THE saying “Only in Sorrento…” is quickly becoming a national catchphrase, after some traders suggested the town should secede from Mornington Peninsula Shire.
Apparently fed up with being “ignored” by the council, some traders have been pushing for Sorrento to break away from the shire with a realignment of municipal boundaries.
A few are wearing The Republic of Sorrento t-shirts in a tongue-in-cheek gesture highlighting their alienation from the current council.
The disgruntled businesses, upset over the council’s decision to allow a fresh fish food truck on the foreshore, have whipped up the secession frenzy in some parts of the media, despite it reportedly not being supported by the chamber of commerce.
Nepean Ward councillor Susan Bissinger said that she was disappointed that the food truck issue and concerns the shire was “not listening” to traders was “splitting” the ward.
“This succession talk is not supported by the chamber of commerce and if anything like that was to ever be considered seriously it would be a full referendum, not just a few people calling for it,” she said.
“Why would you want to split the ward, we don’t want any more animosity?”
While rejecting talk of secession, Cr Bissinger said she understood the angst from the Sorrento community over the decision “that nobody wanted” to allow a food truck to operate on the foreshore.
The mayor Cr Steve Holland defended the granting of food truck licences for Sorrento, telling the media that “cartel conduct” was at odds with community values.
It is believed a second food truck has also just been allocated a licence to operate at Sorrento.
First published in the Southern Peninsula News – 9 May 2023
