Resigned at the first appropriate opportunity
I’d like to respond to last week’s letter suggesting I delayed my resignation so the Briars Ward by-election could not be held earlier (Briars Ward concern, Letters 14/7/26).
It would not have been appropriate to resign before the result of the Nepean by-election was declared. I was declared elected at approximately 10am on 14 May and resigned immediately afterwards.
It was a privilege to serve the people of Briars Ward, and I thank them for the support they showed me over many years. I also thank the people of Nepean for the faith they have placed in me, and I look forward to continuing to fight for the Mornington Peninsula each and every day!
Anthony Marsh, Member for Nepean
Waste charges
Mayor Batty found that residents generally supported the 2.75% capped rates increase, but were “particularly concerned” about the waste charges (Increased waste fees locked in for peninsula residents, The News 7/7/26).
Concerned or outraged? The new waste charge is $507, an increase on last year of 17%. On top of rates.
Do the sucker ratepayers know that if you increase a charge by just 19% per year, that charge will be doubled in just four years?
Some years ago our council introduced a “municipal charge” of just $50 which was found to be illegal so they called it a “waste services charge” which was legal.
Ten years ago this charge had become $193, last year $433. Now $507. Can you see where it’s heading?
All of this re-titling of money squeezed from the milking cow ratepayers is a shifty act to me.
Just as road maintenance, potholes, sports grounds, executives salaries, etc., have always been part of the reason we pay rates, so too is waste removal and public cleaning. It’s paid for!
Somebody please tell council.
Is there to be a pothole repair surcharge to be added to our rates? (I may wish I’d never said that).
The rates cap was introduced to contain ever-expanding council fiefdoms and force councils to live within their means.
The waste surcharge was introduced by councils to contemptuously overcome that state government restriction.
Councils are an obsolete and unnecessary third arm of government. A big reform is necessary.
Brian A Mitchelson, Mornington
Ah, the serenity!
Last week’s article (Ecotourism body pull Arthurs Seat Eagle case study, The News 14/7/26) reveals that developers are just as guilty of deception as politicians. The developer had claimed to “have supported local charities, such as the Mornington Peninsula Koala Conservation to plant koala habitat along the gondola line”. The claim was made in 2023 and in February 2026 a luge under the gondola was added to the proposal, a metre or so from the said koala habitat, which would terrorise the koalas.
In my only encounter with a koala in the wild, while jogging on the Byers Track at Blackwood, I almost died of fright. Just after rounding a bend, I heard a great thump. Looking back I saw a koala scrambling into the bush in absolute terror. It must have dropped a fair way to make such a thump. I would have made virtually no noise, jogging slowly on a thick carpet of leaves in the old gold mining race, so the poor thing’s terror was caused mainly by my unexpected presence in its tranquil home.
Members of the MPKC were not supported in the planting of the inappropriately located habitat; while the gondolas might operate fairly quietly, the noise of excited children would cause a reaction
similar to what I had experienced. The planting was done by Eagle staff and their friends, the ones who wrote a flood of letters to The News praising the proposal. Perhaps they thought that Koalas loved noise!
Ray Gibb, Rosebud
New bus route
No doubt, there will be some people living on the Mornington Peninsula who will be rejoicing about the new bus routes and timetables which are now in operation across parts of the peninsula.
The only bus now picking up passengers on the Nepean Highway between Mt Martha and Mornington is the 788.
This bus picks up adults and school students and is frequently standing room only.
I have been informed there will be a review next March, and any concerns need to be addressed to PTV.
I would love to hear other peoples experience of the changes. Please, more effective public transport for the peninsula.
Iris Hallinan, Mornington
Bus shelter vandalism
I totally agree with the comments by Bruce Cornelius (State of our shire, Letters 7/7/26) that this constant bus shelter vandalism must stop.
Bus shelters are designed to provide shelter for commuters, especially school children and the elderly, however with the shelters being constantly destroyed by vandals, the danger of sitting on broken glass and the cost of repairs is out of control.
The bus companies are continually replacing the broken glass, but the issue is not going away and in fact is escalating. Therefore a new approach is required.
I suggest using lamp poles, trees or neighbouring fences to place surveillance cameras and catch the criminals on camera. When the vandals are caught make them or their parents pay for the repair of the shelters.
An alternative to using only glass, would be to fit metal mesh such as Crim Safe in front and behind the glass panels. If this is not cost effective then ballistic-grade polycarbonate is the ideal plastic used for this purpose. It is up to 250 times stronger than glass and, when manufactured in thick, multi-layered sheets, it can safely absorb and stop handgun or rifle projectiles without shattering or dangerous fragmentation. Finally make the shelters out of graffiti-proof galvanized iron as per the one near Bentons Square Shopping Centre.
John Bridge, Mount Martha
Cats and bags
According to last weeks letter page the “cat is out of the bag” regarding my political affiliation (Cat out of the bag, Letters 14/7/26).
The only problem being that Mr Steiner got the colour of the cat wrong.
Instead of an orange moggy I tend to be more of a Russian Blue and as for vilifying Farrer candidate Michelle Milthorpe, if pointing out that radical left Get-up sent out a panicked e-mail requesting funds and then spent $600,000 on a misinformation campaign against the One Nation candidate, is vilification, then I can wear that.
In the dying months of the Whitlam government in 1975, I was part of his security detail when he was in Victoria and met many in his inner circle.
Two things I learned. Labor politicians tend to have very little life experience and will say and do whatever to grasp on to power.
Take Rudd and his vow not to change illegal boat immigrants from reaching Australia. We all know how that worked out. Gillard and no Carbon Tax. Shorten with the Liberals selling medicare. Albanese with no changes to property tax.
One Nation surged in the polls because a lot of what they said was just basic common sense but now people are realising that just like the Teals, Greens and other independents they are virtually irrelevant when it comes to formulating policy.
M. G. Free, Mt Martha
Simple explanations
The reason, Kerry Taylor (Local Letter Writers, Letters 14/07/26), that there are usually a number of letters from people who do not live on the actual peninsula can be easily explained.
Many may well have relatives who live here and feel a personal association with the peninsula. A great many more likely have a second home on the peninsula, attracted by the fairly relaxed lifestyle and also the relatively pristine environment. I am only a relative newcomer to the peninsula and was greatly attracted by some of the reasons mentioned.
For example, just in Mount Martha alone we have the Balcombe Estuary, The Briars and the Mt Martha shops which is a quaint and charming little shopping precinct. Furthermore Arthur’s Seat is not far away and with a few minutes’ drive you are into the beautiful country side.
It is only reasonable that apparent outsiders to the peninsula would take an interest in its affairs and would want to do what they can to protect the uniqueness of the area and its natural environment.
Ross Hudson, Mt Martha
Boycotting letters
Kerry Taylor (Local Letter Writers, Letters 14/07/26), I asked the same question months ago and was given a very patronising reply from the editor. I no longer read these letters and basically only get the paper for the TV guide.
Tina Bennett, Somerville
Editor’s note: Tina, if you don’t read the letters, how did you see Kerry’s letter?
Animal cruelty
The Victorian state Labor government’s determination to support those whose recreational pleasure is derived from the “sport” of maiming and killing innocent creatures is inhumane, indefensible and utterly abhorrent.
All local state government members need to hear from and act on the growing community outrage at this state sanctioned brutality.
No government of any persuasion should be equivocal about the morality of this matter. With an election looming now is a perfect time to pressure for change.
Bruce Wearing-Smith, Somers
Broken medical system
What a calamity of disappointments this week dealing with our medical system. Both myself and my father struck down with severe flu.
Ambulance called resulted in a three hour wait until arrival. To then be left dealing with an after hours doctor service this Saturday afternoon with zero doctors available to assist us. I then tried getting some advice through local pharmacists who were hardly approachable either. If you can’t deal with people, pick an occupation that doesn’t involve face to face contact with others!
Our system as a whole is massively understaffed and underfunded in this state, and I feel for those who have been sicker than us, requiring immediate help.
We all deserve much, much better.
Disgruntled and well and truly over it.
Adam Richmond, Dromana
AI safety
Let’s not be squeamish about this: the global race is on to secure the safety of artificial intelligence.
Australia’s stance focuses on safety testing for high-risk AI, rather than the US’s push to lead with frontier-model oversight.
Committing to an AI Safety Commissioner reinforces the government’s resolve.
The EU is finalising the AI Act, and the UK is establishing safety institutes.
This is why Australia’s determination not to be left behind sounds dire, but it isn’t. AI, in all its positive aspects, also needs to be reined in for oversight and transparency.
The fact that China is building its own parallel system adds to the urgency of getting this right.
Anne Kruger, Rye
Multiculturalism
Once the rule was “when in Rome do as the Romans do”, but the currently fashionable view is that no immigrant should be expected to adopt the customs of the land into which he or she immigrates.
Thus mass immigration from multiple sources sets up multiple communities with multiple cultures, often with little in common.
However it seems to me that there is no such thing as a multicultural society; where there are multiple cultures there are multiple societies competing for the same space.
Further, different cultures have different ideas of what is fair, what is a reasonable level of openness and what is acceptable. Where such views are strongly held conflict is inevitable.
Like Maureen Donnelly (Proudly multicultural, Letters 14/7/26) I fear for the future of my country, but for different reasons.
Albert Riley, Mornington
Price per serve
Researchers possibly have a grasp of what they mean by healthy portions/serves. Do these researchers ask the likes of sceptical and contrary cooks, such as I, who don’t relish binning doubly herb infused delicious left-overs?
Price per serve distracts one from thinking how many people this piece of steak will feed. It distracts from how to ensure the right balance between the optimal volume of these or those ingredients.
Who decides the portion? What’s a portion for my grandchildren, my sporty daughter or son?
What’s a portion today may not be a portion tomorrow, when yummy leftovers are being notched up with a smidgeon of something that’s less than a portion of something that some unimaginative pre-adult person has conjured in a business funded so called research unit in Monash.
Introducing an ingredient into a dish, my scales don’t ask me to log in what it is I’m weighing, the scales do not give me a reading of the portion size of that particular vegetable or protein. My scales to not tell me how much of this vegetable to add, and whether those vegetables are of the same family, different though that they might appear.
My scales show me grams and kilos, Not portions for this or that meat, nor this or that vegetable.
Is the notion of portion, not just silly?
Richard Kessling, Somers
BarleyCharlie@90
Why do they all want to get bigger, and bigger; Coles, Woolworths, the Commonwealth Bank, so many others? All operating within the need for MORE.
Today’s profits may be heathy, in fact the motivation for more next year, every year?
Australian Seniors: Originally 60+ year olds, then 55, then 50, now 45?
As for the lottery of life, (“Life is a Cabaret”) clearly I’m in a passageway toilet, and the locked door out is rusted, unable to be opened.
What, me worry? No point, the likes of moire and fellow 90+ people overlooked. Then there’s Telstra. $2.4 million a year for Number 1, has the lady fixed it yet? Her appearance in defence failed to convince.
AFL: Little people have long memories? The umpiring against Collingwood in North Melbourne’s favour, suspiciously connected to a Maynard Magpie copping a fine (no matches?) from the Collingwood Gold Coast match?
Watched The Insiders, ABC, with The Guardian’s Sarah Martin, a talking machine? Generally; Albo on gambling, his mind is not in it! We ALL stray.
In degrees. The majority who think they have strayed (secretly?) have done nothing less than being human beings. To steal from Paul Keating – “A myth of the monarch culture” yes, smaller, but still there, particularly Channel 9.
Inner Health plus double strength provita40, defined? Chemist Warehouse. Unadulterated nonsense?
Finally: Bigots (stubborn, unreasonable) personified? as in 33% for monoculture?
OMG, VAD. So peaceful, no scooter, no cold weather, no football experts, no cigarettes; no self righteous letter writers complaining about our potholes, no overpaid councillors? Not yet, Collingwood might win?
Thankfully somebody mentioned democracy, a cause for great laughter, calmness. Feeling better now; reward, one cigarette?
And the duck? Calmness, unruffled, paddle, like the devil, underneath.
Cliff Ellen, Rye
