Coastal towns, not concrete jungles
Nearly 700 people have now signed my petition calling on Mornington Peninsula Shire to halt the widespread and aggressive clearing of native roadside vegetation — a policy that is destroying habitat and leaving our once-leafy coastal towns stripped and lifeless.
What I’ve since discovered is even more disturbing: our local towns are being treated as part of metropolitan Melbourne when it comes to road clearance rules. This “one-size-fits-all” approach has no place in small, coastal communities like Tootgarook — where nature strips once supported thriving native trees, birds, and wildlife, and where most roads don’t even have footpaths.
Under these blanket rules, entire trees are being decimated — not for safety, but to meet arbitrary clearance guidelines. Possums, birds, and insects that relied on these trees are now left without food or shelter. The pruning is so extreme, it’s often fatal.
This petition was tabled at the 20 May council meeting. The department responsible has merely pointed me to links on their website. I have now taken this issue up with our local MP Sam Groth.
Like many wildlife carers, I’ve reached breaking point. There is nothing “metropolitan” about the Peninsula’s unique ecology — and these damaging rules are completely out of touch with the local landscape.
We must act now to protect what’s left. The petition is still open: chng.it/NVyDs9t59J
Natalie James, Tootgarook
Save Our Seat
Now that the election is over – let’s get back to saving our seat! According to the ASE Planning Report, the key “drivers” for additional attractions at Arthurs Seat Eagle are that the facility currently runs “below capacity” and also there are “long wait times in peak periods without alternative offerings”. Is this really adequate justification for the five new paid attractions at Arthurs Seat Eagle, including a mechanical rollercoaster ride?
“Below-capacity” suggests mismanagement or poorly matched infrastructure—not a genuine demand for more attractions. Further development may exacerbate the problem if the underlying issues are operational rather than experiential. Long wait times during busy periods reflect popularity, but do not automatically justify expanding infrastructure – especially in a State Park where the priority should be to protect the natural experience. Better queue management, improved scheduling, and a focus on nature-based activities would be more appropriate, ie lower-impact solutions.
Tourism should not be reduced to “capture tourism” – forcing visitors into commercialised experiences that limit genuine exploration and enjoyment of nature. Arthurs Seat already offers a wide range of attractions: walking tracks, picnic spots, birdwatching, and sweeping views. As a protected State Park, its ecological and social values should be upheld.
Multiple Victorian National Park Association surveys show that what people seek here is nature-based tourism—quiet, reflective, and connected to place. Proposals that introduce theme park-style developments contradict both this clear community preference and the purpose of the park. Further destruction of native vegetation and disruption of wildlife for short-term commercial gain is not only short-sighted but sets a dangerous precedent for other protected areas. Excessive built infrastructure undermines the park’s authenticity and long-term ecological value.
We urge decision-makers to respect the ecological integrity of Arthurs Seat State Park and prioritise sustainable, nature-based tourism that reflects the community’s values.
Kylie Greer, Save our Seat
More proof?
Brian A Mitchelson (Climate clash, Letters 20/5/2025) seems to need more “proof” about a link between CO2 gas in the atmosphere and planetary warming. I’d rather believe the 97% of actively publishing climate scientists who agree that humans are contributing to global warming and climate change through carbon emissions. This “inconvenient truth” has been known for decades, increasingly acted upon by energy company’s, banks, businesses and governments (though sadly seemingly not taken too seriously by a narrow majority of our newly elected local council).
All power to Greta Thunberg too I say (contrary to Mr Mitchelson’s dispersions). Let us baby boomers encourage the younger generations to have their say and to take action. We should be their enthusiastic supporters not their dismissive critics. After all they’re the humans that have most of their life ahead of them to cope with what generations before them have created. I would hope that my four young grandchildren have a local and global environment that allows them to flourish. Surely that’s what we all want to leave as a legacy.
Stephen Graley, Mount Martha
New arrivals
I refer to the letter from Barry Rumpf (Cuts welcome, Letters 27/5/25). With respect to his comments about the council’s defunding of the creative and performing arts, it is sad that some have the “if-I-don’t-want-it-then-nobody-is-allowed-to have-it” mindset. This attitude denies satisfaction of our species’ higher-order needs and makes for a bleak community (and I use that word advisedly) indeed.
As far as his comments about the defunding of the Willum Warrain centre and his rather insulting term of “the cult of Aboriginality”, I must say that it tweaked my sense of irony. A cult is generally regarded as having sprung from, and existing outside of the rest of society, often having ‘odd’ beliefs.
While not a First Nations person myself, I am well aware that those of us whose ancestors “migrated” here over the past 270-odd years are, compared to the 65,000 years of First Nations occupiers, absolute new-comers. Perhaps we should consider ourselves the “cult of colonials” as our beliefs were definitely (and sadly) at odds with those of the rightful occupiers of this continent. The icing on the cake is that he made his comments while occupying stolen and unceded land.
Virginia Fricker, Mount Martha
For real or wrong?
People flooded in New South Wales and Queensland: some multiple times. Not just property damage but losses of a home, business, family member or friend, livelihoods, health, landscapes. Farmers seeing stock carried away on the currents, strangled in trees, drowned, starved, dying of disease, shock. And bushfires prior. Droughts. Horrors replicated. Landscapes failing to regenerate. A theory. Myth. Fiction. Fantasy.
And what’s it to us? The fossil fuel promoters Labor, the Nationals, the Liberals won the last election. All is well. They’ll keep the rigs gushing, the seismic blasting destroying marine life.
Councils can ignore climate policies now. Who cares about life? Breathing oxygen. Drinking water. Eating. Good governance? Sharing? Caring? “We don’t,” many assure me. “We don’t care.” “We don’t care!” About the climate crises.
The death of wildlife. Our carbon dioxide or methane emissions. People. The future. “We’re okay. We’re going on a cruise or another world tour by plane. It’s not happening here. Our kids’ problem.
But wait! Don’t I remember reading … 1856. Eunice Newton Foote published (in Scientific American no less) about heating different gases and air in the sun, and found carbon dioxide and water vapour heat up and retain heat significantly more than the others. And she predicted a warming world if CO2 or water vapour increased in the atmosphere. But that’s rubbish too really! After all she was female. What would a woman know? Proving the theory of two prior mathematicians; an experiment published and replicated and extended upon by many men since, without credit to her, John Tyndall for one. All scientists. All ignorant.
And what if climate change is real? The economy is booming. I’m all right, Jack. I don’t have to contribute. It doesn’t affect me.
Kaye Mackay, Rye
Climate plan canned
For the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council to unilaterally rescind its “Climate Declaration policy and plan” (in a six to five vote) without any consideration of amending the “Climate Declaration or plan” to what suits their desires, shows that the six councillors concerned are full on climate change deniers.
This brings them in line with the Liberal Party pre-election position and its spokesperson Peter Dutton, who said in a live TV debate with the present PM that “he did not know if climate change was real because he was not a scientist”.
Let’s hope these six councillors suffer the same fate as Peter Dutton did when it comes to their re-election in the not too distant future.
Rod Knowles, Crib Point
Getting things done
I refer to last week’s The News. Finally some positive reading! Beleura Cliff Path to be re-opened , Birdrock Beach stairs to be fixed, and mechanical beach cleaning to re-commence. All items I believe the majority of residents want!
It is great to know the majority of the current councillors are getting things done and possibly not getting sucked into the previous bureaucracy vortex of the council.
Keep getting things done !
Rowan Clark, Mt Eliza
Cash Grab?
I am concerned that the current rate notice got delivered minus the option to pay your rates now at the post office. Instead you have to pay it online if you are able to, or head down to the council service centre to pay the cashier there. But hang on don’t rush they charge a fee for paying your rates this way. You receive a fee per rates notice not per customer. This cash grab needs to be stopped and the choice given back to consumers how they pay their rates.
Letitia Gordon, Mornington
Time to deliver
Congratulations to Zoe McKenzie, Ben Smith, Sarah Race and the other candidates for an engaging election campaign to represent over 120,000 residents of the Mornington Peninsula. With the final results showing Zoe McKenzie winning by 5,257 votes on a two candidate preferred count, it is time to get back to work.
The 48th Parliament will return on Tuesday 22 July 2025 giving our politicians eight weeks to prepare and plan for the next three years. I would like to see Zoe holding “town hall meetings” over the next two months to meet her constituents, listen to their concerns and answer questions in public – not via Zoom or at invite-only “roundtable discussions”. The public meetings should be advertised in local newspapers with a few weeks notice and not simply posted on Facebook with a short timeframe.
The failure of the Liberal Party to listen to constituents was highlighted by former Liberal senator George Brandis who accused the Liberals of “… living in an echo chamber of far-right wing opinion…”.
Zoe should spend less time being interviewed on Sky News and more time meeting face-to-face with community organisations across the Mornington Peninsula.
I believe Zoe should also seek the opinions of local residents on matters before Parliament before she votes on behalf of us all. Zoe McKenzie voted with Peter Dutton 184 times during the 47th Parliament. It is time for Zoe to deliver for the people of the Mornington Peninsula before focusing on her political career ambitions in Canberra.
Dale Stohr, Crib Point
Scrap the tax
There are few issues that have galvanised Victorians like the Allan Labor government’s ‘Emergency Services Volunteers Fund’. But don’t be deceived, this isn’t a fund. It’s a brand-new property tax. Even the United Firefighters Union – affiliated with the Labor Party – has demanded that this tax not be imposed in their name. Why? Because they know it’s a sham.
If you own a home, you’ll be slugged with this new charge when your local council sends out your rates notice. But don’t blame them – they’ve been forced to collect this tax on the state’s behalf without their consent or consultation, and they won’t see a single cent of it.
The food you buy at the supermarket will go up because farmers will be paying 150% more on than the original fire levy. If your small business owns a commercial property, that’ll also be hit, meaning less profits to be paid out.
Your local CFA and SES stations won’t be the beneficiaries of this tax as there’s no guarantee that it’ll go towards funding new equipment and vehicles or facilitating training. Having worked closely with our emergency services, I can tell you first-hand that their organisations are becoming increasingly unsustainable, and frontline crews aren’t given the updated resources that they need to keep us safe. Adding insult to injury, many of our farmers are also unpaid, emergency services volunteers, and often fund equipment out of their own pocket.
This government is burning through cash and borrowing like there’s no tomorrow. If they continue down this path, they’ll only have two choices – cut essential services or tax the living daylights out of you. We must scrap this tax, reinstate the fairer, simpler fire levy, and ensure that our emergency services are funded by existing revenue not some dodgy tax.
Ann-Marie Hermans MLC, State Member for South Eastern Metropolitan Region
Judaism v Zionism
Not antisemitic (not racist): Being pro Palestinian; being anti genocide; being anti Zionist; being anti war criminal; being pro two-state solution; being anti starvation; being against hostility towards and prejudice or discrimination against Israel; being anti apartheid; being critical of right wing Jewish lobbies and Zionists, turning your back when Israeli national anthem is played; calling out individual Jewish people for wrongdoing.
Antisemitic (racist): Defacing Jewish properties; hostility to, prejudice towards, or discrimination against Jewish people; Holocaust deniers; damaging and demeaning stereotypes; societal discrimination against Jewish people; Jewish conspiracy theories; holding all Jewish people responsible for Israel’s actions.
Unfortunately alt-right Zionist Jewish organisations and lobby groups have done everything they can to build a Zionist Jewish identity. If you create such an identity of Zionism/Judaism some who don’t like Zionism are going to blame Jewish people in general for Palestinian human rights abuses. And how about this? They now say criticising the use of US weapons in Gaza is “antisemitic”.
Antisemitism and Islamophobia are the two most divisive words. What’s wrong with “racist” and “hate crimes” and one law for all. Oh, we already have those!
Joe Lenzo, Safety Beach
Carpark kindness
I was lucky to find a space in the unrestricted time car park behind Mt Eliza way and rush to a lunch gathering last Friday. However I was unable to find it later and wandered around and alone, becoming very stressed. My predicament was seen by a young couple who asked me to describe where I parked and after several fruitless attempts wandering around offered to get their car and drive me from where I entered the area. Such a relief, not just to sit down but to have someone realize how helpless and distressed I felt. Yes we found my car thanks to the kindness of this young couple who went out of their way to help.
Roger Stanley, Crib Point
