peninsula but is listed as “vulnerable” by the Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) could be the last hope of saving the former South East Water reservoir in Mt Eliza from development. Since South East Water announced plans last year to rezone the 2.8 ha Kunyung Rd site, it has largely been untouched and remains one of Mt Eliza’s last wildlife habitats. A variety of frogs, flying foxes and possibly the almost extinct southern brown bandicoot and the nationally significant white-footed dunnart live there. Environmentalists are concerned their protests over redevelopment plans…

WHEN more than 2000 people gather at the foot of Arthurs Seat on Sunday 6 November, one group will stand out from the rest. They will be wearing the black and blue running shirts of the Nicholas Lynch Real Estate team, which has sponsored the annual challenge for the past eight years. Proprietor Nicholas has run the 6.7 kilometre course six times, while son Brodie won his category over the past two years, and Abbey Brady, daughter of the company’s client services manager Jo Brady, won in her category last year. “This is something we’re very passionate about,” Mr Lynch…

A STEERING group formed to help Frankston Football Club negotiate choppy financial waters says community support for the Dolphins’ continued existence is rising. Club record games holder Peter Geddes says the group is urging members and supporters to “keep your feet” and not stumble in backing the beleaguered club after AFL Victoria stripped its VFL licence for next season. “We have been inundated with a tide of support for the Dolphins over the last week and are confident that we can put together an effective business plan to guide us through the next few years,” Mr Geddes said in a…

IT wasn’t as dramatic as a fire, but Mornington fire station officer Simon Mildren was only too happy to respond to a call out of an unusual nature last week. A swarm of bees had made themselves at home on the front doorstep of a Mt Martha home and the owners – with young children – were a little nervous about them staying. Unsure who to contact, they alerted the brigade who arrived with a camera to make an educational documentary for similar occasions. Mr Mildren said swarms at this time of year were normal and, if left undisturbed, were…

A MORNINGTON man is hoping to take the world by storm with his new deal-based app, ifloc. Anthony Cincotta’s ultra-local app will send people notifications of deals available within a one kilometre radius of their location. “It is aimed to help businesses capture the market of people currently nearby, and to create a more instantaneous result,” said Mr Cincotta. That differs significantly from other deal applications, that offer deals with a much larger geographical location. “The idea is that somebody might be walking down Main Street Mornington, and deals will pop up on their screen as they walk. “They can…

By John Renowden THE Mornington Art Show has established itself as the biggest and best quality art show on the Mornington Peninsula and one of the best in Victoria, judging by the comments of various show judges and submitting artists. The 45th show will run for six days: Thursday 19 January to Thursday 26 January at the Mornington Peninsula Community Theatre, corner Nepean Hwy and Wilsons Rd. The annual art show attracts a wide range of valued sponsors and a great number of quality artists. The Mornington Peninsula News Group remains a major supporter and sponsor of the art show.…

PROVINCIAL PEARCEDALE has started its 2016-17 Provincial cricket season in fine fashion after knocking over last year’s minor premier, Crib Point, in Saturday’s season opener. The Panthers have moved from Sub District to Provincial in the past two seasons after winning the past two premierships. There was no bigger test than coming up against Crib Point in Round 1 in a one-day match on Saturday. The Magpies won the toss and elected to bat on their home deck, scoring a defendable 5/162 against the new kids on the block. The Panthers started well with Brad Trotter (26) and Matt Cousland…

DISTRICT RED Hill started its 2016-17 District season in fine fashion, making light work of Boneo. The Hillmen batted first after winning the toss and scored 4/205, thanks largely to Matthew Merifield, who blasted the only ton of the round – 114. Recruit Carl Robinson scored 23 on debut, as did Simon Dart. Robinson also took 1/31 from seven overs. In reply, the Pandas could put together only 7/136 from its 40 overs. Dart was superb opening the bowling, claiming 3/14 from five overs, while Glenn Collett was superb also with 1/20 from 10 overs with the new pill. Flinders…

SUB-DISTRICT NEW Hastings coach Rob Hearn has had an immediate impact on his new club, helping the Blues to a round one Sub District win against Ballam Park. The former Mornington and Crib Point opening bat scored 57 at the top of the innings as the Blues reeled in the Knights’ modest total of 130 off 39.3 overs. Jake Hewitt didn’t have an issue swapping a footy premiership medallion for the whites, hitting 39. Isuru Dias (3/20) and Mitch Floyd (2/16) opened the bowling and picked up five wickets between them in their 10 overs each. David Cross top scored…