Impossible promises
A million dollars here, a million dollars there. Bus services, train upgrades, car parks. I’ve heard it all before. Every four years and nothing ever changes.
The Liberal Party has held the seat [of Mornington] for decades. Is it the failed and ineffective advocacy from the four terms of David Morris? Is it the state government?
We’ve had state governments from both sides across the years and nothing. Or is it simply Mornington Peninsula Shire? I think our shire councillors are biased, politically motivated and can’t seem to ever get anything done. One even ran in the federal election.
The reality is that nothing [Liberal] Chris Crewther has promised will be delivered from an opposition government. Labor has made some mistakes, but at least it gets things done. The Liberals aren’t capable at the moment.
I’m politically agnostic. I’m voting for the candidate that will get the most done for Mornington. Not false hopes and empty promises of electric trains and phantom bus services.
I’m voting on a track record of facts. Facts are, [Labor’s] Chris Brayne has delivered for Nepean over and over again. He’s worked with the state government and has gotten more done in four years than the 40 before him.
For this reason, I’m putting 1 in the box for Georgia Fowler for Mornington. I’ve never known a nurse that couldn’t get things done. Between her and [Dunkley Labor MP] Peta Murphy, we’ve got a powerhouse for Mount Eliza and the Mornington electorate. She’s a fighter, works with others and has the support of her peers to advocate for the peninsula.
Like it or not, [the Premier] Dan [Andrews] is favoured to win by more than 60 per cent. A Labor victory in Mornington is finally very probable in a two-party preferred system.
Lido Ritchie, Mount Eliza
Switch to state
It should have been mentioned that Chris Crewther, after losing the long held [by the Liberals federal] seat of Dunkley in 2019, tried to gain pre-selection for Dunkley at the last election, but was rejected by the Liberal Party (“Disenchanted Liberal” The News 8/11/22). It was only then that he applied for pre-selection for the state seat of Mornington.
Dr Ross Hudson, Mount Martha
Promises proliferating
Promises from candidates for the upcoming state election are proliferating.
The teal independent [in Mornington] in particular is promising the world. Her promises are populist and indicate that she will say anything to pitch herself as the big deliverer. Many of her promises on health and climate are already being delivered by the Victorian government but Dr [Kate] Lardner is not giving any credit to the Andrews government. She is grandstanding many of the same solutions that are already being delivered.
Being a solid representative for the people of the Mornington district is much more than saying anything to try to win votes. Pretending to be the responsible candidate is just performative and not realistic.
It is very unlikely that independent candidates will hold the balance of power after the election, so the promises being made by Dr Lardner are way beyond what an independent can achieve.
Dr Helen Keleher, Mornington
Talking politics
What an uplifting experience it was to spend my Saturday afternoon chatting to members of the public about our wonderful local independent candidate for Mornington, Dr Kate Lardner.
To think that more than 50 members of our community willingly gave their time to help inform others about why it is time for change in our electorate. Well done and thank you to all of the volunteers, members of the public who stopped to chat and to all of those who like me are finally seeing an opportunity to have our voices heard. Greg Banks, Moorooduc
Two in running
It’s clear that the race to win Mornington in the upcoming state election is between two horses – independent candidate Dr Kate Lardner and Liberal candidate Chris Crewther.
For Labor voters, it’s clear that candidate Georgia Fowler will not win – despite how well-meaning she may be.
There is no scenario in which Labor gets above 50 per cent in two-candidate preferred terms. Perhaps this is why betting agency TAB has Labor at 17-to-one odds at winning, with Kate Lardner the slight favourite ($1.85) and Chris Crewther marginally behind ($1.95).
My message to Labor voters: If you want to beat the Liberals, your only hope is to vote independent. And to Liberal voters? Do some background research on your candidate – I’m not sure you’ll like what you find.
Tom Feehely, Mount Eliza
Poster ‘legitimate’
Further to my comment about the Liberal candidate following VEC poster protocol and having to retrieve his poster from the football ground in Main Street, Mornington, it was a complaint to Mornington Peninsula Shire that directed the football club to take down that poster. As the owner of the property leased to the football club, the shire intervened despite a perfectly legitimate written application by the Liberal candidate to the club’s committee which authorised the placement until pressured by the shire.
The Liberal candidate took it down despite preliminary proper local application. Therefore, the aspersions insinuated are groundless (“Sign rules” Letters 1/11/22).
A case of a storm in a teacup from petty minded, manipulative, anti-establishment deniers.
Ian Morrison, Mount Eliza
Stay local
Since being elected, the state Labor government has rebuilt Rosebud Primary with Dromana Primary and Rosebud Secondary now under construction. We have the new express bus to Frankston and the 788 bus goes every half an hour. Sporting clubs are beginning to be given deserved attention. Our green wedge is being protected.
But there’s so much more to do. We need to see the Rosebud Hospital master plan come to life, we need Eastbourne Primary School to be rebuilt, we need someone who will fight for sound barriers along Mornington Peninsula Freeway, and we need more things for our children to do including a skatepark at Dromana and a new recreation area in Capel Sound.
For me, this election is about keeping up the momentum. Finally, things are getting done. People on the peninsula have now seen that election promises mean very little, it’s about who is the person to get things done.
The reality is the previous MP for Nepean was the education minister and not one school was rebuilt. My federal counterpart was the health minister, but no upgrade to Rosebud Hospital.
As I said at the public debate on Thursday last week, if you’re running to be a local MP, it’d be handy to be a local. We don’t need a tourist as our MP, we need a local who has lived the problems we face on the peninsula and wants to address them.
At this election there is a choice: do we continue to get things done on the southern peninsula with a member of parliament who has lived and breathed this community their whole life, or do we simply go back to the previous situation where nothing happens on the peninsula.
Chris Brayne, MP for Nepean
Voting reminder
Remember this when casting your vote.
Remember who didn’t lift a finger to help a major tourism project for Western Port to survive.
Remember who cost the community millions of dollars annually in lost community revenue.
Remember the loss of 200 local jobs that disappeared with the project.
Remember the loss of a project to help in the wellbeing of our veterans.
Remember your vote is your only way to show your displeasure in the performance of a party.
Remember when casting your vote to cast a vote for a candidate that truly represents your community.
Max Bryant, president Western Port Oberon Association
Imposed ideology
Am I alone in feeling that ideology and values are huge issues in this election? Victorians have a critical decision to make on 26 November. To whom will we entrust the reins of power for the next four years?
Premier [Daniel] Andrews never obtained an electoral mandate to deconstruct traditional values and impose his own “culturally-progressive” ethical views on all Victorians, yet I believe he is using coercive state powers to force Victorians to conform to his personal moral views, to indoctrinate children with radical gender ideology, and deny parents the right to nurture their own children. Reverse discrimination in this state is out of control.
I don’t mind that he passionately holds his personal views, but I do object to his stealth in imposing his brand of morality on Victorians without a mandate. He was not transparent about this agenda before he was elected, and he has abused our trust. This is a massive over-reach and intrusion into our personal values and choices.
The imposition of this state-sponsored ideology is stifling and terrifying. Will Victorians continue to submit meekly to this hijacking of traditional ethical values and the imposition of a culture of political correctness being orchestrated by this government? Where are we headed next if this premier is given a further term at the helm? In this election, let’s cast our vote according to our conscience, not expediency.
Fortunately, we are blessed with decent, well-grounded and trustworthy political candidates who hold to the rich values of respect, compassion and decency. Candidates like Bec Buchanan in Carrum, Chris Crewther in Mornington and Briony Hutton in Hastings, who I believe will bring wisdom, common sense and integrity into the parliament. Let’s give them our vote at this momentous time.
Frank Hoogenraad, Patterson Lakes
Brighter side
Fortunately, there’s always a bright side. We note the B52 bombers in Darwin and the Chinese port, the climate change conference (COP27), my $20 loss on the Melbourne Cup and food and petrol prices, not to mention the disappearance of our cleaning ladies and handymen. Head down bum up sort of everyday living.
We give thanks to residing on our beautiful Mornington Peninsula, anywhere except for Red Hill and, what I regard as the rantings of their Red Hill Ward councillor David Gill: “Moderate Independents who support the values of peninsula residents, not the views of unelected pressure groups within the Liberal and Labor parties” (“Vote independent” Letters 1/11/22).
Cliff Ellen, Rye
Lift secrecy
I would like to know how much of ratepayers’ money was spent in legal costs by Mornington Peninsula Shire Council relating to the Tyabb airfield debacle (“Shire lowers iron curtain of secrecy over payout” Letters 1/11/22).
There seems to be more and more secrecy within our shire relating to its activities and operations. For example, councillors voted in secret about whether in-home aged care services should be privatised or maintained by our council. Why wasn’t the community consulted – particularly residents using this service – prior to it being outsourced?
Last year I submitted questions to the council to be read out at a council meeting. They were questions relating to our ratepayer funded pound. These questions were not read out, despite them being submitted online two days before the council meeting.
As a ratepayer, I feel this is totally undemocratic and unacceptable.
Every resident should be able to submit questions (with meaningful discussion and explanation by the council) relating to council facilities and their operations.
By not answering questions, I think the shire is hiding what it is up to, and certainly does not want the public to know the truth.
Residents pay for the provision of these council services, yet many decisions by council are hidden from the public under a veil of secrecy.
Time for change Mornington Peninsula Shire. You need to lift your game and be more transparent and accountable to the ratepayers who pay staff salaries.
Rosy Fischer, Mornington
Dredging disaster
I object to the Port of Hastings because future dredging of Western Port would result in the same tragic outcome from the dredging of Port Phillip, which caused beaches to be washed away (“Hastings seen as ‘key’ link to offshore power” The News 1/11/22).
It has been scientifically proven that the dredging completely kills the habitat and all species in it.
Do we want our bay sacrificed so the multi-nationals can take their profits overseas, leaving an undersea desert in their wake?
Fay Roth, Carrum Downs
All take, no give
I decided to have an “on your honour” nature strip sale and put some items out with clear signs that each item was $10, and a good bargain at that.
As items started to vanish, I looked in the post box, as indicated on the sign, for the cash and found none.
Believing in the “Christian” bent of Australia I did not despair and thought there must be people with honour somewhere.
Then a couple of more items vanished [and still] no contribution in the post box.
The remainder will get donated to Habitat for Humanity Op Shop in Rosebud.
So, I must wonder, with 100 per cent observable evidence, if Australians are not “Christians” and have no honour?
Joe Lenzo, Safety Beach
Letters – 300 words maximum and including full name, address and contact number – can be sent to The News, PO Box 588, Hastings 3915 or emailed to: team@mpnews.com.au
First published in the Mornington News – 15 November 2022
