Rosebud police officers have charged a woman after multiple cars were damaged in Rosebud last month. It’s alleged the woman left a licenced premises on Point Nepean Road in Rosebud on 25 July just after 3am before damaging panels on three separate vehicles. The woman self-presented at a police station yesterday. She has been charged with three counts of criminal damage and was bailed to Dromana Magistrates’ Court on 4 September.
Author: Cameron McCullough
On 2 August around 150 people filled the Flinders Civic Centre for a community meeting to hear about the impacts of the shire’s cuts to performing arts funding and decision to rescind the Climate Emergency Declaration and Action Plan. The environmental and arts advocates chose to combine their causes, finding common ground, despite differing challenges. The arts community is facing a considerable cut in funding from historically high levels, and climate groups the removal of the action plan that provided structure for the peninsula’s approach to climate change mitigation. The audience included shire mayor Cr Anthony Marsh, shire CEO Mark…
IT appears the battle against a fast-food franchise, rumoured to be McDonald’s, opening in Safety Beach may not be over with an unscheduled council meeting to be held tomorrow night (14 August) to discuss appealing VCAT’s decision. The move comes after the applicant AA Holdings Pty Ltd successfully appealed Mornington Peninsula Shire’s 24 August 2024 decision to deny the planning permit application to redevelop the service station on the corner of Marine Drive and Nepean Highway to include a modernised service station with a fast-food franchise. The VCAT decision, handed down on 18 July, gives the green light to the…
The proposed Victorian Renewable Energy Terminal (VRET) in Western Port Bay is a step closer after the federal government deemed the project a “controlled action”. The announcement, by federal Environment Minister Murray Watt on 31 July, progresses the project to a combined state and federal Environment Effects Statement (EES) assessment process and potential approval. The VRET involves building a dedicated assembly port in Western Port Bay to support the construction of Victoria’s first offshore wind farms along the Victorian coast. The decision comes after plans for the terminal were put on hold in January 2024, when the former federal Environment…
The heritage-listed Norman Lodge gatehouse on Nepean Highway, Mount Eliza, is due to commence being dismantled by Monday 18 August to be in compliance with an order issued by Heritage Victoria. The deadline comes a year after a demolition order was issued for the building after a structural engineer’s report identified it as having suffered “total loss of structural integrity”. The protected gatehouse has fallen into disrepair over the past decade and has been the subject of planning applications in 2013 and 2020 that would have seen the structure deconstructed and moved just metres away to be reconstructed on a…
The Mornington Peninsula now has the highest number of people sleeping rough out of any local government area in Victoria – including Melbourne City. In 2024–25, more than 948 people sought support through independently funded homelessness services across the peninsula. As of 30 June 2025, there are 110 people recorded as homeless, with 75% sleeping rough in tents, cars and on foreshore reserves. A large proportion of these are women, youth and people over 55. Mornington Peninsula Shire has renewed its advocacy to state and federal governments for urgent resources and committed to working closely with community partners to “deliver…
Councillors look likely to set aside the entirety of the parkland at 11a Allambi Avenue as public open space at the council meeting on Tuesday (12th August). The issue of what will become of the 21,893 square metres of land has been a long-running one with residents fearing it will be developed for affordable housing. The land was originally set aside over 70 years ago by the Coleman family as open space during the subdivision for Bayview Heights Estate. Despite assurances never to develop it, a portion of the land was carved off in the 1970’s and used for Eastbourne…
NOTE: This story has been updated to remove quotations incorrectly attributed to McDonald’s chief restaurant officer Brad McMullen. The quotes were supplied by someone claiming to be McMullen, confirming that a McDonald’s would be opening at the site. The quotes were not from Brad McMullen or anyone else within McDonald’s Australia. A representive for AA Holdings Pty Ltd has requested that it be made clear the tenant for the site has yet to be confirmed. SAFETY Beach may get a McDonald’s store after years of community campaigning against the fast-food giant’s attempts to establish in the town.The move comes after…
SOMERVILLE businessman and publisher of the Somerville Times and Peninsula Local publications, and the stplnews.com.au website, Jamie (Jay) Scicluna has been ordered to pay $5000 towards the legal costs of a Somerville businesswoman, after it was ruled he applied for a personal safety intervention order (PSIO) against her “frivolously”. The businesswoman, who works in the professional services field, had a PSIO taken out on her after she approached Scicluna on the street on 5 December 2024 to request he pay outstanding invoices owed to her company. The order forbid her from contacting, discussing, or going near Scicluna. The businesswoman was…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire councillors have voted to hand residents of retirement villages across the peninsula a 20 percent rebate on their general rates for the 2025/26 financial year. The decision comes after an assessment by Valuer-General Victoria’s (VGV) contract valuers led to increased Capital Improved Values (CIV) for retirement village units across the peninsula. Further, a historical bulk discount to the CIV of these units was removed by the shire following VGV advice, leading to substantially higher rates for retirement village residents. The motion presented to councillors recommended a 10 percent rebate on general rates for retirement village units for…
AN agenda item dealing with Mornington Peninsula Shire’s flag policy, set for this week’s council meeting (Tuesday 22/7), has been pulled to allow more time to ensure the policy “matches the intent” of councillors.The flag policy review comes after a furore when it was discovered a flyer produced by the shire encouraging families to register their children in the shire’s kinder programs included the Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander and Pride flags – but not the Australian flag (Kinder flyer flag snub prompts councillors to take over, The News 10/6/25).Cr Bruce Ranken raised the matter as an urgent business motion at…
THE Australian Electoral Commission has acknowledged an issue at one of its polling places in Flinders during the 3 May federal election, where an AEC employee allegedly instructed voters how they should cast their vote.A letter to the AEC seen by The News detailed the issue where, at the Bayview Church polling booth at Rosebud South, voters were instructed by an AEC worker to place the number seven next to the box of Trumpet of Patriots candidate Jason Smart as “he had pulled out of the election”. It is understood the information was being conveyed to voters as they queued…
Police have arrested two men following an alleged road rage incident in Seaford overnight. Investigators have been told a man was driving a Porsche along Nepean Highway about 11.50pm when the occupants of a blue Holden Commodore attempted to get him to pull over. It is alleged the occupants of the Commodore drove aggressively and forced the driver of the Porsche to take evasive action and leave the highway. Officers attended and a car matching the Commodore’s description was spotted at a service station on Nepean Highway, Chelsea. The Commodore drove off and police attempted to intercept the car on…
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued an urgent Severe Weather Warning at 4:52 pm Tuesday, 24 June 2025 for damaging winds and king tides in coastal regions including the Mornington Peninsula. A low pressure system in the Bight is extending a cold front over Victoria this evening. Vigorous west to northwesterly winds are developing ahead of this front, impacting alpine, western and central parts of the state this evening. Winds are then forecast to ease during Wednesday morning, although blustery showers remain possible in western parts of the state with southwesterly winds behind the front. For the Mornington Peninsula: Strong…
THE Mornington Peninsula will continue to offer crisis accommodation after the closure of The Ranch in Mornington with the announcement of new accommodation, coined “Ranch 2.0”.For the past four years, Mornington Community Support Centre (MCSC) and Southern Peninsula Community Support (SPCS) have partnered to provide emergency accommodation at The Ranch Motel in Mornington. The accommodation was only made possible as the developer had allowed it to be used as crisis accommodation while he finalised plans for redevelopment of the site. But it was announced in March that the developer was readying plans for the site, requiring the closure of the…
THE seat of Flinders was declared by the Australian Electoral Commission on Wednesday (28 May), officially cementing Liberal Zoe McKenzie for her second term. The final declared result had McKenzie attracting 60,090 of the two-candidate preferred votes, 5257 votes ahead of independent Ben Smith on 54,833 votes.McKenzie rejoins a depleted Liberal/Nationals coalition that will hold as few as 41 seats in the House of Representatives, compared to 58 after the 2022 election. Gone also is the Liberal’s leader, Peter Dutton, opening the way for new Liberal leader Sussan Ley; the first woman to lead the federal Liberal Party. The electoral…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire will spend $260,000 on the Hastings Club building so it can be repurposed into a space for community groups. The funding announcement was confirmed at the council’s 20 May meeting, and has been allocated in the shire’s 2025-26 budget capital works program. However, the funding falls well short of the $1m being initially proposed in the budget, that councillors voted in favour of at their 22 April meeting to “ensure the long-term survival” of the building.The Hastings Club, founded in 1967, was forced into liquidation in April 2024 after facing crippling debts associated with its gaming machines.…
LAST week started with a “heartbreaking announcement” from Mornington Peninsula Dog Rescue Inc. Money had gone missing from the organisation. Police had become involved, but with 30 dogs in their care, and only $200 left in their account, they faced a difficult path forward. It was a devastating blow for the volunteer-run organisation.“It looked terrible,” said founder Erin Shaw. “But we thought the best thing to do was to be transparent. We wanted to do this for all our foster carers who put so much into caring for these dogs. They deserved to know the truth.”Mornington Peninsula Dog Rescue Inc…
THEY were inseparable. Ray and William Lothian were well-known around Hastings. Always together, as they had been their entire lives. The brothers, born two years apart, were raised by their aunt and grandmother after their mother died when they were young and their father, a World War Two veteran, was unable to cope. They depended on each other with a bond that was unbreakable. That was until the evening of 12 May when William was hit by an illegally modified electric bike, suffering “unsurvivable” injuries. Now his younger brother Ray must find a way forward without his brother and best…
Police are currently on scene at a fatal fire in Langwarrin. Emergency services were first called the blaze at a residence on Lyppards Road about 2.10am. Three occupants were able to safely evacuate the property and escaped with no injuries. A fourth yet-to-be formally identified person was located deceased inside a rear bungalow. The exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined. An arson chemist will attend the scene later today. Anyone who witnessed the incident, has CCTV/dashcam footage or information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
Independent candidate Ben Smith has conceded in the federal seat of Flinders, leaving Liberal Zoe McKenzie the winner in the protracted count. The outcome has stretched nearly two weeks beyond election day with a “complex count scenario” triggered due to the inability to separate second and third polling Smith and Labor’s Sarah Race. The three-candidate-preferred count was only finalised on Monday, with the AEC reverting to a two-candidate-preferred count with Smith and McKenzie. With nearly all votes now counted, Smith still trailed by 5515 votes this morning making the outcome an obvious McKenzie win with the seat to be retained…
THE Australian Electoral Commission has declared the results of its three-candidate-preferred (3CP) count in Flinders, with Liberal Zoe McKenzie and independent Ben Smith the final two candidates. Eliminated during the 3CP count was Labor’s Sarah Race. The AEC will now revert to a traditional two-candidate-preferred (TCP) count to determine the final winner out of McKenzie and Smith. The News understands a final result is expected by the end of the week. The most recent data on the 3CP count, published this afternoon, stated that 56 poling places and declaration vote counts had completed a 3CP count with the following results.…
THERE were tense moments in the chamber at the Tuesday 6 May council meeting as councillors debated an amended motion on the shire’s operating expenses and community investment funding. Shire officers presented their 2025/26 draft budget proposal, but an alternative motion was put forward for debate by deputy mayor Cr Paul Pingiaro. The new motion included cuts to wages, and a requirement to find further “service planning efficiencies”. The councillors were presented with, and voted to accept, an increased Community Investment Funding Program, but it came at a cost, with some programs cut from shire funding. Pingiaro’s motion pushed for…
THE Australian Electoral Commission has confirmed that the electorate of Flinders is being worked through as a “complex count scenario” involving a three-candidate-preferred (3CP) count as opposed to a traditional two-candidate-preferred (2CP) count. The critical 3CP count is well over half way through, with Liberal incumbent Zoe McKenzie appearing to have the advantage over Labor’s Sarah Race and independent Ben Smith. Over 110,000 votes were counted in the electorate of Flinders first preference vote count. The Australian Electoral Commission’s traditional 2CP count had to be abandoned in favour of a 3CP count due to the close proximity between Labor’s Sarah…
The critical three-candidate-preferred (3CP) count is over half way through, as we edge closer to determining who will represent the electorate of Flinders in the next term of government. Over 110,000 votes were counted in the electorate of Flinders first preference vote count. The Australian Electoral Commission’s traditional two-candidate-preferred (2CP) count had to be abandoned in favour of a 3CP count due to the close proximity between Labor’s Sarah Race and independent Ben Smith. While Liberal Zoe McKenzie polled the highest, essentially there wasn’t a clear second ranking candidate resulting in AEC adopting a “complex count scenario” 3CP count. As…
In the latest data from the Australian Electoral Commission, Liberal Zoe McKenzie has the edge over the other two contenders, Labor’s Sarah Race and independent Ben Smith, topping 50% of the votes. The updated data comes as the AEC works through a “complex count scenario” involving a three-candidate-preferred (3CP) count as opposed to a traditional two-candidate-preferred (2CP) count. Current results in the 3CP count are: Zoe McKenzie (Liberal): 17,115 votes (50.3% of 3CP) Sarah Race (Labor): 8670 (25.48% of 3CP) Ben Smith (Independent): 8244 votes (24.23% of 3CP) The latest results see Race stretch her lead over Smith to 426…
PLEASE NOTE: There is an updated version of this article with new information here: The Australian Electoral Commission has confirmed that the electorate of Flinders is being worked through as a “complex count scenario” involving a three-candidate-preferred (3CP) count as opposed to a traditional two-candidate-preferred (2CP) count. The process is slow, and it could take more than a week to determine the eventual winner in Flinders. Current results in the 3CP count are: Zoe McKenzie (Liberal): 9695 votes (47.7% of 3CP) Sarah Race (Labor): 5318 (26.16% of 3CP) Ben Smith (Independent): 5313 votes (26.14% of 3CP) These early result have…
It is believed there has been no new counting at the Australian Electoral Commission for the seat of Flinders today. Instead, The News understands that they are conducting a numbers of “samples” down to two-candidate-preferred, and will then likely conduct preference allocations on a three-candidate-preferred basis to see if they can distinguish between Labor’s Sarah Race and independent Ben Smith. The race is very close, despite the Liberal Party’s Zoe McKenzie polling a much higher primary vote than the next two candidates. The real delay is being caused by the AEC’s inability to determine the second run candidate after McKenzie,…
“A re-elected Albanese Labor government” and “an elected Dutton Coalition government” appear to be throwaway lines in candidate announcements, but they are vitally important to the fate of candidate commitments. The failure of the Coalition to win government on Saturday will see the nearly $1b in commitments to the region made by Zoe McKenzie reduce to zero. McKenzie’s commitments were all conditional on the election of a Dutton Coalition government, and even if she continues as the Member for Flinders, they will not be fulfilled. On the morning of the election, McKenzie told her social media followers “I have a…
The federal seat of Flinders is a safe Liberal seat no more. The seat has been held continuously over the last half-century by the Liberal Party, except for a single period between 1983 and 1984. It is now going to be held by the Liberals by the slimmest of margins or potentially even lost. What we know is the result is still unclear with the Australian Electoral Commission currently “estimating” that 102 votes separate Liberal Zoe McKenzie and independent Ben Smith. This is with 89,482 votes currently counted and preference distribution incomplete. For reference, there were a total of 104,589…