Homeless action needed
National Homelessness Week is commemorated annually from August 4-10 to raise awareness of homelessness. The theme this year is Homelessness Action Now. It is with much sadness and of great concern that the latest figures available show the rate of homelessness here on the Mornington Peninsula continues to increase. According to the shire, 900 people have experienced homelessness in our community in the past 12 months. It is particularly disturbing that the number of women sleeping rough is getting worse, second only to the City Port Phillip (Housing crisis, Letters 29/7/25).
Southern Women’s Action Network (SWAN) would like to thank all the organisations, including the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council, for their efforts in supporting our community members who find themselves without a home. We commend you for your tireless efforts to assist those most in need. But we know a great deal more support is required.
We urgently need more action NOW. As well as immediate relief for victims, long-term solutions must be put in place, including social housing. We know that when there is a combined community effort, homelessness can be tackled in a way that not only reduces the number of people without a home but also contributes to our community wellbeing and prosperity. This is happening in other municipalities. We need to make it happen now on the Mornington Peninsula.
In Homelessness Week we call upon federal and state governments to provide our community with our fair share of funding that is necessary for our community members to a have safe and stable place to live. Without delay, please – Action now.
Diane McDonald, Facilitator, Southern Women’s Action Network
Don’t build in bushland
Henry Kelsall of the Sustainable Future Association reminds us that life on Earth is fragile (Extinction is forever, Letters 6/8/25). His plea for the state government to honour its pledge to create a new park for recreation and wildlife between Craigieburn and Wallan is timely. Since colonisation, 54 Victorian species have become extinct, and over 1600 are now endangered or critically endangered — mainly due to habitat loss and invasive species.
Victoria is the most cleared state, with 54 per cent of its native vegetation gone. On the Mornington Peninsula, the figure is even more concerning — over 90 per cent cleared — making most ecological vegetation classes rare or threatened.
The recent discovery of the endangered swamp skink on 28.5 hectares of bushland in Dromana — earmarked for 250 housing lots — is a stark example of continuing local habitat destruction (Development faces review to protect swamp skinks, The News 12/3/25). While new housing is essential, it should prioritise already cleared land. Wildlife need homes too.
Australia’s nature laws — described by Professor Graeme Samuel as “ineffective” and “not fit to address current or future environmental challenges” — are under review. In this context, Gina Rinehart’s lobbying against stronger protections is reprehensible.
Let’s hope the rare, treed block in Dromana is preserved — not just for the swamp skink, but as a symbol of a future where nature and development can coexist more wisely.
Chris Cook, Essendon
Plant natives
As one of your writers, Denise Hassett (Plant indigenous trees, Letters 5/8/25) quite rightly pointed out, the shire is supposed to be planting indigenous native trees and shrubs in street plants and parks.
It was lovely to see the recent new plantings in the laneway off Elizabeth Street Mornington consisting of acacias and gums of various species. But let’s look at Tanti Avenue – now featuring a line of Manchurian pears, which are not native to our area and which already line the Nepean Highway centre plantings.
Mornington is a coastal town; we deserve local trees to encourage our birds and insects. Those of us slogging away restoring public coastal areas, don’t need imports, or plane trees (as in Main Street!) and certainly not the Manchurian pears, which look pretty for two weeks while flowering and that’s it.
I wonder if any of our Shire officers actually know what indigenous trees are? And why they are important in a coastal area? Come on shire officers, you can help our environment and earn the respect of the residents, all with a few local trees. And then let us residents plant and care for indigenous shrubs and herbs in the footpath nature strips!
Jan Oliver OAM, Mornington President, Mornington Environment Association inc.
Sea wall facts
I agree with Geoff Chatfield (Sea wall – facts please, Letters 5/8/25) that facts are important in the discussion of the controversial sea wall built in Frankston.
Fact 1. The wall was built without a permit, showing a complete disdain for building regulations that the rest of the community has to abide by.
Fact 2. The wall was built on public land, there is no excuse for this, looks like a straight out land grab.
Fact 3. The coast line at the site is mainly rocky not sand and is therefore far less prone to erosion.
Fact 4. The owners bought the property in full knowledge of its location. To suggest that he deserves thanks for his cavalier actions is disingenuous. Had the owner gone through the correct and legal procedures to build the wall then there would not be an issue with it.
Ross Hudson, Mt Martha
Flags unite us
It saddens me that Ian Armstrong has such a poor understanding of Australian history (Why all the flags?, Letters 29/7/25). The Australian, Indigenous and Torres Strait flags tell our history. The flags unite us and like the flags we stand together.
I too am a proud citizen and understand that until we change the flag it is merely reflecting a British colonial history and not a full history of our land. I am of English heritage but I cannot deny the fact that there was 60,000 years of Indigenous occupation of this land before settlers from European background came here less than 300 years ago. To deny this knowledge is to deny truth and justice to our First Australians.
Diane Johnstone, Frankston
Monarchists don’t get it
In reference to the letters under the heading “Why all the Flags” and the letter below it (Letters 29/7/25). These old-guard loyalists just don’t get it, or don’t want to get it (more likely).
For the sake of telling them something they should already know. In 1788 their beloved British Monarchy invaded what we now know as Australia, and took the country away by force from our First Nations People, after more than 65.000 years of inhabitancy. To make matters worse, our forefathers treated our indigenous brothers and sisters disgracefully and inhumanely, so much so, the Prime Minister of Australia in 2008, on behalf of us all, gave a National Apology.
Flowing from the National Apology has been the utmost respect for our First Nations People, including the flying of their flags on all government buildings and the carrying out of welcome to country ceremonies wherever possible.
For one of the old-guard loyalists to infer in his letter that if the MPSC fly’s the Aboriginal flag it should fly the flags of every nation that makes up our multicultural country, shows how ignorant, disrespectful to our First Nations People and how unaware of our nation’s history he is.
I advise him to get out of his “heritage home on Mornington’s Esplanade” and get into the real world and learn what an important role our Aboriginal peoples have played in the history of our nation starting from 65,000 years ago. They are also recognised as the oldest living populations in the world.
Show a bit of respect please.
Rod Knowles, Crib Point
Act on Gaza
I am writing this letter as a plea to Zoe McKenzie. It seems that it is now de rigueur to preface all statements concerning Israel by stating the obvious, that we condemn Hamas. That said, I am writing to you as your constituent, rather distressed by the continuing crisis in Gaza.
I find myself struggling to move past drawing equivalents between the solution to the “problem” of the 1943 Uprising, by the Jews of the Warsaw Ghetto, and the solution to the Palestine “problem” today.
The revulsion that Australians feel at the mass starvation of Palestinians, the blocking of aid, and the killing of civilians approaches the overwhelming.
I urge you to do everything in your power to ensure that Australia not only is not complicit in this humanitarian catastrophe, but also acts, to the extent of our ability, to protect the Palestinian people.
Richard Kessling, Somers
Democracy lesson
I note with great interest that federal MP Zoe McKenzie is currently campaigning at peninsula primary and secondary schools through a “democracy class”, where she seems to be pushing a two-party-preferred view of the parliament following the significant swing toward Independent candidate Ben Smith at the recent election. It certainly seems convenient for the diminishing Liberal Party to “educate” future voters that democracy equals voting for the blue or red team every three years.
McKenzie was scathing of the 24,406 informed citizens in the electorate (or 53,833 if you include everyone who placed Smith above McKenzie on their ballot paper) whom she referred to as “not knowing how democracy and the parliament works” in her election victory announcement across social media, despite these voters including such law and democracy professionals as lawyers, barristers and policy makers.
Meanwhile, the Liberal Party at the state level has pledged to curb our democratic rights if elected next year, and we can’t forget the federal electoral reform stitch up done earlier this year that significantly narrows the lane for minor party and independent candidates thereby affecting democratic participation – legislation that McKenzie voted in favour of. It begs the question: Is she truly qualified to teach about ‘democracy’?”
Georgia Filosa, Dromana
Unfinished business
Why has the head of the National Anti-Crime Commission, who is in a very well-paid job, not been removed? A conflict of interest perhaps? It beggars belief that the government has not been able to prosecute the discredited players revealed in the Banking Royal Commission. It’s as if they are taking a leaf from, dare I say, the Trump Administration, in not charging those found to be guilty at the very least of misconduct and profiteering from inside trading knowledge.
Please let us not forget the victims of the infamous Robo-debt and those who perpetrated the illegal pursuant of unsubstantiated, so-called monies owed by recipients of unemployment and disability pensions. People died because of these wrongful, illegal debits, and so far no one has been jailed for these despicable injustices.
The former Liberal PM even got a King’s honour, as did the discredited head of the department responsible for the travesty. Think about that… being rewarded for illegally pursuing innocent people, some of whom suicided. I believe this makes a mockery of the law of our land and the awards systems.
I do hope the newly re-elected Labor government brings in urgent reforms to the NACC, perhaps for starters, an independent chairperson; and real reforms from the findings of Royal Commissions, which in my view are a waste of money, sit on shelves gathering dust. It is time the Labor government showed courage and commitment in trust of government.
Denise Hassett, Mt Martha
Rosebud Hospital
Labor member for Eastern Victoria in the Upper House, Tom McIntosh, recently posted several videos on social media, claiming he is “fighting for Rosebud Hospital” which is “so incredibly important to the community”. I couldn’t agree more, which is why I committed $340m at the last state election for a Liberal and National Party government to deliver a complete redevelopment of Rosebud Hospital.
Labor did not match this promise and after more than a decade in government they still have not committed to the redevelopment.
In state parliament recently, I asked the Minister for Health when the last time was a current or former Minister for Health visited Rosebud Hospital. In her non-answer, she stated she visits many health services across Victoria. She has not come to Rosebud Hospital and it’s clear why. After over a decade in office, Labor has overseen a health system in decline, a collapsing road network, more than $40b in cost blowouts across major projects, and racked up a record $194b in debt, despite introducing or increasing more than 60 taxes and charges.
Victorians are paying the price for this financial mismanagement which is why the Allan Labor government still hasn’t committed to Rosebud Hospital. Only a Liberal and National Party government will give Victorians a fresh start and deliver for Rosebud Hospital.
Sam Groth, Member for Nepean
Cycling problem
There are many distressing things happening in the world, and many people, particularly those who choose to watch the news, are feeling a trifle glum. It used to be said that “humour is the best medicine.” So I have a suggestion to lift the spirits and cause a smile, especially for those who like Monty Pythonesque humour: try phoning the council about an issue. Our trusty council officers seem to have devised a wonderfully entertaining circular system to keep us busily employed without getting any further.
Here’s my example: Me: a request to speak to the relevant person about the issue of speeding cyclists endangering pedestrians in local park.
Her: The shire doesn’t own that land, only manages it; one can’t do anything about cyclists; anyway, they’re not as dangerous as motorbikes. What do you want to happen?
Me: Request again to speak to relevant person.
Her: I have to have all the detail before putting in a request for contact.
Me: Detail all the ideas I have to keep cyclists and pedestrians apart for the safety and fun of both, and less future litigation for the council…
Her: So what’s your suggestion? You want to have no cyclists?
Me (incredulous): No….what I said was…
Eventually she said someone would call me in 24-48 hours. I must have somehow qualified for that honour, despite all appearances.
Today when I was in said park, a message from someone (presumably suitable council officer, but who am I to presume?) was left on my landline. I could ring her back before 1. So at 12.30 I rang , to be told that number wasn’t available now but I could press 1 for assistance service, which I did. “Sorry assistance service is not available. Trying back up service, sorry back up service is not available.” At which point the tissue box is handy as you may either cry or laugh hysterically.
Instead I have contacted David Gill, who responded the same day. He is one person with the councillor responsibility for 50% of the peninsula. How many work at council?
Paula Polson, Dromana
Wink three times
Beside check-outs everywhere soon, I’m told you will see a “peephole” called an RRR (retina recognition receptor). Actually, it’s your eye’s iris it recognises.
So once you have registered on the new RRR system, you simply look into the check-out receptor, wink three times, (no blinks) and you’ve paid. No more pesty plastic cards, no need even to tap ‘n’ go. So easy, modern, convenient. So cool. So hip.
And standby for the 2026 remote ESP reader – you simply walk past the check-out, and you’ve paid! Even more hip! But wait, there’s more…
Warwick Spinaze, Rosebud
