Why choose Somerville for a Urgent Care clinic?
The town is 10kms from Frankston Hospital, and Frankston also already has an Urgent Care Clinic, while Rye/Rosebud with a larger population in total area is over 40kms to Somerville, and has no direct public transport for all the Pt Nepean road townships.
The poor Rosebud Hospital has to cater for the annual influx from Xmas to Easter and is not able, nor suited, to handle such and would be greatly assisted by an Urgent Care Clinic to reduce their non-emergency work load. It would to more sense to establish an Urgent care unit at Rosebud, centrally located that could service all people from Portsea to Mornington.
Peter Wilkinson, Rye
Frustration with council
The growing frustration in our community was on full display at a recent council meeting. Residents packed the gallery, emotions ran high, and at one point, a woman was removed by security. The mayor threatened to close the meeting altogether.
For many, it’s not just about the recent 3% rate rise; it’s about feeling unheard. The mayor has repeatedly blocked motions of dissent, and any attempt by fellow councillors to amend the budget was shut down again.
The community was told they were “consulted,” but the reality is that only around 3,000 people responded to a limited-choice survey. How can that be considered a mandate, especially when hundreds have attended meetings, thousands have signed petitions, and many more have written letters raising valid concerns?
This isn’t just about rates. It’s about trust. Broken promises. Silenced voices. Funds have been allocated to specific projects and wards, while the broader needs of our diverse Peninsula are often overlooked.
Some councillors have now admitted they may have got it wrong. That’s a start. Real consultation, real listening, and respectful debate, and that’s how unity is built. We need less spin and more substance. Because if even one in ten people who couldn’t be at that protest share the same concerns, then this conversation is far from over.
Anne Kruger, Rye
Marsh guillotine
Last Tuesday’s council meeting sadly confirmed that none of the six had the fortitude to go against mayor Cr Marsh’s dictate of disallowing a motion by Cr Gill on budget matters. A great number of concerned and hopeful citizen turned up before the scheduled council meeting and braved the cold and wind in front of the chambers. Some even attended the meeting regardless of the new inconvenience put on citizen, to now have to register with Photo id to attend. Some brave people also made their feeling known by interjections to the Marsh guillotine.
As we learn more and more, the six will talk a lot about tourism and its benefits to the peninsula, and how to chisel more money out of the state government, but when it comes to our own community, they will not engage with the arts, environment and aboriginal organisations to keep the minimal funding of the past years.
It is very sad to see that the decade long history of the engagement with all community groups has been left to wither away. As a result of the decisions of the six we’re all the poorer for it.
Rupert Steiner, Balnarring
Landslide delays
The McCrae landslide happened on 14 January. A board of inquiry was set up on 18 March by the state government, who have now granted an extension of the reporting date to 10 September, making it some seven months to report on it’s findings. Apparently for “Further expert evidence to make findings on the terms of reference”.
Surely the installation of geotechnical bore logs would have been immediately undertaken. These bore logs would show extensively the make up of the strata layers present at the slip site, including water courses and flow. I would expect expert geotechnical engineers would have by now been privy to these logs, for them to assess the stability of the slip and make recommendation as to the best course of action and remedial work.
If there is no answer by now why? Does Renee Enbom KC, and the persons on the board, have any geotechnical credentials? It appears that the cost of this fiasco is only limited by the inadequate meddling of the state government, who allegedly won’t provide any funds to assist regarding the slip, yet they are willing to pay for an expensive inquiry. For the state to extend the findings by an other three months is only going to delay rectification and remedial work on this site. It would have been more prudent for the state government, as a gesture of good will give the shire the money it will cost that they are spending on an expensive KC and the board.
I am appalled at the delay to date, I feel for the residences whose houses are locked behind security fences (looters can get in). Are they being looked after and kept up to date? Does anyone have any idea why this has taken forever to come to a practical and satisfactory conclusion?
Gerard van de Ven, Mount Martha
Energy efficiency
Congratulations to Repower Mornington Peninsula on a fantastic initiative – donating home energy and insulation kits (Repower donate energy efficiency kits, The News 17/6/25).
A staggering 80 per cent of Australian homes have an energy efficiency rating of just two stars or less (out of ten). Compared to the insulated, energy efficient homes most people in Europe enjoy, we’re living in glorified tents.
Fortunately, Victoria now stipulates that new builds must have at least a seven star energy rating, but more needs to be done to retrofit the rest of our housing. By reducing draughts and keeping us warmer with less need for expensive heating, well-insulated energy efficient homes benefit us all.
Thanks to Repower Mornington Peninsula for boosting the comfort of the homes of those in need.
Amy Hiller, Kew
Peninsula wide
We have today received by post the latest edition of Mornington Peninsula Shire Council’s “Peninsula Wide.”
A few suggestions:
- Offer all ratepayers the option of receiving the journal by email thereby saving postage and paper (even if it is recycled paper).
- Is it really necessary for the journal to have roughly 30% – 40% of its content feature photographs of our councillors?
- Noticeably this has occurred only since last year’s council elections.
Bill Holmes, Sorrento
Peninsula wide boring
Joe Lenzo’s comments regarding “Peninsula Wide” were spot on (Money saver, Letters 17/6/25).
It is boring and lacks interesting information regarding the Mornington Peninsula.
John Hodgson, Balnarring
Robbing Peter to pay Paul
There is a small island nature strip in Queen Street, which is well kept and where a wooden bird feeding basket hanging from a tree is patronised by the local birds. My friend and I often walk past and wondered who is responsible for its maintenance and kind thought for the wildlife.
We discovered it is David, who lives in the front unit of the block of apartments opposite and who has created a small garden in the back of his unit open to the street, where he can be found quite often sitting there enjoying his surroundings.
In conversation with David , we were shocked to learn that he is being forced out of his unit, where he has lived for 13 years, as the block of units has ben sold to two charitable organisations, namely Upotipotpon and Payton Foundations, who intend it for the homeless.
To force tenants out of their homes, leaving them to find alternate accommodation seems completely heartless, unfair and unjustified. The rent David pays is $400 a week and where in Mornington is he going to find somewhere else at that financial level? He fears he may have to move to Frankston and in doing so will lose the small business he has created in cleaning cars for the fifteen hours he is permitted to work, supplementing his disability allowance. David also shops for the elderly resident there who has been permitted to stay. Who will take over this chore?
There is sympathy for those without a roof over their head, but I can’t see the solution lies in “robbing Peter to pay Paul”. I understand the Mornington Community Support Centre is responsible for the handling of this relocation and I believe a humane approach to the current tenants is required.
They are playing with peoples’ lives and future wellbeing. Perhaps the charitable organisations should look at purchasing vacant buildings before creating more homelessness for those left to fend for themselves.
Charity begins at home!
Beverley Treloar, Mount Martha
Machettes
I was at the Frankston police station to get information about an assault on me. While waiting a person handed in a machette and at a previous visit at the police station a police officer said that because all police officers present were taking statements from family violence victims they could not assist them they should go on-line to report their crimes. Does this not show that family violence is increasing in Frankston?
I know a person who was seriously attacked with a knife or a machette and the person who attacked him has yet to be found and arrested and there has been no media attention on this attack which occurred around eight weeks ago. The victim almost died and lost a lot of blood. Is the Frankston police suppressing crime and crime figures in Frankston. ? The focus on machette’s are in the northern suburbs and not in Frankston and surrounding suburbs.
Russell Morse, Karingal
Climate dismay
We wish to express our dismay at the council’s recent decision in regard to the upcoming budget to delete a funding allocation for climate change initiatives. We were pleased when the council declared a climate emergency and allocated funding to address the problem. The latest vote by the council to abandon the climate emergency declaration seems to be a case of throwing out the baby with the bath water. A policy is one thing and the implementation of it is another matter.
A poorly implemented policy needs adjustments, obviously, but this does not mean the policy needs to be abandoned – in this case because some programmes were either ineffective or wasteful or both.
The council has prioritised dollars at the expense of the environment.
We acknowledge that it is important to have a responsible budget but surely there should be a balance between dollars and quality of life issues such as the environment. What may initially seem like a saving can be false economy when the results of climate change such as increased floods, storms and bushfires occur. These lead to increased insurance and legal costs for both the council and householders and more hot days mean more use of air conditioners in houses and cars which in turn further increases carbon dioxide emission resulting in more heating of the atmosphere. A vicious cycle.
Councils have an important part to play in our everyday lives and their decisions will effect not just the next twelve months but well into the future. The voting on climate change funding was close so we urge all councillors to carefully consider these matters and vote with an eye to the future.
Ann Robb, Secretary – Mornington Environment Association.
Super sleuth
Bravo Bruce White, super sleuth.
His intrepid investigation into the important issue (Where are the spoons?, Letters 17/6/25) was inspiring. It seems obvious in hindsight, but come on, who else thought to check the dish’s alibi? The guilt was obvious. I salute you Sir.
David Martin, Mt Martha
Even so?
Hanging by a thread?
The fictitious Alfred E Neman’s words “What, me worry?”
We live in troubled times. Locally our council’s personal bias in ignoring climate change, the arts and the citizens’ panel. Reminded of Robert Hughes “Arts is a measure of the character of the country, an organic part of human nature, without which our natures are coarsened, impoverished and denied, and our sense of community with other citizens is weakened”.
I shake my head in wonder at the promotional nonsense in the colourful costly Peninsula Wide. Rye, now near to upmarket, renters to Cranbourne and beyond, the grumblings for AFL football and the cost of living, a passing thought added for Donald Trump’s United State entering the war against the dangerous Iran, the deaths of innocent Palestinians desperately needing aid, the destruction of Gaza.
I recall Elvis Presley “Don’t be cruel, the future looks bright ahead”
And AUKUS, Collingwood? Even so…
Cliff Ellen, Rye
