Focus on local issues
Candidates running for council (Candidates face more questions than there are answers, The News 8/10/24) should remember that their primary duty is to their community. The decisions of a local council member have an immediate and direct impact on local concerns, which is what matters most to their residents. By focusing on these local priorities, candidates can better serve their communities and significantly shape their future.
Anne Kruger, Rye
Take responsibility for your own rubbish
As one who often collects rubbish from the Mt Martha cliffs and beachfront, I too despair at all the plastic, especially bottle lids, on our shores. A suggested solution of connecting lids to bottles will, however, only work if the bottle is also placed in the correct rubbish bin (Call for bottle change for environment’s sake, The News, 8/10/24).
The ‘Do The Right Thing’ and ‘Keep Australia Beautiful’ campaigns have been running for decades. We must all take responsibility for our rubbish. Even better, we can reduce the rubbish and waste that we create in the first place. In the case of plastic bottles – carry a reusable water bottle. Nature will thank us for it.
Amy Hiller, Kew
Support for Green Wedge
I am a supporter of the Green Wedge as an integral part of the Mornington Peninsula Planning Scheme. I as I have said in my election brochures I want to keep our residential area of McCrae , Dromana, Rosebud (Benbenjie Ward) as a low rise township where we continue to enjoy the lifestyle we all love.
In a recent ad in the Mornington News and Southern Peninsula News, authorised by J Hansen, claims were made to mislead and deceive. I have had no contact with Hansen and that individual would not know, and has not even asked, my views before trying to misrepresent my view on the Green Wedge. A shameful act to attempt to gain political advantage for my opponents.
Peter Clarke, McCrae
Help for Housing
I am a resident of Dromana Holiday Village where there are over 200 units; about 70% are permanent residents with an average age over 70. We have been trying for many years to get some form of footpath as many residents don’t even own a vehicle. We had a visit from council representatives earlier this year, they were amazed at the lack of infrastructure and said this should be elevated to number one priority for footpaths for the Mornington Peninsula.
A few months later after contacting them we were told there would be no footpaths in the near future.
So I was amazed to read (Consultation shared for vision of Dromana, The News 9/10/24) that the council is to spend millions on car parking and paths for the well heeled to walk their pampered pooches and their children to ride their scooters and e-bikes in Dromana’s Hillview Community Reserve.
I am all for recreational pursuits but I think this is ageist.
With the oncoming council elections I hope there is someone who doesn’t just look after top end of this electorate like the sitting councillor.
Geoffrey Ball, Dromana
Gender based violence
In the context of the alarming rise in violence against women on the Mornington Peninsula (Family violence drives crime rise, The News 8/10/24), it is noteworthy that 22 out of 24 council election candidates who responded to a survey identified ‘gender equity’ as important.
A number of respondents to the survey, conducted by Southern Women’s Action Network, went further than acknowledging the importance of the issue and actually volunteered strategies to promote equity and to assist women and children experiencing violence.
Their ideas included: establishing women’s refuges on the peninsula, developing accessible family violence support services, trauma-informed support programs, men’s behaviour change programs, counselling, and more broadly, community education programs, wage equality to allow women greater independence and primary prevention strategies to create the long-term community change required to stop the violence before it occurs.
Gender equality is very much a local council responsibility, as demonstrated by the Mornington Peninsula Shire’s Our Gender Equality Strategy: Preventing Violence Against Women and Children, 2020-2030 report. Hopefully all incoming councillors will embrace the strategy with its potential to redress disrespect and violence against women.
Details on how candidates responded on this, and other social justice issues can be viewed at: swanwomen.org.au.
Maureen Donelly,
Southern Women’s Action Network
Support the RAP
Do Council Candidates understand the need for local reconciliation? As a member of a local group of non-Indigenous Australians interested in advancing the process of reconciliation with First Nations peoples, I am concerned that some candidates for the Council elections have indicated that they have no knowledge about the Mornington Peninsula Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).
The negative impact of the No vote on the morale of our local First Nations Peoples must be addressed promptly by the new council, by supporting the RAP and demonstrating real progress in addressing intergenerational trauma and disadvantage.
Indigenous Australians have been generous in remaining open to the process of reconciliation, despite their mistreatment over the past two hundred years, and for the well being of our society, we non-Indigenous Australians need to respond with constructive efforts which are based on genuine consultation and mutual respect.
The Mornington Peninsula RAP identifies the need for action at the local community level to build an understanding of the legacy of the impact of colonialism on the current and future generations of our Indigenous Australians. Surely, any person who wants to be a credible local representative must inform themselves about the Mornington Peninsula RAP and make a commitment to its implementation.
I was therefore pleased to see that in the Nepean Ward, four of the seven candidates have indicated their awareness and support. Those people are Suzanne Jones, Josie Jones, Monique Toms and Eddie Matt. I urge voters in Nepean Ward to preference these candidates ahead of others who have not responded to a request to indicate their position.
Ralph Catts, Rye
Integrity?
A more vacuous statement to support the case for independent members of parliament would be hard to find (A call for integrity, Letters 1/10/24). The statement begins with an unsupported allegation that right wing is bad, but no mention is made of left wing extremists. Surely it is the extremists at either end of the spectrum who are the risks to democracy. She then goes on to assert that the three major parties are priortising infighting over delivering parliamentary change. You don’t have to agree with the governing party but you have to accept they have delivered some significant change.
Re the Parliamentary Standards Commission, MP Helen Haines may have strong concerns but we as yet have to see what happens in the Senate.
Re Robodebt the findings are against Public Servants not Members of Parliament. You can’t conflate one to justify your complaints against Parliamentarians.
One cannot follow the logic of the argument in the last paragraph. Apparently anyone who represents a like minded group (vested interest) does not have the best interests of the country or their electorate in mind.
In closing I await seeing/hearing what this “long term vision” is because one thing has proven true over the years.
People vote for policies that fit with their own aspirations.
Robb Hampson, Sorrento
Don’t mention the luge
The community meeting organised by the Eagle in Dromana last Thursday evening focused on proposed building works at the top and bottom of the gondola ride at Arthur’s Seat. The base station is to be demolished and rebuilt. The top building refurbished. Matt, the Eagle’s manager, representing its two wealthy owners, told us that this was desperately needed to satisfy tourist feedback for more to do after taking a gondola ride. Judging by its reaction the audience was largely unimpressed by Matt’s explanation of the need and particularly how it would not increase traffic.
Little was mentioned about the proposed luge. One picture was screened and some soothing words about landscaping and the allegedly silent operation, despite the luge having a far greater impact both visually and environmentally on the State park than the two buildings.
The luge will consist of a serpentine layout of steel rail tracks approximately one km long supported on steel and concrete foundations at various heights above the ground in a loop, One track for the toboggans up the mountain and another down. No mention was made by Matt and his team of consultants about the effects of constructing and maintaining the luge, on the Arthur’s Seat landscape, the wildlife and the park environment generally. Even more concerning is that because the total project is large it is being given priority by the State government and if approved, without local government and proper community involvement.
The luge will be an exciting ride and no doubt popular with some tourists but for many Peninsula locals would be another misuse of publicly owned bushland on the scenically important North face of Arthur’s Seat. Paraphrasing the words of Scottish writer Ian Mc Ewan “The rats are running loose with dollar signs in their eyes on the hill once known as Wonga. Nature crashing around them”.
John Weir, Dromana
Violating international law
With every day of Israeli bombings and attacks on civilian targets in Gaza and Lebanon it is becoming obvious, grave crimes against humanity are being committed. The latest example of this impunity was an deliberate attack on UN positions known by Israel’s out of control army. Shame on Israel for flouting international law.
Rupert Steiner, Balnarring
Cottage closed
In September, a group of residents from the Mount Martha Retirement Village travelled to Hastings to visit the Hastings Museum in Marine Parade. Several of the group have lived on the Mornington Peninsula for many years but had never heard of this very informative place. The museum was specially opened for our visit – it was a weekday and during the school holidays – and our volunteer guide, Lance Hodgins, spent the whole time answering the many questions we had.
We were, however, most disappointed that we were unable to have go into the old fisherman’s cottage which is on the property as it was boarded up having been deemed unsafe to enter. The gardens which are attended to by volunteers were beautiful. We were amazed to hear that no funding is available to make the necessary repairs to a building that should reflect yet another piece of the history of Hastings.
It is hoped that this letter, should you print it, may spur many of the citizens of Hastings to encourage the ‘powers that be’ to provide the finance needed to restore the building.
Jennifer Sammells, Secretary,
Mount Martha Village Residents’ Association
Can I come over?
Dear Liz (Let Them Eat Cake, Letters 1/10/24), Could you please to invite me to your holiday house on the peninsula, as I am feeling very stressed.
Miroslav Stupar, Rye
Seek help
I write on behalf of the not-for-profit Mental Illness Fellowship Australia to highlight to readers that if you or someone you know is facing a mental health issue reach out. Help is out there.
It is absolutely critical that there is much more action from all Governments to support people in your area who have severe mental health issues. It is now estimated an alarming 68 per cent of people who have severe mental health issues are missing out on any kind of community support to help them … that’s nearly seven out of ten. We are completely focused on getting rid of the stigma around severe mental illness in particular. It is time we all realised people who are affected need our support.
On average, people with severe mental illness die 23 years earlier than the general population. 50% of people with severe mental illness attempt suicide … compared to 3.7% of the general population. A huge number of people, who have a severe or complex mental illness, are getting no community support whatsoever for their condition. It is critical to end the massive neglect of people who have mental illness in Australia.
Thousands and thousands of Australians with mental health issues are ending up in our local hospitals and emergency departments because they believe it is the only option for them. We urge people to realise recovery is unquestionably possible. We have a key not-for-profit network called Finding North which has become a growing community on the internet, to link people with mental health issues with others in a similar situation so they can share their experiences.
To get more information, just go to www.findingnorth.org.au … it is a powerful tool for readers to easily access.
Tony Stevenson, National CEO,
Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia.
