Ban jet skis at Safety Beach
Having spent four weeks of my holidays at Safety Beach with lots of swimming, every day I was in danger of these hoons on jet skis.
They go too fast in the restricted areas, and probably don’t have a boat licence or know the rules.
I never saw one Water Police boat in all that time.
When some one is killed or badly injured then the authorities may do something. But that will be too late.
Allan Dickson, Carrum Downs
Jet ski enforcement
It is to be hoped that the campaign described on the front page of The News is put into practice effectively and is not just another statistical window dressing exercise as most water police action has been in the past.
There is an over zealous concentration of effort on checking minor items such as expiry dates on flares carried by normal law abiding boaties yet the jet ski mob seem to live a charmed life.
More emphasis should be placed on prevention rather than compliance with petty rules and regulations.
Far too frequently is one approached by these wouldabeen sailors in hob nailed boots to check on the safety equipment one has on board and, in our case, always has on board, while jet skis are running amuck.
Safety Beach should be a gold mine for the state coffers if the police were doing their job conscientiously.
Barry Rumpf, McCrae
Short stay tax
With regard to Jeremy Maxwell and Cr Anthony Marsh having a swipe at the state government about the short stay tax, I wish to point out a rather inconvenient truth the absolute truth is this it was his council that brought in this tax to rip the money out of their own ratepayers the state government looked at it and thought if our own council can rip off its own ratepayers with not much of a squeal then we can do worse.
Shame on the Mornington Peninsula Shire for bringing in this tax in the first place.
Richard Kues, Mount Martha
Saving koalas
Last year was described as the “worst on record” for destruction of koala habitat nationwide. Shockingly, the Australian Conservation Foundation reported that 98 per cent of destroyed habitat was cleared without federal approval, exposing a profound failure of Australia’s nature laws. Climate change and bushfires are compounding these pressures on one of the world’s iconic animals already declared endangered in three jurisdictions.
On the Mornington Peninsula, most native vegetation has already been lost, with only about 18 per cent remaining. What remains is highly fragmented, forcing koalas to cross open ground, roads and private property to find food and mates, increasing risks such as vehicle strikes and dog attacks. About 70 per cent of remaining habitat is on private land, making protection heavily dependent on landholder decisions.
Against this backdrop, it was disheartening to learn that nearly 100 local koalas and joeys have been killed in vehicle collisions on Peninsula roads over the past two years (New signage to help stem the number of koala deaths, The News 27/1/26).
While the size of the local population is unknown, this road toll surely represents a significant proportion. Koalas breed slowly, producing only one joey every one to two years.
The new “Active Koala Zone” signs and extensive tree planting by Mornington Peninsula Koala Conservation (MPKC) will help create safer habitat corridors. Supporting MPKC’s 2026 program is clearly a practical way to help turn the tide.
Sarah Brennan, Hawthorn
Koala deaths
It’s heartbreaking to learn that up to 40 koalas are killed by cars each year on the peninsula (New signage to help stem the number of koala deaths”, The News 27/1/26).
Slowing down near bushland is a simple but vital step we can all take to keep local wildlife safe. With NSW koalas now listed as endangered and facing the possibility of extinction by 2050, our responsibility is greater than ever. Careful driving, protecting their remaining habitat, and tackling climate change are all essential if we want this iconic species to survive.
Amy Hiller, Kew
Outdoor recreation?
The Victorian government will set up a new agency called Outdoors Victoria to promote fishing, boating and hunting (New agency to boost outdoor recreation and jobs, The News 20/1/25). What a narrow concept of outdoor recreation!
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, boating does not even rank in our top 55 physical recreations. ABS data shows that fishing and shooting sports are heavily male-dominated, and are far less popular than bushwalking, swimming, golf and even yoga.
The Premier’s husband has publicly declared his love of fishing and boating, and has been photographed in a shooting event sponsored by a hunting club. But why should our taxes pay for a new agency to “boost” such blokey recreations?
Em Wilkinson, Blackburn South
Lucky to have BlueScope
In his letter (Review BlueScope’s rates freeze, Letters 27/1/26) Dale Stohr made some interesting observations with a table of the very cheap rates paid over the years by BlueScope Steel.
But there is more to it than that. The peninsula, and Victoria, badly need such large industries.
If BlueScope decided to pack it in and shift manufacturing to overseas, like so many others, then we would be frantically advertising for overseas giants to establish themselves here by offering all sorts of concessions including cheap rates.
BlueScope is the largest private employer on the peninsula, bringing wealth to all connected.
It offers meaningful, intellectually rewarding well-paid careers to local people.
It would be interesting to put alongside the table of annual rates presented, a similar chart of total workforce annual wages paid. Those wages are mostly spent here.
That steel mill is absolutely necessary in every way to the peninsula and to Australia. We need any assistance possible from all levels of government to gain or retain industries like this.
Too many heavy duty large industries are packing it in and getting out of Australia, I don’t see any new ones establishing here. I believe one substantial reason is that there is no heavy duty reliable electricity available, nor is it cheap.
Brian A Mitchelson, Mornington
Time for legal action?
Reading the letter (Homelessness Inaction, The News 20/1/26) by Diane McDonald, Southern Women’s Action Network about ongoing, sustained, peninsula housing neglect by the government makes me wonder if it is possible to sue government departments such as Homes Victoria and Families, Fairness (you’ve got to be kidding) and Housing.
I’m not a lawyer but I know if you are in full knowledge of a dangerous situation, you do not exercise due diligence and it leads to deaths (as has neglecting homelessness), then you are liable.
The excuse “We didn’t know”, won’t work; they have been told and at any rate their own public housing waiting list data proves the extent of neglect.
Time to take legal action?
Maureen Donelly, Mornington
Homeless responsibility
Your headline (Community leaders demand homeless action, The News 20/1/26) is intriguing.
Apparently our shire leaders demand action, but only by somebody else (i.e. the state government), not by themselves. It doesn’t take much effort to make a demand.
When the shire council was proposing the 2025-2026 budget, I searched the available documents for the word “homeless” – couldn’t find it. That may be an indication of the shire’s own efforts.
In the same vein, I have several good chairs that I really want to give to homeless people when and if they need them. I have contacted more than one local charity and always received the response “no thanks”.
Does anybody know how to donate the chairs to needy recipients?
Lee Seldon, Somers
Trump support?
Zoe McKenzie certainly isn’t representing me when she says, the “Trump Organisation should also consider taking on the Queensland tropical resort islands” (The Age, 29/01/2026) that were damaged following cyclones as well as developing a Trump Tower on Queensland’s Gold Coast. There are currently 20 times as many Gold Coast constituents against the Trump Organization’s proposal to develop an 89 storey Trump Tower as those for it.
By expressing these opinions publicly, what’s in it for Zoe?
Jill Stanszus, Mornington
Cooler earth in 2025
The World Meteorological Organisation has advised that global temperatures in 2025 were 0.13 degrees centigrade cooler than in 2024. Yes cooler! How can that be?
You may not have read or seen this in any media reports because it obviously does not accord with the hypothesis that increased levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) are behind an increase in global temperatures.
There has been no decrease in CO2 levels in the atmosphere in 2025 so how can the recorded global temperatures be lower than in the previous year?
I look forward to the explanation from your regular climate change correspondents.
Alan Reid, Sorrento
Editor’s note: The WMO report stated that 2025 was cooler than 2024 due to temporary cooling by La Niña does not a reversal of the long-term trend. The Berkeley Earth report states that “2025 was the third warmest year on Earth since 1850. It is exceeded only by 2024 and 2023” and that “The last 11 years have included all 11 of the warmest years observed in the instrumental record, with the last three years including all of the top three warmest”.
Australia Day
When are politicians, media outlets and educational facilities going to “fess up” and inform Australian Citizens on the true significance of the 26th of January, Australia Day?
Fact One: On the 26 January 1949 the Nationality and Citizenship Act was enacted. In that year we became Australian Citizens, no longer British Subjects, this included Aboriginals who now had full protection under Australian law. Before this special date Australians travelled on British passports and engaged in British conflicts.
Historical fact: Governor Arthur Phillip anchored the first vessels of his fleet in Botany Bay on 18 January 1788, later moving to Port Jackson (Sydney Harbour) on 25 January. By this time Phillip had already put his foot on soil at Port Jackson on 21 January having explored the area by boat to find a suitable place to disembark.
As a primary school pupil in the forties, we celebrated Empire Day on 24 May to coincide with Queen Victorias’ birthday. This celebration remained in place until 1958 – renamed Commonwealth Day to reflect changing post war ties with Britain. There was no public holiday, however the evenings on that date would be celebrated with bonfires and fireworks to mark the occasion.
Please let us enjoy our great nation and remember 26 January was a date we were all declared Australians.
Ian Lyons, Safety Beach
Abolish the oath
The oath is taken by witnesses before they give evidence in court and on legal documents such as statutory declarations etc.
But as the Mushroom Cook’s criminal case shows that the accused gave police false statements and gave false evidence in court but no charges were laid which shows that the oath is a meaningless tool to force individuals not to give false evidence.
My experience in the courts is that the oath is taken then the false evidence start and the people who give false evidence win.
Russell Morse, Karingal
Surprise for my eyes
I write in reply to Stuart McCullough’s story (Eyes on the Prize, The News 28/1/26).
As an Australian male reaching his 80th year in a few weeks, I’m hoping Stuart’s wishing and maybe praying for additional trophies and certificates to be given or should I say “awarded” to him for deeds yet to be identified, I have an answer that may assist both Stuart and me.
Throughout the past 80 years I have won several trophies, medals and certificates for sporting events and I’m hoping Stuart may want a few to bolster his self-esteem.
I have offered our children, grandchildren and their partners, if they would like, to take their pick now or let me make a note of their wants and attach it to my will.
Alas, not one of these nine adults saw a need to have a “Pop” memento left to them, although one grandson did ask if I would leave my credit card to him.
I explained that the expiration date is approaching soon. Besides that there is little or no funds available as I will spend most of it on tip fees when I have to dump my unwanted treasures, unless Stuart needs extras.
In closing I must say I find Stuart’s “The Meaning of Existence” articles are one of the consistently finest columns in any newspaper I have read Therefore I’m prepared to send the trophies (if I can find them) my wife and I won at a trivia night for the most incorrect answers.
Bruce White, Safety Beach
Cancer fight
Blood cancer… the single biggest tragedy impacting Aussie kids and forcing them out of classrooms.
As Australian children return to school, hundreds will not. Their desks sit empty as they fight blood cancer – the single biggest disease threatening the lives of school-aged children in Australia today.
This year alone, around 350 children will be diagnosed with blood cancer. It now accounts for more than one in three childhood cancers, yet remains a largely hidden national tragedy.
A blood cancer diagnosis is sudden and brutal. Children are forced out of classrooms and into hospital wards, enduring aggressive treatment that can last years. Many miss 40 to 60 per cent of school in their first year alone, with some absent for up to 18 months. The impacts on learning, wellbeing and social development are profound and long-lasting.
Over the past two decades, blood cancer incidence among children aged five to 14 has risen by almost 30 per cent. If this trend continues, more than 400 children a year could face this devastating diagnosis within the next decade.
At the Leukaemia Foundation, we see the toll this takes on children and families every day – emotionally, financially and socially. While we provide vital accommodation, transport, education and support services, and invest in life-saving research, we cannot do it alone.
As the World’s Greatest Shave launches nationally, I urge Australians to stand with these children and all Australians impacted by blood cancer. Participating by shaving, cutting or colouring your hair helps ensure no person faces blood cancer without support.
Register to participate in the World’s Greatest Shave at www.worldsgreatestshave.com or call 1800 500 088.
Chris Tanti, CEO, Leukaemia Foundation