Trust: easily lost, hard to regain The relocation of the Harry Potter Experience to a less sensitive location at The Briars will come as a great relief to those who pressured Mornington Peninsula Shire Council to reconsider its decision. A new ecological report for this community forest (dog walking park) will be published on the shire website soon. This new location is 500 metres from the nearest point of the wildlife sanctuary and, we are told, will have minimal effect on the fauna and flora. CEO John Baker acknowledged that the community backlash definitely influenced this decision to change the…
Browsing: Letters
Peta Murphy: fondly remembered … as an exceptional role model I am writing to express our sincere condolences concerning the tragic passing of Dunkley MP Peta Murphy. She was much loved and deeply admired by all the members of The Southern Women’s Action Network (SWAN). Peta was a woman of great integrity, strong convictions, kindness and compassion. Like so many others who met her, we truly appreciated Peta’s warm and engaging personality, her willingness to listen and delightful sense of humour. Most especially we admired her determination to advocate for justice, particularly in support of those who were marginalised. Peta’s…
Vandalising Yes signs is anti-democratic Many community members have been saddened by vandalism to vote Yes signs across the Mornington Peninsula. This vandalism is not just random tagging by kids, it seems to be an organised campaign by people who, for some reason, are angered by the democratic process and the right of everyone to express their opinion. This has ranged from painting No across the signs to actually cutting the Yes from real estate type boards. This process would take some time and effort and property owners report feeling unsafe and violated by such a concerted effort to deface…
Parking questions Cr David Gill valiantly tried to get the Flinders pier paid parking pilot removed, but seven of the nine [Mornington Peninsula Shire] councillors preferred the “not in my backyard” principle and thought Flinders was an ideal site (“Flinders keeps its spot in paid parking trial” The News 15/8/23). How the parking fees for 90 spaces is going to make much of a contribution to the $1,000,000 cost to the rate paying residents beats me. And how meaningful will the data be and relevant to the rest of Western Port? We have asked the shire if sailing visitors who…
I have been made aware that Willum Warrain Aboriginal Association is concerned by my reference to them when addressing the Indigenous Voice to Parliament in my speech in parliament on 22 May (“Elders ‘misrepresented’” Letters 6/6/23). In my speech, I said: “Today, the Indigenous people of the Mornington Peninsula include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders from across the nation. It makes for a warm, inclusive, wise, curious and open community with remarkable cultural leaders, like Peter Aldenhoven and Lionel Lauch, and those who embody that warmth and welcome in their every breath, like Uncle John McLean and Aunty Helen Bnads.…