Day: November 22, 2016

ALL 11 of Mornington Peninsula Shire’s newly-elected councillors have been handed copies of a “Councillor and staff interactions policy”, which reminds them that the CEO is in charge of shire staff, not the ratepayer elected representatives. Councillors were not consulted about the policy before it was drafted and will now have to consult council’s governance department who will decide whether a request by elected representatives will be granted or denied. If a request is refused, councillors can raise the issue with council CEO Carl Cowie – the only officer appointed by councillors – or governance manager Joe Spiteri. The policy…

THE Antique Aircraft Association of Australia will be holding its annual toy run at Tyabb Airport on Sunday 27 November. This open day for the public will be hosted by Peninsula Aero Club. Gates open 10.30am, with a sausage sizzle from noon. The aim of the event is to collect unwrapped toys to be distributed to underprivileged children through the Food for All charity. Toys for 10 to 14 year old boys are the most in need. Unique and antique aircraft will be flying in from across Victoria to complement the collection of “warbirds” on display. Details: Ian Johnson, Peninsula…

GUESTS at the Helping Hands morning tea, Friday, at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, were challenged by speaker Jules Allen to stand if they knew anyone experiencing either depression, anxiety, drug and alcohol abuse, mental health issues, job loss, separation, loss of a loved one, or low self-esteem. “Wow, I think I can stop there,” she said, to a hall full of standing people. “Have a good look around, do a circle, look around the room. Where are they? They are right here, they are us and we are them, there is no them and us, there is only us.”…

THE Department of Defence has ordered a “detailed environmental investigation” in and around the HMAS Cerberus base after the discovery of traces of a chemical carcinogen outside the base. The per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) was contained in aqueous fire-fighting foams used in training and is suspected of infecting soil and ground water as run-off. Although phased out by the department in 2004, the chemical was used for decades at defence force bases throughout Australia. HMAS Cerberus is one of 12 sites under investigation, with some, such as the Townsville RAAF Base, and HMAS Stirling near Perth, already found to…