CAPTAIN Bruce was elected for the vacant seat at the by-election held last Saturday. The following is the result of the polling in key electorates: Dandenong: Bruce – 2225, Hall – 27, Holmes – 1216. Frankston: Bruce – 1483, Hall – 30, Holmes – 479. Totals: Bruce – 14,445, Hall – 382, Holmes – 740. *** MR A. J. Munyard of the Department of Art, Working Men’s College, Melbourne, was specially asked by a local worker to assist the Frankston effort to the Red Cross by using his artistry to depict an Australian soldier starving in a German prison. He…
Month: May 2018
FEDERAL Liberal MP Chris Crewther is lobbying the Australian Electoral Commission to prevent boundary changes to his electorate of Dunkley. Mr Crewther, who won the seat at the 2016 federal election with a slim majority, would face a tight fight to hold the seat if proposed AEC electorate boundary changes are made later this year. The Dunkley electorate will lose Mornington and the northern part of Baxter in its south to the seat of Flinders, held by Liberal MP Greg Hunt, and gain Carrum Downs, Sandhurst and Skye to the north from the Isaacs electorate, held by Labor MP Mark…
OBITUARY Andrew Kelly 9/3/1970 – 5/5/2018 Journalist, sporting commentator ANDREW Kelly had a few names. As a sports writer he chose his pseudonyms to suit his subject – Toe Punt for footy and I T Gully (In The Gully) for cricket. There was nothing subversive about him wanting to write under other names, but it was a decision made for the sake of appearing to be objective as Kelly was a player in some of the games he wrote about. Andrew Kelly became Toe Punt (Toey) and I T Gully. It ended up being an open secret, but his anonymity…
MOTORISTS booked in a No Stopping zone in Booker Avenue, Mornington, will have to go through the appeals process to have their fines rescinded – even though Mornington Peninsula Shire Council admits signs were erected after they had parked their cars for the day. Local Laws officers agreed to stop issuing tickets to drivers further along the road on Tuesday 8 May, when the booked motorists complained – but the officers refused to cancel the existing tickets. They said they had not been told the signs were new. The motorists, mainly Australian Unity employees, were told they would have to…
A PLEDGE to spend $225 million to electrify rail tracks from Frankston to Baxter was the big ticket item for the region in last week’s federal budget. Federal Liberal Treasurer Scott Morrison confirmed the federal government’s commitment to the project as part of a $7.8 billion package for new roads and rail lines across Victoria. But it seems construction works to extend the metropolitan line to Baxter are still some way down the track. The project is not yet fully funded and a business case has not been completed before the federal and state governments can agree on a funding…
A CAFE in Mornington does more than just serve fresh coffee to customers – it provides its young staff with skills to improve their chances in a tight jobs market. Home Ground, in the Tanti Estate, grew from a working group set up by youth worker Sam Hearn, a Mornington Peninsula Shire councillor, and established Mornington coffee entrepreneur Sam Keck. “For a couple of years we have been combining skills and connections to find employment pathways for young people,” Cr Hearn said. “I was involved in setting up Mornington Park Primary School Op Shop and that was going well, and…
A MORNINGTON man fighting a debilitating disease is still working to help others in their suffering. Geoff O’Hare, 57, who was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in 2012, runs the Mornington Peninsula region CCA Patient Support Group. May is Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Month, which culminates in World IBD – or Inflammatory Bowel Disease – Day on Saturday 19 May. Mr O’Hare is well aware of the stigma and embarrassment associated with bowel disease. IBD patients – especially when young – are often too embarrassed to discuss it, meaning few people really understand its impact on a victim’s physical health and…
AUSTRALIAN musical theatre star Philip Gould and award winning singer/actress Michelle Fitzmaurice team up again to sing and dance their way through 22 hits of the man they called the Chairman of the Board…Frank Sinatra. The fascinating life story of Frank Sinatra will be told through skilfully written narration and all of this in front of the backdrop of wonderful stills of Frank’s life on the big screen. Classic Sinatra hits including My Way, Three Coins in a Fountain, Fly Me to the Moon, High Hopes will be performed. The show will also contain many hits from the women in…
THE days and nights of drink drivers who fail alcohol breath tests keeping driving licences on the Mornington Peninsula and across the state are over. From 30 April, any driver recording a Breath Alcohol Content reading of more than 0.05 will lose their licence for at least three months. There will be no leniency for first offenders. Previously, drivers providing a “mid-range” reading between 0.05 and 0.069 could be fined but keep licences in some circumstances. Alcohol interlock devices will also be fitted to the vehicles of all drink drivers for six months after they are back on the roads.…
HUMOUROUS insights into religion and life in an English village are coming to Rosebud in a stage adaptation of the Vicar of Dibley television series. “I am a huge fan of Dawn French and the cast of the TV series,” director Keith Gledhill says when expressing his delight at being asked to take charge of the Southern Peninsula Players’ production. A fan of the series, Gledhill chose to bring three episodes to the stage: “Arrival”, “Dibley Live” and “Autumn”. The TV scripts have been amended to suit live stage performances. “The Vicar of Dibley is a magnificent example of British…
THE new executive committee of the Disabled Surfers Association Mornington Peninsula Branch (DSAMP) went to Point Leo last week for a final look before the official opening of a viewing platform and a new way of getting onto the beach. Known as the boardwalk, the 82 metre long structure starts near Point Leo Surf Lifesaving Club and ends with a wheelchair ramp to the beach. A wide-tyred wheelchair is available for loan from the club. Taking a close look at the completed boardwalk last week were newly-elected DSAMP president John Bowers, vice-president Steve Hough, secretary Scott Cosgriff and former secretary…
By Barry Morris TV footage of bombed-out cities, streams of people fleeing war or persecution, the tiny body of a Syrian boy washed on to a beach in Turkey – all are images graphically illustrating the story of 22 million people worldwide seeking asylum. The scale of the human disaster can leave us numb, wondering what on earth, if anything, we can do to help. Asylum means refuge, haven, sanctuary, shelter and place of safety. Because some of these asylum seekers end up in Victoria, the social justice group at St Macartan’s Catholic Church, Mornington, has decided to do something…
POETRY soiree Poet’s Corner is taking part in the Melbourne Spoken Word and Poetry Festival on Sunday 27 May as part of the inaugural Melbourne Spoken Word & Poetry Festival. It will run Friday 18 May-Sunday 3 June at various venues. Poet ReVerse Butcher, which is Stephanie Petrik’s stage name, will perform on stage, 6-8pm, at Blue Bay Cafe, McCrae. She also makes artist’s books, collages and visual art, as well as writing, creating and performing poetry. Poet’s Corner aims to encourage anyone interested to write, read, perform or listen to poetry. Visitors wine, dine, and hear poetry during the…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Council will push the state government to fully finance a $80.3 million car ferry link between Stony Point and Cowes. Despite some local opposition, the council believes the best site for the ferry terminal on Phillip Island is just west of Mussel Rocks. The state government gave Bass Coast Shire $200,000 to reinvigorate the car ferry project, with Bass Coast and Mornington Peninsula shires each contributing $25,000. The aim was to develop a business case to determine the cost, requirements and viability of a vehicle and passenger ferry service between Mornington Peninsula (Stony Point) and Phillip Island.…
HEADS turned and diners whispered … hey, isn’t that Hillary Clinton at that table over there? The US former First Lady and presidential candidate is certainly not your everyday guest but, there she was, enjoying lunch, at Merricks North’s luxury hotel Jackalope, Wednesday 9 May. “It was an honour and a pleasure to have had Ms Clinton drop in to Jackalope to dine with us at Rare Hare today,” the hotel’s general manager Tracy Atherton said. “Her PA made a booking and she was greeted by the hotel’s owner Louis Li who escorted her inside for lunch.” Ms Clinton shared…
WILDLIFE carers are apprehensive as they wait to hear from VicRoads about timelines for the second round of clearing vegetation from the Mornington Peninsula freeway. The initial clearing of established vegetation on freeway between Mt Martha and Rosebud was halted following reports of animals being killed by the authority’s “forestry machine” – and even being mulched alive (“VicRoads stops shredding after outcry”, The News, 9/10/17). Community concerns, voiced loudly on social media and radio, slammed the loss of habitat, “cruel” treatment of wildlife, lack of planning and consultation, loss of amenity to the area, increased noise and air pollution, sun…
THE federal government has promised $225 million to extend the metropolitan train line from Frankston to Baxter. The money is due to be announced in the federal Budget tonight, Tuesday 8 May by Treasurer Scott Morrison, part of $7.8 billion for new roads and rail lines in Victoria. Other projects include North East Link tollway between Greensborough and Bulleen, a rail line between Monash University’s Caulfield and Clayton campuses, the Airport Rail Link, duplication of the rail line between South Geelong and Waurn Ponds, and duplication of Princes Hwy between Traralgon and Sale. Electrification of the line between Frankston to…
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire mayor Cr Bryan Payne thinks the floating gas terminal proposal for Crib Point is “a good thing”. Cr Payne, speaking on ABC radio on Monday, said the area between Crib Point and Hastings was designated for port-related purposes, which he believed fitted AGL’s floating gas terminal and a pilot plant to convert hydrogen gas to liquid at Hastings. Although the proposals were yet to go before council, Cr Payne said he believed environmental concerns and the two proposals could coexist. He said the council was campaigning to have 70 per cent of the peninsula “enshrined” in Green…
IT is with great sadness that we announce we have lost our colleague, Andrew Kelly, to cancer. Andrew wrote sport for Mornington Peninsula News Group since 2012, but had been a fixture of local football for decades. He called football for RPPFM, and was widely known as the ‘voice’ of footy on the peninsula. Andrew was diagnosed with cancer early this year, and died on Saturday morning, 5 May. Andrew’s family put out the following statement: “Thank you from the bottom of our hearts to everyone who messaged Toe Punt to support, encourage and send best wishes over the course…
DIVISION ONE A four point thriller between Bonbeach and Frankston Bombers was the standout of a number of tight contests in MPNFL Division One football this weekend. Three goals from former Sydney Swan Trent Dennis-Lane saw Bonbeach narrowly defeat a Bombers side that held the lead at each of the major breaks in the game. With a comfortable 15 point advantage at three-quarter time, Frankston looked well and truly home before a final quarter comeback saw Bonbeach take advantage of Frankston’s poor goal kicking accuracy and end the game just ahead, winning 10.10 (70) to 8.18 (66). The four points…
DIVISION TWO THE top of the ladder clash between Dromana and Chelsea was the headliner of the MPNFL Division Two competition this weekend, in a match that saw two sides both sitting undefeated going into Round Five do battle. The much anticipated contest took place at Chelsea Reserve, and saw the home side start strong to go into quarter time in front by a goal. Despite these early signs of fight, it did not take much longer for Dromana to stamp their authority on the game, eventually running away to a comfortable lead they would hold for the rest of…
SOCCER ADAM Jamieson ended a 10-year association with Mornington when he resigned on Saturday morning. The news rocked the Dallas Brooks Park outfit as it prepared to do battle with visitors South Springvale in their State 1 South-East fixture. Jamieson cited work commitments as the principle reason for his departure. “I have a lot going on with business and I can’t give Mornington 100 percent commitment anymore,” he said. “It’s been my second home for a long period but I just knew that my time had come. “I want to thank the committee for everything they’ve done for me. It’s…
BASKETBALL THE Southern Peninsula Sharks division two Men’s side has suffered their first loss for the season to the ninth-placed Maccabi Warriors in round six of the Big V. What was slightly unexpected, the Warriors clawed their way back after trailing by nine points in the third quarter to sink a last-minute jump-shot for an upset one-point victory (65-64) on Saturday 28 April. The Warriors tied it up with just over two minutes to go and as the Sharks tried to bide their time and throw up an unsuccessful shot, Jared Mintez dished it up to team mate Andrew Sharp…
C. E. GOMM, ranger at Somerville, stated in the Shire Council Meeting that be had impounded Mr Martin’s cow and had been called everything but a gentleman as a consequence. One of the things said was that he was “a dirty loafer for a dirty job”. That people could say such things of his job was no good to him. On the motion of Crs Unthank and Longmuir it was decided that Martin be written to and told that he must make a public apology, failing which further action would be taken. *** TROOPER F. A Gould, son of Mr…
IT’S an impressive line-up at this year’s music festival including national headline acts and a wonderful array of local and emerging talent both in the venues around Main Street and as part of the Saturday and Sunday street entertainment. After their recent sell out show at the Victorian Art Centre, Cookin’ on 3 Burners are heading to the Peninsula for a one-night only event as part of the Mornington Winter Music Festival. Sunday 10th June at The Grand, the Burners with Andrew De Silva, Clairy Browne and Stella Angelico will pump out classic soul sounds from The Big Chill. A…
HOTEL Sorrento by Australian playwright Hannie Rayson is a highly commercial and relatable comedy/drama and familial story for a mainstream audience. This award winning play, which inspired the film of the same name, tells the story of three sisters who grew up together in the seaside town Sorrento. Hilary lives in the family home in Sorrento with her father and 16 year-old son. Pippa, a business woman, is visiting from New York and Meg, a successful writer, returns from England. When the three sisters are reunited after 10 years apart they again feel the constraints of family life. A semi-autobiographical…
A KUNYUNG Primary School pupil is speaking out about what he sees as the evils of factory farming of domestic animals and he wants others to back him in his stand. Grade 5 pupil Noah Kyriacou, 10, said his vegetarian mum, Lucy, had encouraged him in his advocacy over the past four years, and that seeing a preview of the “horrific” animal rights’ documentary Dominion, set him “on the path against factory farming”. “Every second, millions of animals are dying because of humans, and yet eating their flesh is making us unhealthy,” he said. “I have been researching [the topic]…
A PHONE scammer who nearly tricked a Mornington man into handing over his credit card details and paying a bogus $98 “fee” has him hopping mad. Sick of late-night charity and ‘survey’ calls, Wilson Golby applied to be added to the Do Not Call register and was told it may take some time to implement. The register is a free service which can be used to block home, mobile or fax numbers from unsolicited telemarketing calls. On Tuesday last week Mr Golby took a call from a man who referred to his application to join the register, saying he could…
By Barry Morris SCOTLAND’S Loch Ness has its monster and Balcombe Estuary at Mt Martha has its . . . rakali. The elusive rakali is the Australian equivalent of an otter or water rat. While argument still rages about the existence of Nessie, there is no doubt about the rakali which weighs up to 1.3 kilograms, has a distinctive white-tipped tail and lives in burrows or hollow logs on creek banks. Sue Brabander, the former information ranger at The Briars historic property at Mt Martha, is aware of four sightings since 2015 in Balcombe Creek and estuary. “A young family…
EVEN at 90, Hans Bruner is not the type of guy to sit down and take it easy. A member of Mornington Table Tennis Club for the past 30 years, Mr Bruner tests his skills at the tables twice a week and enjoys socialising with members afterwards. “Playing table tennis has been extremely good for me and was instrumental in overcoming a stroke I suffered 18 months ago,” he said. “It’s helped me come back to having an even better life afterwards. “I love meeting the people there and having great fun. I tell them I enjoy hopping around like…