Author: Cameron McCullough

One Nation Senator Pauline Hanson spent Friday and Saturday (17 and 18 April) campaigning with the party’s candidate for the Nepean by-election, Darren Hercus. Hanson attended a “meet and greet” function at Rosebud Football Club on Friday night before attending a barbeque at Hercus’ business in Dromana on Saturday. Afterward, Hanson held a press conference at Rosebud Hospital that started in chaotic fashion as two people in attendance interjected. As Hanson took to the microphone, a woman in the crowd yelled that the Senator was “a racist” as another attendee yelled that Hanson was planning to get rid of the…

CAPEL Sound resident Ron Lloyd celebrated his 106th birthday on Wednesday 8 April. The resident of Regis Capel Sound is still very active and a keen participant in the home’s lifestyle activities, maintaining a full and varied social calendar. Ron was born at Box Hill in a private hospital on Whitehorse Road. On that site now stands the Box Hill Town Hall, that he maintains was built there to commemorate his birth. Ron said he was very lucky to be born to wonderful parents and had a very happy childhood and teenage life. He grew up behind his family’s butcher…

OPINION AN odd observation from last year’s federal election fight for the seat of Flinders was the effort that the Labor campaign put into discrediting indepdendent Ben Smith. Perhaps it was well-founded as Smith, in the tightest of contests, managed to pip Labor’s Sarah Race and end up in the two-party-preferred spot against Liberal Zoe McKenzie. Of course, McKenzie prevailed, but not by much. One wonders who would be representing Flinders in Canberra if Labor had targetted the Liberal Party instead. In a way it created odd bedfellows. Labor were in effect saying “we are against the Liberals, but our…

THE heat is rising among candidates in the Nepean by-election with the Liberal Party releasing two flyers: one attacking One Nation and the other Independent for Mornington Peninsula endorsed candidate Tracee Hutchison. The Hutchison flyer asks the question “Jacinta Allan’s secret Nepean candidate?”, pointing out that the independent candidate considered running for pre-selection for Labor in 2019. The flyer also contains a quote from The Age from 2007 where Hutchison said “… our flag has become a participant in something that could easily be mistaken for a white supremacist movement”, a reference to an Instagram post from 2023 where Hutchison…

THE field is set and the electoral rolls are closed as the candidates face the final stretch to the Nepean by-election polling day on 2 May. After two late entries to the field, there are eight candidates contesting the poll. They are: Peter Angelico (Libertarian), Sianan Healy (The Greens), Darren Hercus (One Nation), Tracee Hutchinson (Independents of Mornington Peninsula endorsed candidate), Anthony Marsh (Liberal Party), Reade Smith (Sustainable Australia Party), Renee Thompson (Legalise Cannabis), and Milton Wilde (End Mass Immigration – Reform AU). The VEC has reported that 50,910 people are enrolled to vote at the 2 May poll; an…

TRAFFIC on Peninsula Link will be severely disrupted for the next two months with the northbound lane closed between Moorooduc Highway and Bungower Road. During that time, work will be undertaken to “rebuild the pavement structure” but Service Stream, which manages maintenance of Peninsula Link, has said the road will reopen on 8 June without the final surface layer due to “expected low temperatures over winter”. It is expected the same stretch of road will be closed again in December to complete the final surface layer. The roadworks have created traffic chaos over the last few months with thousands of…

MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has been denied a significant grant aimed at enhancing community sports and recreation facilities in Western Port, but hope remains that they may be successful in a new application The proposed project, the electrification of Pelican Park Recreation Centre in Hastings, was hoped to be made possible under the federal government’s Community Energy Upgrades Fund (CEUF). The CEUF provides matched funding of up to $2.5m for energy efficiency and electrification upgrades to deliver reduced energy bills and emissions from local government-owned or operated facilities. Pelican Park Recreation Centre was closed for much of 2025 while the over…

THE Mornington Peninsula Shire has reworked its 2025/26 budget after accumulating an $8.2m deficit against its forecasts during the first six months of the financial year. Information provided to councillors stated “The mid-year reforecast involves a comprehensive review of all operating budgets, capital works programs, and operating project allocations, including year-to-date income and expenditure, as well as the projected financial position for the period January to June 2026”. “The primary focus of the review was to identify permanent variances between year-to-date results and the forecasted income and expenditure relative to the 2025/2026 Adopted Budget and ensure that we retain a…

OCEAN activist Josie Jones believes ratepayers and the community are being shortchanged by a new hand-cleaning model that fails to clean the entire beach. Jones has spoken to shire-contracted beach cleaners and questioned them about their cleaning from the low water line to the high tide mark, and failure to clean the rest of the beach. Jones was told the water line is all they were contracted to clean. Jones’ concern is that the contracts for the hand cleaning falls short of what is required to keep those beaches clean, providing poor value for ratepayers and increasing the workload for…

THE electoral rolls have now closed for the Nepean by-election with the VEC reporting that 50,910 people are enrolled to vote at the 2 May poll; an increase of 1900 voters since the 2022 state election. With less than four weeks until polling day, there are still six candidates who have signalled their intention to run for the Nepean by-election: Anthony Marsh (Liberal Party), Tracee Hutchinson (Independents of Mornington Peninsula endorsed candidate), Sianan Healy (The Greens), Darren Hercus (One Nation), Peter Angelico (Libertarian), and Milton Wilde (End Mass Immigration – Reform AU). Of those six, five are officially registered on…

A VOLUNTEER organisation that provides free transport for cancer patients to and from their treatments is facing an uncertain future due to a lack of volunteers. Southern Peninsula Cancer Transport Group (SPCTG) was started nearly 40 years ago when Sister Carmel McFaull, from The Sisters of the Good Shepherd Order, saw a young woman struggling with a baby and pram in Sorrento trying to make her way on public transport to Melbourne for breast cancer treatment. Sr Carmel offered the woman a lift and began driving her to the city. Soon, others began to offer to do the drive and,…

Mornington Peninsula drivers are set to face road restriction to lower traffic on roads and reduce the number of potholes. In a first anywhere in Australia, the state government has introduced restrictions limiting peninsula drivers to only driving every second day with an “odds and evens” number plate schedule. Vehicles with number plates ending with an odd number can drive Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays and those ending with an even number can drive Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. “Look, the roads are getting worse by the day,” said Cliff Snufkin, a spokesperson from the Department of Transport and Planning. “We…

DOCUMENTATION pertaining to the reconstruction of the heritage-listed Norman Lodge gatehouse has been lodged with Heritage Victoria, paving the way for works to begin. The dismantling documentation was provided by the owner’s consultants in November 2025. Reconstruction documentation was submitted in late February 2026, following a request for an extension. The documentation is currently being reviewed and when approved, works will be required to commence within 90 days and be completed within 180 days of commencement. The protected gatehouse has been the subject of planning applications in 2013 and 2020 that would have seen the structure deconstructed and moved just…

THE Greens have launched their Nepean by-election campaign, with more than 60 supporters gathering in Blairgowrie on Sunday (29 March). Mornington Peninsula mum Sianan Healy is the Greens candidate, vowing to be a true community representative in Parliament if elected, stating that “Nepean shouldn’t risk Liberals and One Nation who will work for their corporate donors, not their community.” Healy works for a non-profit in women’s health and has a background in research and education in the university sector. “Together we can build a better and brighter future – one in which we have a say in decisions that affect…

THE Ranch Motel in Mornington, that has been operating as crisis accommodation, will close for redevelopment on 17 April. A joint venture between Mornington Community Support Centre (MCSC) and Southern Peninsula Community Support (SPCS), the crisis accommodation was only made possible due to the developer allowing it to be used while finalising plans for redevelopment of the site. “For the past five years Mornington Community Support Centre (MCSC) has operated The Ranch, a 12-room former motel generously provided by a local developer, to support people experiencing homelessness with crisis accommodation. It has done so without any government funding,” said MCSC…

A PAIR of filmmakers, working on a project to document the lives of centenarians, have interviewed a 110-year-old woman who grew up in Rosebud. The astounding recollections of Edie Dryden, who was born while Australians were still entrenched at Gallipoli, shines a light on a distant time in our past. Edie was born on 16 October 1915 in Wandin, country Victoria. Her parents were strawberry farmers and her early life was shaped by a world without many of today’s modern comforts. As a young child she moved to Rosebud where she completed her schooling and met Edward (Ted) Dryden. They…

WITH less than six weeks until the Nepean by-election, electoral rolls are now closed and candidates are able to officially nominate for the race. A new name has entered the contest with Milton Wilde nominating for “End Mass Immigration – Reform AU”. Wilde joins the Liberal Party (Anthony Marsh), Victorian Greens (Sianan Healy), One Nation (Darren Hercus), Libertarians (Peter Angelico), and Indepdendents for Mornington Peninsula endorsed candidate (Tracee Hutchison) to make up the six contesting Nepean so far. Pundits from the major parties would have looked to South Australia over the weekend, and pondered how the results there will offer…

MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire and South East Water (SEW) have issued a joint statement that agreement has been reached with some affected residents, facilitating critical works to be undertaken, and providing a pathway for residents to return to their homes. The board of inquiry’s report into the McCrae landslide of 14 January 2025 found the landslide, which destroyed a house and injured a council worker, was due to a burst water main owned by South East Water (SEW). Inquiry chair Renée Enbom KC found the burst water main was located 450m south of the destroyed property, near the corner of Bayview…

FLINDERS MP Zoe McKenzie has updated her parliamentary Statement of Registerable Interests detailing last month’s European trip; the second for 2026, and the seventh overseas trip since she was elected in 2022. McKenzie travelled to Germany, Belgium and France between 13 and 28 February with transport, meals and accommodation for the 19-28 February portion in Brussels and Berlin provided by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS) Regional Programme – Australia and the Pacific. McKenzie funded the France portion of her trip herself. The KAS is a political foundation, closely associated with the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU). The organisation’s website…

Police are appealing for public assistance to locate missing Safety Beach man George. The 75-year-old was last seen on Seaview Avenue about 8am on 22 March. There are concerns for George’s welfare as he lives with dementia and may be disoriented. George is Caucasian, about 167cm tall, with a slim build and short dark brown hair. He was last seen wearing beige pants, white runners and a brown shirt with checks. Anyone who sees George or with information on his whereabouts is urged to contact Rosebud Police Station on (03) 5986 0444.

Melissa Warren is not one to be told she can’t do something. In high school, her French teacher advised against studying French at a prestigious university. So, she did it. Later, when living in France she expressed a desire to go to Paris and work in fashion. She was told it would be impossible. So, she did it. Now Melissa, who works as the sailing manager at Mornington Yacht Club, mixes it with the best in the male dominated sport of offshore sailing, having competed in both the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the Melbourne to Hobart-Westcoaster. Melissa grew up…

INTERNAL communications at Mornington Peninsula Shire have indicated the rollout of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) across remoter areas of the peninsula may be driven by lack of effective ambulance coverage; a claim disputed by Ambulance Victoria. Ambulance Victoria is believed to fall well short of its KPI target of “less than 15 minutes response times for 90% of incidents” for some remoter parts of the peninsula. Recent data across the entire peninsula shows that 60.1% of responses are achieved in less than 15 minutes, with the average response time 16 minutes and 11 seconds. Ambulance branches are located in Sorrento,…

WITH less than seven weeks until the Nepean by-election, candidates are out in force, with perhaps the hottest topic being the state of Rosebud Hospital. Liberal Party candidate Anthony Marsh, alongside party leader Jess Wilson, announced on Saturday (14 March) that an elected Liberal government would spend $340m to rebuild the hospital. In a social media post, Marsh wrote “For years as mayor, I stood alongside locals calling for the upgrades our hospital desperately needs”. “Today, with Jess and the new Liberal Team, we’re drawing a line in the sand. We will get this done. “To deliver real outcomes, you…

SERVICE Stream, which manages maintenance of Peninsula Link, has announced that roadworks will be continuing until the end of 2026. The roadworks have created traffic chaos over the last few months with thousands of motorists forced off the freeway and onto clogged local roads. The mayhem was stopped briefly over the summer tourist season, with a pause in works, but the speed limit remained at a reduced 80kmh. At the time, Service Stream told The News “While the resurfacing works carried out to date have largely been completed, the final layer of specialised asphalt has not yet been applied”. “This…

THE review of the Liberal’s Party’s 2025 federal election defeat has painted a grim picture overall, but makes positive mention of Flinders MP Zoe McKenzie’s performance defeating independent Ben Smith. The confidential review, commissioned by the federal executive of the Liberal Party and authored by retired Liberal MPs Pru Goward and Nick Minchin, has been obtained by The News. The report did not hold back, with the authors stating “Our recommendations cannot be put on the back burner or implemented over the course of five years. The party’s survival requires urgency, determination and unity”. Submitters contributed numerous concerns including “about…

FIVE candidates have nominated for the 2 May Nepean by-election with the Independents for Mornington Peninsula and Victorian Greens joining the Liberal Party, One Nation and Libertarians in the contest. Mornington Peninsula-based broadcaster and journalist Tracee Hutchison will be standing as a community independent candidate, endorsed by the Independents for Mornington Peninsula. Hutchison, who was born, raised, and lives in Rosebud, said she was stepping forward to ensure her community has strong and authentic leadership and representation during this period. “I’m running as a community independent because both major parties have failed our community for decades, and too many decisions…

BLUESCOPE has announced to shareholders the company’s plans to rapidly develop a “logistics hub” on their surplus land in Hastings; news that has come as a surprise to Mornington Peninsula Shire. The announcement came at the company’s half year report where they reported first half profits of $391m, up 118% on last year. A statement said “BlueScope continues to progress value realisation across its 1,200ha surplus land portfolio, as demonstrated by the recent 33ha residential land sale at West Dapto, which is contracted for settlement in the second half of FY2026”. “The 1,200ha surplus land portfolio is in sought after…

Mornington Peninsula-based broadcaster and journalist Tracee Hutchison has announced she will be standing as a community independent candidate in the upcoming by-election for the seat of Nepean to be held on 2 May. Endorsed by the Independents for Mornington Peninsula, Hutchison, who was born, raised, and lives in Rosebud, said she was stepping forward to ensure her community has strong and authentic leadership and representation during this period. “I’m running as a community independent because both major parties have failed our community for decades, and too many decisions affecting Nepean are made by people who don’t live here and ignore…

An arrest warrant has been issued for Somerville-based businessman Jamie (Jay) Scicluna after he failed to appear in Frankston Magistrates Court, as ordered, last week. The publisher of the STPL News was due in court to face oral examination last Wednesday (25 February) for failing to pay a court-ordered amount of $5000. After his failure to appear, the judgment creditor signed a “Request for warrant to arrest judgment debtor” that has now been signed off by a Magistrate. Last year the court ordered Scicluna to pay $5000 to his ex-accountant after it was ruled he applied for a personal safety…

THEY say a week is a long time in politics, and much has changed in the last seven days. Anthony Marsh was preselected as the Liberal Party’s candidate for the Nepean by-election last Tuesday, and has wasted no time in “hitting the hustings”. It wasn’t even close last Tuesday with Marsh winning the vote for preselection in the first round. Out of 19 votes cast, it is understood Marsh received 10 votes, Briony Camp received four votes, Nathan Conroy received three votes, and David Burgess received two votes. A statement posted to the Liberal Party’s website from Marsh said “The…