Permit required
It was an interesting exercise recently as to how to put on a community event locally.
After calling Mornington Peninsula Shire, I discovered that to run an event in one of our parks, which I’ll add here, that our parks belong to all Victorians to enjoy, I would need to require a permit if the event held more than 50 people.
The permit base rate would cost me $1100 that would be paid to our shire. For this base rate I could acquire a food van for the people enjoying the park, after that, the permit price increases depending on how many food vans and such things as a band.
In actual fact, the cost for putting on a function in one of our parks would be excessively high.
Considering we already pay rates I would like to know why permits are so high in price and I’d also like to see this shire’s permit for holding a “community events” such as last May’s LGBTQIA+ disco for children as young as 10 years old.
Where is the permit for this up and coming shindig in our beautiful Briars nature park, the Harry Potter extravaganza?
It seems that the same rules do not apply to constituents as they do to the shire.
Let’s take this opportunity to remind Mornington Peninsula Shire that it works for us, certainly not the other way around.
Show us the permits or face the consequences.
Equal rights for all and special privileges for none is the way forward.
Felicity Benson, Mornington
No welcome for MP
The state MP for Mornington Chris Crewther was treated as a non-person by a Mornington Peninsula Shire-delegated organiser of the Village Green [Mount Eliza] flag raising ceremony on 26 January. The organiser specifically repeated that Mount Eliza Rotary Club was presenting a non-political event and promptly instructed me to leave and either attend Mount Martha or take myself off to Melbourne.
I chose to remain and enjoy the companionship of the ranking politician attending and talk politely to many of my friends who were in attendance
Meanwhile, the Rotary organiser had phoned a security friend, not the police or shire officers, to have me silenced. I was then verbally threatened to be thrown off the green when I was obviously sober, smiling to locals and just wishing happy Australia Day greetings to all and sundry
Cr Steve Holland was allowed to speak, as were other sponsors, but our ranking local citizen, Chris Crewther MP, was further ignored contrary to previous shire public meeting protocols. I am submitting a formal complaint to the mayor.
Ian Morrison, Mount Eliza
Commemorate Cook
The destructive vandalism of a statue of Captain James Cook on Australia Day eve was without doubt was the work of someone who is ignorant of the history and life of a brave, courageous and intelligent human being.
James Cook was a lieutenant in the British Navy when given command of the barque HMS Endeavour [and] he and his crew successfully sailed around the world during 1770 and came to our shores during April, May, June and August of that year.
For those who think they know some of our country’s history, Cook and his crew only stepped foot on our shores in four places, a few days in Botany Bay, NSW to replenish water and food, Town 1770 in Queensland to raise the English flag, Cooktown also in Queensland, to repair a hole in the ship’s bow after hitting the Great Barrier Reef and Possession Island in Torres Strait.
James Cook was made a captain after returning to England. He made a further two voyages to our part of the world, however neither he nor his crew stepped ashore in Australia during these explorations.
Unfortunately, James Cook was killed in Hawaiian Islands during his last exploration trip around the world. The Hawaiians have erected many statues in remembrance of him, as they also saw him as a hero.
Bruce White, Safety Beach
Government attacks
Wake up my fellow Australians. We are being attacked on all sides by pathetic governments on all levels.
The willful destruction of pride, love and respect for the settlement of this country by generations who have established world class education and medicine and freedom for all who wish to live in harmony and peace is abused.
Can you believe that several local councillors did not celebrate all that has been achieved over the years? Some of whom were welcomed into our country with open arms. What a disgrace..
I believe in freedom of speech and the right to demonstrate. Not too sure [the Prime Minister Anthony] Mr Albanese does, as his government introduces bills to tell us what we can believe and say.
The demonstration on the streets of Melbourne on Australia Day was a display of aggressive hatred and racism for Australians.
The TV media has a lot to answer for with the camera on Lydia Thorpe speaking of peace when her actions on entering parliament with a clenched fist went unchallenged.
Please speak up with pride and be grateful for all we have accomplished.
Diversity is not healthy for our country as time proves. There will never be peace in Australia until we are one people under one flag speaking one language and tolerance for all faiths.
Thank God for all the gifts we enjoy that every other country envies.
Maureen Sharpe, Bittern
Road safety at Crib Point
With the end of summer holidays, our children are now heading back to school.
This means reduced speed limits around schools from 8am to 9.30am and 2.30pm to 4pm.
Although we have valued school crossing supervisors assisting our children to school safely, more action is required to make our busy roads safer.
Crib Point requires new traffic signals at the intersection of Stony Point Road and Disney Street for school kids, local residents and cyclists.
Many students dodge cars, trucks and fishermen with boats when crossing Stony Point Road to reach their school bus stop every morning.
Mothers with prams and small children must quickly cross Stony Point Road to reach the early learning centre, chemist and shops.
Stony Point Road has a 60kph speed limit, but Disney Street has a 70kph speed limit – this needs to be reduced.
The Victorian government, Mornington Peninsula Shire Council and our local politicians are aware of community concerns.
We need new traffic signals in Crib Point before another road accident occurs at this intersection.
Dale Stohr, Crib Point
Answers needed first
Our local member, [Nepean MP] Sam Groth, is circulating a petition for an overpass at Jetty Road, Rosebud. I use that junction fairly regularly and find the traffic lights have made a difference to the buildup of the traffic, although I am sure it still is a problem on Friday nights or at the peak of a holiday season.
We need to ask Mr Groth is would an overpass just lead to another problem at the Boneo Road intersection – where the traffic moves to a single lane and is often backed up which continues on Browns Road and Point Nepean Road? We all know what that is like during peak holiday season.
Would an overpass be a first step in building a freeway along the freeway reserve that is marked on maps and finishes at Canterbury Jetty Road? If that is the case, how will that effect all those people who have now built houses adjoining the reserve, and how will that plan avoid a blockage again when it gets to Canterbury Jetty Road?
If Mr Groth believes we should spend millions of dollars of our money, we need to see the answers to these question first.
Marg D’Arcy, Rye
Enlightened works
Is this a new musical? Sorry, but it’s not. On both ends of a street in Capel Sound called Broadway, there have been three big electronic rented signs.
Since late November, these trailer-size signs tell all passers-by that roadworks will start in February.
I wonder how much taxpayers/ratepayers pay in hiring charges for this message.
I would have thought any roadworks would be super visible from all the signs, bollards, lights and flags.
Warwick Spinaze, Tootgarook
Ballot backlash
After weeks of outrage over the monstrously inappropriate and environmentally inexcusable Harry Potter show at The Briars, I have reached the conclusion that the Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors supporting the proposal have either massively misunderstood the feelings of ratepayers – in which case they have deservedly assured themselves of being voted out at the next election – they decided they had had enough of being councillors and decided to go out in a blaze of “glory”. Either way they will get their just reward at the ballot box.
Ross Hudson, Mount Martha
Promise for ‘next time’
Last Monday i went to hear some more details about the Harry Potter debacle at The Briars. Several hundred people also wanted to find out why Mornington Peninsula Shire found it necessary to hold this event in one of the peninsula’s most treasured wildlife reserves.
I have to say, it was brave of the mayor [Cr Simon Brooks] to turn up and face the music. Sadly, the dreaded nondisclosure clause the shire’s officers and councillors signed with Warner Bros, except for David Gill and Anthony Marsh, prevented us from learning any reasons for this frankly stupid decision by the shire.
Listening to the mayor’s replies, i came away with the conclusion that our elected reps have signed us up to a deal that benefits mostly carpetbaggers and opens the ratepayers of the peninsula up to very hefty penalties if the shire tries to wriggle out of the deal.
We also were assured by the mayor that a proper environmental assessment by outside specialists was performed but, sadly, we can’t have access to these reports as they’re also confidential.
So, on the whole, we didn’t learn very much, but the mayor assured us that the whole council is working very hard not to repeat such a daft deal ever again.
Isn’t that fantastic, basically he said bugger the wildlife this time, but if there is any left after this Harry Potter debacle is over, we’ll be doing much better.
With that attitude, I can only say good luck to them all at the council elections later in the year.
Rupert Steiner, Balnarring
Time to move
Members of a concerned community will attend this week’s Mornington Peninsula Shire Council meeting outraged at the disdainful, contemptible manner they feel this council is treating them.
In particular, the decision and process of making a deal with Warner Bros. Global Themed Entertainment, Fever (an entertainment tech platform) and IMG to hold a Harry Potter: Forbidden Forest experience within The Briars wildlife sanctuary.
A meeting at Mornington Yacht Club on Monday 29 January heard this “dirty big secret” of council was not advertised and cannot be spoken about with the peninsula’s community. It is now evident that shire executives don’t know the community they are to work with, consult and inform on issues which impact them and their environment.
Those at the yacht club meeting heard the mayor [Cr Simon Brooks] floundering to answer questions due to signing a non-disclosure agreement. The audience realised councillors were ill-informed of this Harry Potter experience the day before having an in-camera discussion and approving the event on 22 August 2023.
Councillors are said to be having sleepless nights, headaches and their hair getting greyer and greyer by the minute. At least, those councillors with a conscience.
I encourage residents to write (maximum two) questions to the CEO John Baker and present these at a council meeting via mornpen.vic.gov.au/About-Us/About-Our-Council/Council-Meetings/Meeting-Information/Public-Question-Time.
My question: Will you Mr John Baker and the executives have discussions with Warner Bros/Fever Entertainment to relocate the event – Harry Potter: Forbidden Forest Experience – from The Briars wildlife sanctuary to a more suitable location? Due to the overwhelming backlash council is receiving. This is not only a question but a clear directive from a community who have not been consulted, informed or considered.
Janet Street, Mornington
Creature protection
A staggering 144 new plants and animals were added to the threatened species list in 2023. That’s five times more than the yearly average and double the amount of species added in the previous record year (70 in 2009). How desperately sad. Each and every species, from the Jardine River turtle to the Mornington Peninsula’s own sharp-tailed sandpiper, is part of the intricate web of life.
Predation by introduced foxes and cats, habitat destruction and climate change are driving the march toward extinction and ecosystem collapse.
With more than 2000 species now on Australia’s threatened list, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act seems successful at identifying endangered species but not so effective at saving them.
Environment minister Tanya Plibersek’s promised environmental law reform and increased funding can’t come soon enough for all creatures, great and small.
Amy Hiller, Kew
Lockdown lament
The decision by our Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors to host the Harry Potter event inside The Briars Wildlife sanctuary goes against the ethos of our whole community.
I wrote this poem during the lockdown when The Woodland Walk was our sanctuary. Please relocate.
Delia Tobin, Mount Martha
Walking at The Briars
every day we walked at the Briars
through the wetlands
tree roots tripped us up on days
when we weren’t looking
kangaroos startled us when we talked too much
Some days the woodland
hills were easy and
some days they
were tough going
when our spirits were low the kookaburras laughed
there was space to breathe
smell the fern and wattle
black cockatoos chipped
at branches overhead
an echidna crossed our path with yellow tips
one time we saw a white heron
walking in the shallows
it spread its wings gracefully
and took flight
the emu was unpredictable and we gave it respect
the land flattened out towards the end
our heads quiet and our
boots heavy with earth
only then we were silent
when the black copperhead moved, we stood still
no words left, just us there
resting together on our favourite bench
until we laughed at some silly memory
from our childhood
quietly we closed our eyes, listening to our breathing
we neared the crossing over the wooden bridge
the river was slow with reeds and lilies
after the rains it gushed loudly
and raised the flood gates
we dipped our feet in the cool running water
October brought the sweet smell
of fresh cut grass and the gentle wave
of spring petals blowing in the breeze
the seasons light was changing
then we knew this time was nearly over – we were heading home
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 – 6 February 2024
