TWO sitting MPs are among the nine candidates contesting the seat of Flinders in Saturday 18 May federal election. Liberal Greg Hunt, who has held the seat for 18 years, is being opposed by former Liberal colleague now independent Julia Banks, the MP for Chisholm, as well as two other independents and five party-aligned candidates. Two candidates, Susie Beveridge and Reade Smith, are former Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors. Candidates as they appear on the ballot paper: Harry Dreger, independent; James Persson, Animal Justice Party; Greg Hunt, Liberal; Reade Smith, Sustainable Australia; Josh Sinclair, Australian Labor Party; Nathan Lesslie, The Greens;…
Year: 2019
Mornington Police have impounded a vehicle after its driver returned an alleged evidentiary breath test in Mornington this morning (29 April). An eagle eyed Sergeant spotted the Ford sedan exiting a licensed venue on Main Street just after 2am. Police intercepted the 20-year-old Sandhurst man in nearby Murray Street where he told police he was parking his car in the dark dead end street so it would be safe. He returned an alleged breath test of .111 The P1 probationary licence holder has had his licence immediately suspended and he is expected to be charged on summons with drink driving.…
Police are hoping to locate the owner of a surf kite which was found in Safety Beach last night (26 April). It is believed the item was left at the boat ramp and was located about 1.30am. Police have released images of the surf kite in the hope someone will recognise it and contact them. Anyone with information is urged to contact Rosebud Police Station on 5986 4900.
Frankston Sexual Offence and Child Abuse Investigation Team detectives have charged a man following an investigation into alleged historical sex offences. An investigation was conducted into a series of alleged sexual offending which occurred in multiple locations across Frankston, Mornington and Mount Eliza between 1984 and 1987. A 72-year-old Edithvale man has been charged with multiple counts of gross indecency in presence of a person under 16 years while under care, supervision and authority, multiple counts of indecent assault and multiple counts of sexual penetration of a child under 16. The man has been remanded in custody and is due…
Emergency services are currently searching for a missing man in waters near the Blairgowrie back beach. It is believed the 53-year-old was crab-fishing with a female friend near Bridgewater Bay when they were swept off a rock and into the water about 8pm last night (24 April). The woman managed to make it safely back to shore and was able to contact Triple Zero. Police, together with Coast Guard volunteers, have combed surrounding beaches and water. Officers have resumed the search this morning with assistance from the Water Police, Air Wing and Search and Rescue. Anyone with information is urged…
DIVISION ONE DROMANA’S impressive start to life in the first division of the MPNFL has come to an end, after they were defeated by Frankston YCW on Saturday. The Tigers so far had an unbeaten start in 2019, but were bested by the powerhouse Stonecats at John Coburn Oval. YCW were decent to start with, but Dromana stuck in and stayed within reach. The hard fought contest saw both teams struggle to hit the scoreboard, with the Tigers behind by ten points at half time. After the main break YCW broke the game apart, getting the upper hand with a…
DIVISION TWO BRENDAN Fevola ran out for his MPNFL debut on Saturday in front of a big home crowd at Hastings. The Blues took on Devon Meadows, who were looking to spoil the occasion. Devon Meadows started well and led at quarter time, but were eventually made to pay for inaccurate kicking. Coleman medallist Fevola was getting plenty of the footy for the Blues, and ended up kicking five goals for the game. Had he been more accurate in front of goal, it would have been a lot more. Both sides struggled to convert on their chances, but eventually it…
SOCCER WHAT Jonathan Crook did to Upfield last week was night-time robbery. The big man from Matamata Swifts effected a string of remarkable saves to keep Skye’s nose in front and keep Upfield’s onslaught at bay in a pulsating FFA Cup tie. Try as it might Upfield could not find a way past Crook and Skye held on for a 1-0 win that clinched one of 32 Victorian spots remaining in the 2019 national competition. This clash had to be replayed after a floodlight failure in the 70th minute at Aston Fields in Craigieburn had forced an abandonment a week…
CHAMPION two-year-old colt and Group One winner, Written By, has been retired to Widden Stud in the Hunter Valley on Monday 15 April. Trained by Mornington-based racehorse trainer Grahame Begg and raced by Hall of Fame trainer, and Grahame’s father, Neville Begg, the speedy son of Written Tycoon has been key to Grahame’s successful return to the training ranks. The former Sydney-based trainer of 25 years spent more than three years out of the game before returning and landing his first Group One victory back with Written By in the 2018 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m). “He was the catalyst for…
MONASH University has announced a sponsorship deal with Mount Martha Junior Football Club. The two year sponsorship deal reinforces Monash’s commitment to supporting and building relationships in the community. The club’s main oval will be renamed the ‘Monash University Oval’, while the university’s logo will be emblazoned on all match day footballs, hundreds of training balls and signage on the two home ground ovals. “The community sponsorship with Mount Martha Junior Football Club enables us to become more involved with the local community in the Peninsula region,” Professor David Copolov AO, Monash University’s Pro Vice-Chancellor, Major Campuses and Student Engagement…
The Peninsula Motor Garage Pty. Ltd. has added a Siddeley Densey motor car to its already fine flock of motor cars at the Mornington branch of the company. At the Frankston branch of the company during Easter week quite a number of visitors were daily noticed viewing the company’s superior 35 h.p. Itala. The general opinion was that no Victorian garage has a superior car plying for hire. Business was exceptionally brisk at the local garage, during Easter week. *** THE members of the Vestry of St Paul’s Church of England, Frankston had smiling faces after the Easter offering had…
A MT ELIZA couple who celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary last week have strong links to one of the world’s most important medical achievements. Estelle Gold – who with husband Neil enjoyed their “golden” night at Mornington Golf Club on Friday 12 April – was nurse-in-charge of the transplant unit where famed South African cardiac surgeon Dr Christiaan Barnard performed the first heart transplant in 1967. Ms Gold, then in her 20s, vividly remembers the remarkable day at Groote Schuur Hospital, Cape Town, when Dr Barnard performed the “highly political” transplant, the first one in which the patient regained consciousness.…
EASTER trading hours at a Balnarring Chinese restaurant were thrown into disarray last week when an elderly man hit his car’s accelerator instead of the brake and rammed through the front window. The man, from the Hastings area, was not injured in the incident in which his Toyota sedan ploughed into Hoolies Inn at Balnarring Shopping Centre, 10.30am, Thursday 18 April. The restaurant, established for 28 years, was not open at the time. Owner Shirley Li said the area around the front door was hit hardest. “We hope we will be able to open Saturday evening,” she said. “This is…
Mornington Peninsula Shire mayor Cr David Gill wore his gold chain to go shopping at Mornington’s Wednesday street market. But it wasn’t just the gold adornment that made Cr Gill stand out among the crowd, it was also the small party of fellow shoppers he was leading, followed all the time by a film crew. The mayor’s shopper “reward” came later when the market’s fresh produce was used by a three-star Michelin chef to make Chinese meals for a dinner at Barmah Park Restaurant and Cellar Door, Moorooduc. The shopping expedition, making and eating of the meal was all part…
CHARACTERISTIC resourcefulness has helped environmental campaigner Josie Jones clean up a mess alongside a Rye charity bin. The bin, pictured, was full to overflowing with clothes scattered all around it. But, after doing some research and making a few calls, Ms Jones got some action. “Often, as a community member, things are not always as they seem and helping out is often the best way forward,” she said. “I managed to find the guy in charge of these bins and learned a few things along the journey.” Ms Jones was told that management changes and an audit meant the bin’s…
A FORMER soldier who is devoted to promoting world peace says our real enemies are not guns or wars – but the physical and emotional harm we do to others simply because we have not been taught to eradicate it from our nature in childhood. Ninety-three-year-old Baxter man James Hearn says the research he conducted for his book World Peace identified the “harmful side of human nature” as mankind’s “one and only foe”. “I believe getting rid of the harm we do to others is our only solution to world peace,” he said. “It is the only enemy which mankind…
EPA investigations into the source of fuel spills at Dromana are “ongoing” with booms remaining in place to prevent diesel reaching the sea. The issue flared when a Safety Beach resident complained of diesel fumes after bathing opposite Marine Drive, Dromana (“Diesel fumes taint sand, water”, The News 17/4/2019). Rob Debernardi said the drain – opposite a long-established BP service station – was flowing strongly after heavy rain. “I scooped up a handful of wet sand and smelled it and there was no mistaking [the diesel smell],” he said. “I could also see the sheen [of diesel] floating on the…
THE man often called the Father of Sorrento will be the subject of an exhibition at The Sorrento Museum, 827 Melbourne Road, Sorrento, later this month and in May. Opening times are 1.30-4.30pm on the weekends of 27-28 April, 4-5 May, 11-12 May, and 18-19 May. Visitors will learn more about George Coppin, a 19th century actor, entrepreneur, visionary, politician and cricket enthusiast who was born into an English theatrical family in 1819 and, throughout his life, was involved in acting. Sailing into Port Phillip he saw the site of what was to become Sorrento and began planning its development…
CANDIDATES for the federal seat of Flinders will again have their chance to explain their views on power company AGL’s plans to import natural gas through a floating terminal at Crib Point at a public meeting on 1 May. They were grilled on their views about importing the gas and the building of a pipeline to Pakenham at a public meeting in Dromana last Wednesday (17 April), although the May meeting is being held by Save Westernport, which was formed specifically to fight the AGL proposal. Save Westernport spokesperson Julia Stockigt said most of the candidates for Flinders had accepted…
FIVE candidates contesting the seat of Flinders in next month’s federal election faced a crowd of about 100 at a meeting last Wednesday (17 April) in Dromana. Organiser Robyn Coughlin said the top five areas of interest in questions to candidates submitted by those at the meeting were the national disability insurance scheme (NDIS); housing affordability; wages growth; income support payments; and the environment. The main issue for the candidates had been “representatives’ connection to their electorate”. Candidates at the event were Greg Hunt (Liberal), Joshua Sinclair (Labor), Julia Banks (independent), Nathan Lesslie (Australian Greens) and Susie Beveridge (independent)., Ms…
HIGHWAY patrol police are pleading for greater awareness on the roads this Easter and Anzac Day holiday time following three deaths on Frankston and Mornington Peninsula roads. The deaths of an 86-year-old woman hit by a car while walking across Nepean Highway, Frankston; a McCrae youth, 17, who was a passenger in a speeding car which hit a tree in Field Street, Tootgarook; and a 38-year-old man whose car ran off the road into a tree on Browns Road, Rye, has police reeling and families in mourning. Circumstances surrounding each of these fatalities are still being investigated. Up until…
RATEPAYERS have until Friday (26 April) to comment on Mornington Peninsula Shire Council’s proposed 2019/20 budget. The mayor Cr David Gill said he had already received “a lot of feedback” from beach box owners facing a rise from a flat $445 a year licence fee to up to $1200 (“Cashing in on beach boxes” The News 9/4/19). Cr Gill last week said licence fees for bathing boxes had been $50 a year in 1980 but since then their holders had been able to sell them for “hundreds of thousands of dollars”. “If they’re complaining about the cost, why not put…
A ‘THINK tank’ discussion to help guide the direction of Mornington Peninsula Shire’s waste review will be held tomorrow night (Wednesday 24 April) at the Rosebud council chambers. It comes as the state government drags its feet on waste recovery and recycling processes following the ban on collections from China. The think tank is part of a push by the council to hear community ideas while developing a waste strategy that reflects industry changes as well as supporting the community, shire operations and the environment. The forward planning committee meeting will guide the direction of the council’s waste review. …
ANZAC Day services and marches will be held at 12 Mornington Peninsula towns on Anzac Day, Thursday 25 April. Services will be held at different times and locations throughout the day to ensure everyone has an opportunity to attend and pay tribute to those who served and died in war. Traditional dawn services are planned, as well as marches and additional remembrance services later in the day. This year’s Anzac Day marks the 104th anniversary of the Gallipoli landing in 1915. The spirit of Anzac continues to play a role in the community through the qualities of courage, mateship and…
A man has died after falling from the rear of a utility in Frankston early this morning. Police have been told that the 19-year-old Frankston man was sitting in the rear tray along with two other people. The man fell from the utility as it was travelling along Heatherhill Road just after 2.30am. He was conveyed to hospital but has since passed away. The driver and other passengers were not injured and are assisting police with their enquiries. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
Police are investigating after an incident in Frankston early this morning that has left a man with critical injuries. It is alleged a 19-year-old Frankston man was sitting in the tray of a ute along with two other people. The man fell from the ute as it was travelling along Heatherhill Road just after 2.30am. He sustained life-threatening injuries and was transported to hospital for treatment. The driver and other passengers were not injured and are assisting police with their enquiries. The exact circumstances surrounding the incident are yet to be determined at this stage. Anyone with information is urged…
KANE Watts defeated Jayden “Plugger” Joseph to take out the WBA Oceania cruiserweight title at the Melbourne Pavilion on March 1, in a bout that lasted the whole ten rounds. The six foot one, 200 pound boxer whose fighting name is “Sugar Kane” is a peninsula icon, having grown up in the area and playing for the Hastings and Mornington football clubs in his early days. “I started out as a kid when dad used to take me to taekwondo, and then moved onto kick boxing at the Somerville Martial Arts when I was 14,” says Watts, who came back…
Emergency services are currently at the scene of a fatal crash at Rye. It is believed a vehicle was travelling along Browns Road about 4.30pm when the driver lost control and collided with a tree. The male driver and sole occupant, who is yet to be formally identified, died at the scene. The exact circumstances surrounding the crash are yet to be established and the investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information or who witnessed the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au
POLICE divers recovered the body of a Hastings man who drowned off Somers, Sunday 14 April. The man, 38, and a friend were kayaking when he fell out and disappeared about 11am. His mate, who by this time had paddled to shore, borrowed a phone from a passer-by and called 000 for help. Volunteer Marine Rescue and Coast Guard Western Port based at Hastings were on the scene within 12 minutes and, with the Police Air Wing high above, began a four hour search. The VMR crew found the kayak nose up but sunk in four metres of water about…
AN apprentice based at the Long Island Point plant, Hastings, is the fourth generation of his family to work at Esso’s Western Port and Gippsland operations. Thomas Mutimer, 18, follows his father Paul, an operations supervisor, grandfather, Ron, who worked at the Barry Beach Marine Terminal, and his great-grandfather, who worked on the Glomar III drillship, to work for Esso, either at Long Island Point or in Gippsland. Thomas was part of an intake of apprentices from Federation Training and WPC Group, who says he was always interested in “all things electrical”, and describes himself as a “hands-on learner”. “I…