Go back to where you came from
RECENTLY, two women were having a quiet drink at a bar in Dromana. A stranger approached their table and asked one of them: “Where are you from?” She replied: “Dromana”. He asked again, this time aggressively: “Where are you really from?” She replied: “What relevance does this have?” The other woman then said: “Surely you can see that my friend is African. “Yes,” he replied. “You are a liar saying you are from Dromana. You should go back to where you came from.”
Although my friend has experienced racism before, she had never been told to go back to Africa. Courageously, the bystanders (her friend and a waitress) told the man to go away. Fortunately, he did.
When my friend told me about this experience, I felt extremely sad. My friend has lived on the Mornington Peninsula for more than 20 years. How dare this man make her feel unsafe.
However, I was not just sad for her, but also our country. We are a multicultural nation with an Indigenous heritage. Australia is widely recognised as one of the world’s most successful multicultural societies. According to the Bureau of Statistics, about half of all Australians are either born overseas or have a parent who was born overseas.
Despite the success of Australia’s migration programs, the leader of One Nation Pauline Hanson declared during an inflammatory address to the National Press Club that Australia cannot be multicultural. We must be a “monocultural society”. Hanson also lamented the end of our White Australia policy on a podcast with a far-right UK activist who goes by the name ‘Tommy Robinson’. In another media interview, Hanson claimed there are “no good Muslims”.
Has One Nation’s focus on Muslims, migration and multiculturalism caused an escalation of racial prejudice, hostility and division? Or perhaps the escalation of hostility is the consequence of Trump, Brexit, social media algorithms, the manosphere and the re-emergence of far-right white nationalism?
The bloke who intimidated my friend was an older white man, estimated to be around 60 years old. According to recent research, most One Nation voters are Anglo-Aussie men over 50 who hold trade qualifications.
It is interesting to note that during the recent Nepean by-election, One Nation won the Dromana booth. Although my friend’s recent experience may be a one-off event in a specific location, I began to reflect whether something has changed over the past few years on the Mornington Peninsula?
A few years ago, I hosted an event at my home in Mt Martha – an annual workshop for about 15 people from Sierra Leone. This was around the time former federal Opposition leader Peter Dutton had suggested Victorians are “scared to go out to restaurants” because of “African gang violence”.
Given the population of Mt Martha is predominantly Caucasian, I was slightly concerned when the group said they would like to visit the local shops. How would they be treated when they walked along the boardwalk? Would people stare at them at the shops? When they returned from their trip to Mt Martha Village they told me how welcomed they felt.
Although the social and economic demographics of Mt Martha and Dromana are different, it is worth considering why, only a few years after the Sierra Leone workshop, an older Anglo man thought it was OK to speak aggressively to woman of African heritage who was having a quiet drink.
Has the rising popularity of One Nation on the Mornington Peninsula, evident by the recent Nepean by-election where Darren Hercus received nearly 25 per cent of first preferences, given licence to some people to behave so offensively? After all, the leader of One Nation told Greens Senator Mehreen Faruqi to “piss off back to Pakistan”.
It is worth noting that the Federal Court ruled that Hanson’s tweet about Senator Mehreen Faruqi was seriously offensive, constituted a strong form of racism, and breached federal discrimination laws.
We all need to show kindness to each other to halt this increasingly dangerous polarisation. We also need to stand up against racism – wherever and whenever it occurs. Social cohesion requires bystanders to speak up when they witness racist behaviour. As my Indigenous friends at Clothing the Gaps say: “There is no room for racism.”
Dr Sarah Russell, Mt Martha
Avoid, record and report bird flu
Thank you for reporting on the distressing spread of H5 bird flu on the Peninsula (Bird flu cases climb on Peninsula as mass casualty event feared, The News 24/8/26).
Deaths in birds, seals, and a dolphin have now been recorded across Australia, and the pace of new cases is accelerating. Even a fox has likely contracted the virus.
Members of the public are being asked to “Avoid”, “Record” and “Report” any sick or dead wildlife that may have contracted the virus.
We can also help protect our precious wildlife by safeguarding their coastal and bush homes and urging governments to do the same.
It is a precarious time for Australia’s nature.
Amy Hiller, Kew
Animal shelter support
I am writing in support of Rosy Fischer (Pet advocacy, Letters 25/8/26) whose letter clearly describes what needs fixing at the Mornington Peninsula Animal Shelter.
Surely free or low-cost desexing and microchipping for all low/no income earners would be a massive cost-saver for the shire. Less animals breeding resulting in less strays, therefore less unwanted animals impounded and possibly euthanised.
An extension to the shelter’s open hours would assist the adoption process and be a gain for potential adopters, also for those who need to reclaim lost pets from the shelter.
The shelter’s Facebook posts are unprofessional. Particularly for cats, the animals’ names and character/needs etc. are often not shown. Potential adopters need to be able to easily identify the animal they wish to meet and hopefully adopt.
Heather Cooke, Mornington
Government ads
After many years of requests, the Victorian Government has finally decided to publish a public safety advertisement in our local newspaper.
The full-page advertisement for Quit and Cancer Council promotes quitting smoking to improve health.
Over the years, local newspapers around Victoria have received Victorian Government funding for public safety campaigns including water safety/drowning, bushfires, TAC road safety, WorkSafe and more.
The Geelong and Latrobe Valley newspapers had up to four advertisements each week paid for by the Victorian taxpayer.
Why did the people of the Mornington Peninsula miss out on these important public safety campaigns?
The ‘Unsinkable Guy’ water safety ads should have been published every summer on the Mornington Peninsula – especially for tourists.
Hopefully we will see more bushfire and water safety advertisements over the coming months in our local Mornington Peninsula newspapers.
Dale Stohr, Crib Point
Liberal’s plan?
Anthony Marsh claims (MP claims Labor planning to rezone large tracts of Green Wedge, The News 13/8/26) raises some questions about his protection of the green wedge as opposed to other local Liberals. Who so often calls for the Mornington Peninsula to be classified as regional or “peri-regional” to access different government grants.
To have a status such as regional or peri-regional would see us lose the green wedge protections entirely. If this were to happen and then we were able to get the same funding as Geelong, would the peninsula then rival Geelong as the largest regional population in Victoria?
So does Anthony Marsh have a different position to other Liberals who have called for the Mornington Peninsula to be classified as regional or have the other Liberals changed their position?
The fact remains the land corridor between Mornington and Mount Martha:
- is zoned Green Wedge Zone (GWZ)
- is outside the Urban Growth Boundary (UGB)
- has no exhibited or approved rezoning amendment
- has no ministerial rezoning decision
Anthony Marsh is not the local member of land named, not a shadow minister for housing or planning, and not responsible for Green Wedge policy. His comments relate to matters outside his electorate and portfolio, and demonstrate a lack of understanding of the planning framework governing the Peninsula.
Craig Thomson, Rosebud
How much per pothole?
To Frank Schiefler – Liberal candidate for Hastings: 5 billion to fix one million potholes? That’s $5000 a pop! Maybe a different contractor? And what are you doing wandering around counting potholes at a time like this? Besides, wasn’t that Anthony Marsh’s line?
Paula Polson, Dromana
Global warming
To blame fossil fuel companies for global warming is equivalent to blaming toilet-roll manufacturers for your bowel movement. They are simply satisfying a commercial demand.
As the effects of the Strait of Hormuz closure has rippled through the world, imagine what a world without any fossil fuels would look life. All our cars, TV, solar panels, phones, cable insulation, plumbing pipes are made using coal, gas, and oil. Similarly, our detergents, beauty products, paint, roads, roof tiles and concrete. Virtually everything.
It is those same fossil fuels that Australia exports to pay overseas manufacturers for all those goods you desire. We don’t make them here.
If, like me, you are addicted to creature comfort, then you are addicted to fossil fuels. If you live in a raw cotton tent, roasting possum over an open fire, I applaud you. The rest of us are totally responsible for global warming, by demanding fossil fuel production to feed our addiction.
Cook a meal of fertilised vegetables, have a shower, flush the toilet, turn off the lights then get in your car and drive down to the beach to watch the sun go down on humanity.
Somewhere out there is a creature crawling out from under a rock on its way to being the new world curator. Let’s hope it does a better job than us.
John Dusting, Mornington
Keep your dog on a leash
On the weekend, I visited Balcombe Estuary Reserve. My friend took her small dog, on lead, I took my camera to photograph native birds. Dog owners are lucky to be permitted to walk their dogs, on leash, in this beautiful wetland and woodland reserve.
I was quietly taking pictures of wrens and fantails when a large gun dog came barrelling down a hill, through the undergrowth, towards us.
We were both alarmed and shouted at it. The owner, who must have been walking on another track, out of sight, called the dog back from a distance.
The experience was frightening. My friend’s dog had previously been attacked by a large dog off lead.
It was also infuriating. Wildlife, which gives so many of us pleasure, is under threat from many directions. The simple act of putting your dog on a lead removes one of those threats. If a few irresponsible dog owners continue to release their dogs to chase wildlife, dogs will no doubt be banned from the Estuary Reserve in the future, disadvantaging responsible dog owners.
And a message to that dog owner. If you don’t care about wildlife, think of your dog.
Bird flu has arrived on the Mornington Peninsula. If your dog eats or rolls in a dead bird, he may contract the virus.
Cherie Wilson, Rosebud
Water bill increase?
The Carroll government has announced that it wants to privatise Melbourne Water and has contracted Ernst Young to work out a process to sell it which will favour the purchaser.
The price which the Carroll government wants for Melbourne Water is only $18b and Melbourne Water has an annual turn over of $ 2.1b in revenue, which is revenue for the government.
Its market value could be a high as $16b so the Carroll government is going to have a fire sale and not receive the full amount that it should receive for taxpayers to assist in paying down debt.
Melbourne Water is heavily protected by the Victorian Constitution against being privatised and the government will need 60% support in parliament to change that.
There is one guarantee which will come out of this that as previously seen the price of water will increase for consumers including business.
Water is essential in every day life and Melbourne Water should not be sold off.
Russell Morse, Karingal
BarleyCharlie@90
Spring! Freedom, the reality, beautified by (good times) memories; wives, partners, Buckley, Swanny.
We welcome a form of calmness, stressless, and the millionaire Magpies go their own way, until next March, the underlying question – “Will I be here?”…
Our Liberal council, an extra parking spot left, as I exit my driveway, the bus stop on my right, the driver often taking a spell, my scooter time to the RSL, praying, crossing the road hour?…
Our housing crisis, the lady on TV, “I’m thinking of updating my current status.” Interesting, no mention of the status of her previous hacienda?…Inundated with kids at the roost; “Many men had/have been without question wise, had they not had an opinion that they had attained to perfection of knowledge already, before they had even gone halfway?”…
Got lost; as in exiting Woolworths the other way, the backway, gale force winds Nepean Highway, and discovered Speed Humps! Why, and like Trivalgo, never never. Some state government clerk, never having travelled to Rye?
Thank God (again) for my scooter…
Way over the top? – Erin Patterson, life imprisonment, 33 years non parole, “inadequate” says our state (gestapo?) government, or obliged?…
Not to love is never to have lived. It’s a heartache, Bonnie Tyler, GTG sad.
Billy Shorten and Christopher Pyne, ABC 7.30 19/8, top shelf, politics and comedy…
My late officer-in-charge aka my wife went to God (apparently?) 2004. Recalling darling Dolly P “Find out who you are and do it on purpose.” Seconded by moire…
To our millionaire AFL footballers – “There never was and never will be a necessary connection between money and brains.”
Richard Piper playing an old man (“Break of Day”) at The Malthouse; hey. that’s my part? AI -Weevils in the flower? Beware!…
No statue for our Danny Andrews; silly idea anyway, from Jeff Kennett’s swollen head?…
I could say I’m rooting for Paul Mercurio in Hastings come November, not necessarily because I’m for Labor, more my policy (since 1956) of a vote against the Liberal Party, thankfully not connected with a good night’s sleep…
Nepal, tragedies, OMG.
Cliff Ellen, Rye
