Support the candidates who will rebuild Rosebud Hospital
As the by-election draws near, followed by the state election later this year, we residents must think clearly and see who supports our campaign. It is vital that we do not vote for a particular party because we always have and it’s our tradition.
Listen to all the candidates and think about our future. Rosebud Hospital is the heart of the southern peninsula and we deserve a modern, fit for purpose, new hospital.
Alongside of the huge medical support our hospital provides are so many worthy causes that need help and the hospital regularly helps out homeless people, mental health issues and those that do not have family support, as well as the community centre at the rear which has a huge range of support groups and practitioners. There is the rehabilitation ward where we can have help after surgery or a medical issue.
Then there is the dialysis unit which is full every day, (and has a waiting list) the cancer centre for chemo, infusions and research.
There are many more important reasons for us to demand a modern rebuild, so get your thinking caps on and do your research into the candidates!
Let’s rebuild Rosebud Hospital!
Sue Gilbert, Rye
Civic responsibility
The forthcoming Nepean by-election arrives at a sensitive moment for Victoria’s political landscape. With Labor not contesting the seat, preference flows, and public perception will carry greater significance.
In this context, the circulation of a verified how-to-vote card for a single candidate warrants thoughtful consideration. Such cards are not incidental documents; they signal political positioning and strategic intent.
At the local council level, the candidate had often been regarded as a disruptive figure. Robust debate is healthy in any democracy, but consistent disruption without constructive outcomes can erode public trust. When that reputation intersects with a state by-election, voters are entitled to examine the broader implications.
With One Nation fielding a candidate and recent polling indicating volatility among conservative voters, the potential for vote fragmentation cannot be ignored. Even without Labor in the race, outcomes may hinge on how preferences are directed and how unified the electorate remains.
This is not a partisan observation but a civic one. Leadership, whether local or state, should aim to stabilise and strengthen community confidence. At a time when public trust in institutions is already fragile, clarity, responsibility and transparency are essential.
The community deserves representation that builds cohesion rather than uncertainty.
Anne Kruger, Rye
By-election concern
As a resident of the Mornington Peninsula I am concerned about the Nepean by-election and the recent endorsement of Anthony Marsh.
Many in the community are frustrated by the cost of this election. The added perception that a win for Marsh could trigger another council by-election only increases that frustration.
What makes this worse is that Marsh previously pledged before the 2024 local government elections that he would “not disappear to run for parliament”. He said “no, none. never!” when asked about state ambitions.
Voters are paying attention. They notice when commitments are reversed and when local money could be wasted. Parties should take note that the community is aware and decisions like this will not go unnoticed.
Labor really should be running a candidate. Give voters choice and demonstrate a commitment.
Chris Trickey, Mt Eliza
Shire inequity
The inequity of resource allocation by the shire across the peninsula is staggering. I knew Sorrento had a nice big community centre, but attending the Flinders Fringe Festival acquainted me with the vast sums of money spent on Flinders – the beautiful civic centre; artistically painted electricity boxes; 21 page full colour high quality A4 Festival booklet; and there’s probably much more I am not aware of. Now Mt Eliza is to receive get a costly upgrade to a sports pavilion.
Meanwhile in Dromana the community house struggles on in its dilapidated old buildings, valiantly providing meals and food for numerous needy people, as well as courses and connection. Tracy, staff and volunteers work tirelessly to benefit the lives of many. When will Dromana get the community house it so deserves?
It seems the councillors’ (or maybe the six of them?) apparent adherence to the biblical adage “to those that hath shall be given” needs to change to “to those that need shall be given.”
Paula Polson, Dromana
Emil Madsen Reserve
This overdue revamp of the Western Pavilion at Emil Madsen Reserve will certainly be beneficial to the tenant clubs in meeting their ever increasing numbers of participants, by increasing the number of AFL change rooms to four and having two dedicated change rooms for netball. This investment strengthens the commitment to female participation and youth involvement… key objectives of the $15m grant championed by the late Peta Murphy.
Further improvements to ground lighting will allow more games and extended use of these facilities. This site’s location makes it ideally suited as a community hub, with ample space to expand recreational opportunities, engaging youth focused activities as the skate park, bike tracks and flexible consultation and meeting spaces.
The upstairs function area with a commercial kitchen and bar area will allow tenant clubs to hold their own events at “home” instead of hiring such facilities outside the Mt Eliza area. Additionally this area will serve the broader community and the local secondary and primary schools, plus the numerous community groups. School reunions, graduations, alumni gatherings, and formals could be held, plus the personal milestones of birthdays and those special occasions.
The majority of the events are currently held outside the ward due to a lack of appropriate facilities.
This major revamp will create a true “community hub” where families can gather, celebrate milestones and build lasting connections. It is a win for our current community and future generations and this “event” centre will generate the necessary income streams for long term viability.
I have received a numerous enquires and potential bookings for this great space.
Hopefully this facility will be operational by the start of the 2028 calendar year.
Cr Stephen Batty,
Kackeraboite Ward Councillor
Waste responsibility
In a recent edition of The News, an article attributed to the CEO of Clean-Up Australia referred to the need to stop waste at its source.
Figures were quoted concerning the major sources of waste which are cigarette butts with the main waste offender being soft plastics representing 80.8% of all waste collected on Clean-Up Australia Day.
The article went on to say that Clean-Up Australia strongly support the implementation of a “mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme for packaging, including soft plastics, which would ensure producers and manufacturers are responsible for the packaging they place in the market”.
This is an utterly naive suggestion because it totally fails to apportion the responsibility for the generation of packaging waste into the system…which lies fair and squarely with the consumer. A Question? How does packaging waste find its way to beaches, parks, waterways and bushland in the first place? Why do we need organisations like Clean-Up Australia to have to run clean-up days to collect waste?
Simple…it is not being disposed of correctly in the first place! If it was there wouldn’t be a waste issue.
If all after-use packaging was consigned to bins domestically and by business it wouldn’t be available to be washed through the storm water system and on to our beautiful beaches and anywhere else in the community.
Seeking to penalise packaging manufacturers for creating product which can be recycled through the shire waste system totally misses the point.
When packaging of any sort has done its job it is incumbent upon all of us to dispose of it correctly into the bins supplied, which will then be consigned in many cases through a closed loop system for recycling and reuse. Come on folks…waste is your responsibility!
David Corduff, Mt Eliza
Shire inception
‘Super shire’ marks its first 25 years…..as noted in The News (28 Oct 2019).
“The amalgamation of 1994 saw the peninsula run by 3 state government- appointed commissioners instead of elected councillors, who were sacked by the Kennett Liberal government”.
“The exit of commissioners and the reintroduction of council elections in 1997 signalled the end of a tumultuous time in Victorian local government”.
The date of inception for the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council is a moot point.
Within Victoria, 210 councils became 79. So the question should be whether these amalgamations are now giving a “Fair shake of the sauce bottle” to Victorians?
In my view, demerging the MPSC in some form is a reasonable suggestion in order to improve services and productivity for better outcomes.
Ant Barling, Bittern
On the road again
The Frankston Council is on the road again with their wish list for council funding for projects. It has asked that candidates pledge they will agree to pursue them if they get elected to parliament at the next state election.
The council has gone to Canberra to get funding for for their wish list for other council projects after the last federal election.
One wonders if the promises will be met as the state labor government is in huge debt and the federal government has run out of funding and is now forcing the Australian Defence Force to sell land.
Where is the money coming from ?
Will the council run a political campaign against candidates who do not pledge to advocate for the council projects?
The Frankston Council should keep their own promises such as before the last council elections to have a report made by council officers into freezing rates which has completely gone of the radar.
No doubt our local member for Frankston Paul Edbrooke will answer the question about who owns the Peninsula University Hospital as the building of the hospital is his major plank in his election campaign.
Russell Morse, Karingal
Fred got it right?
For Victoria’s Labor Party led government, so well financially supported by the recently exposed as corrupt CFMEU, French economist,
Frédéric Bastiat’s words come to mind.
“When plunder becomes a way of life for a group… over the course of time they create for themselves a legal system that authorises it and a moral code that glorifies it.”
Howard Hutchins, Wantirna
Electric vehicles
Our local member, Zoe McKenzie posted on social media this week about the rise in petrol prices.
If only her Government had not run a scare campaign about electric vehicles and instead had supported their introduction we might have fewer people effected by the rise in petrol prices. The increase is one thing that might just ruin people’s weekends! From a smug EV owner.
Marg D’Arcy, Rye
Weedy swap
I encourage anyone with a garden to visit the Briars Nursery in late March or early April and collect their three free native plants (The Briars hosts native plant giveaway, The News 3/3/26).
What a wonderful initiative. Too many of our gardens are full of introduced weed species, from sweet pittosporum to myrtle-leaf milkwort/polygala to agapanthus.
These weeds spread into nearby bush reserves, choking indigenous vegetation and reducing the habitat available to native wildlife.
Choosing a few hardy indigenous species that thrive in dry conditions and support local wildlife is a small step that can make a big difference — one that helps our gardens become part of the landscape rather than a threat to it.
Weed guides can be found here: mornpen.vic.gov.au/Environment/Natural-Environment-Biodiversity/Environmental-Noxious-Weeds
Amy Hiller, Kew
Global alignment
The United States invaded Iraq, Iran, Vietnam and Afghanistan. Russia invaded Ukraine and Afghanistan. Israel has conducted major ground invasions into Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and the Palestinian territories (Gaza & West Bank).
China has not launched a large-scale overseas war in decades. Its rise has been driven primarily through trade, infrastructure, manufacturing dominance, long-term economic statecraft, and embracing capitalism that exceeds capitalist countries like Australia.
Maritime disputes and military modernisation, fair issues for debate, but the record shows China’s primary tools have been commercial leverage (capitalism) and diplomacy, not expeditionary war, even like invading Taiwan which they arguably have a point of contention.
For Australia, this isn’t an abstract moral argument, it’s a strategic calculation. China is Australia’s largest trading partner by a wide margin. Geography also matters: Asia is our region. Our prosperity is inseparable from Indo-Pacific stability.
Aligning more closely with China through engagement, expanded trade, regional integration, and sustained diplomatic dialogue, does not mean abandoning our sovereignty. It means recognising and prioritising stability over ideological conflicts. A strategy centred on soft diplomacy, economic interdependence, and de-escalation would reduce the risk of Australia being drawn into great-power war.
Should we continue locking ourselves into ideological war mongering military blocs abandoning diplomacy, or pursue a pragmatic, Asia-centred strategy that safeguards trade, lowers tensions, and positions Australia as a bridge rather than a battlefield?
This is not addressing human rights which the United States, Australia and Russia do not have bragging rights to.
Meanwhile China is twiddling its thumbs and practicing Kintsugi while picking up the broken pieces.
Joe Lenzo, Safety Beach
BarleyCharlie@Almost90
“To make each day count” from the 1997 movie Titanic as I steam forward to 90, mere days away.
And Cooper – “Absence of occupation is not rest, a mind quite vacant is a mind distressed.”
Should I worry, accept I’m down on atoms, carbon, oxygen, iron; not really – the philosophy of luck, better than the opposite. Sadly, not for everyone.
Hypocrisy on show, all over the place(s). Australia’s support for the USA/Israel attack on Iran. Nasty stuff, but what, if any, our options, Morrison’s AUKUS?
Sir Donald’s reasoning IRAN (“They were getting close so we decided to strike first”) –fairy floss.
Similarly, no visible reaction in the casinos, poker machines, AFL football, insulated here, there, not forgetting the Chinese invading the Filipino fishermen’s agreed fishing area, where are the Yanks there?
Albanese’s no fool, like it or not in Australia’s interests, sometimes placated by his doona, or plainly fence sitting in the case of Trump’s invasion ( alongside his mate Netanyahu) what alternative?
Angus Taylor, given his way, likely seeing our troops over there, as always, historically; Menzies, Holt Vietnam.
Locally the Farrah by-election, no Labor standing, hopefully Pauline Hanson’s lot down the tube, thus the May 12 budget and “Use it or lose it”?
Time to “come out, come out wherever you are” Albo?
Cliff Ellen, Rye
