Thanks to the brave and selfless firefighters
A huge thank you to all the fire brigades from around the peninsula who arrived quickly and put out the lightning lit grass fire adjacent to Nepean Highway at Mt Martha last Sunday night. Luckily the grass had been cut for hay and bales moved. Volunteers arrived within minutes of my triple zero call and worked for hours, amidst frightening lightning. You people are so generous, kind and professional.
Ann Scally, Mt Martha
Dodgy donations
It is interesting that in last week’s edition featured two different aspects of political donations. At the local government level, Mornington Peninsula Shire Council rightly called on the State Government to “ban all donations from property developers, gambling businesses and politicians to candidates running for local councils” (Call for ban on developer donations, The News 6/2/2025) while at the federal government level, correspondent Hilda McLeod contrasted the huge donations from the fossil fuel industry to the major parties with the smaller ones from Climate 200 to the Teals (Independent MPs, Letters, The News 6/2/2025).
According to the Australian Electoral Commission, in 2023-2024, Climate 200 received only $4.4m in donations compared to Labor’s $67.5m and the Coalition’s $72.2m. Sadly, the source of much of the money is unknown thanks to disclosure laws that allow any donor to remain anonymous provided they split up donations below the disclosure threshold of $16,300. But Gina Rinehart brazenly gave $500,000 to the Coalition. No surprises there.
As Transparency International Australia notes, “Secret donations and lobbying create backchannels to decision-making. This means those with the more money and power get more access to politicians – and the most potential to influence policy decisions.” Legislation to clean up Australia’s political donations is long overdue. Well done to the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council for leading the way.
Ray Peck, Hawthorn
Independent
I was quite intrigued by your full page political ad for independent candidate Ben Smith.
Nowhere on the page was there any mention of Climate 200. Even though Facebook ads clearly identify Smith as being sponsored by this body. Wonder if this has anything to do with a recent report showing Climate 200 donating up to $1.9m towards so called “Teal” candidates in other electorates.
With parliamentary records showing Climate 200 backed politicians voting with the Greens on the majority of Bills put up in this term of parliament, I would certainly like to hear who Smith would back in the case of the coalition falling just short of a majority but more seats than Labour and both parties needing independents support to form government. That is an extremely important question that must be answered before we vote.
M. G. Free, Mt Martha
Independent choice
Some politically painful types like to say that if you vote for independents it is a vote for the Greens, or if you vote for an independent it is vote for Labor, or independents always vote with the Greens, or independents always vote for Labor. They are trying to convince you that voting for an independent is a wasted vote and it is undemocratic to vote against the political duopoly.
Let’s look a couple of voting records:
Helen Hayes. In the 47th parliament voted with the government 56% of the time, the opposition 44% of the time, against the government and the opposition 30% of the time. In the 46th Parliament voted with the government 40% of the time, the opposition 57% of the time, against the government and opposition 3% of the time
Zoe Daniel supported 53% of ALP-moved motions, rejected 47%. Supported 41% of Coalition-moved motions, rejected 59%. Supported 55% of Greens-moved motions, rejected 45%. Opposed gag motions 100% of the time, as open debate is key to democracy.
Labor, Coalition, and Greens vote almost exclusively along party lines no matter what the issue was. This goes to the point that independents vote for, and represent, their electors on issues, not the dogma of a political duopoly. In doing this they are a cornerstone of democracy. These politically astute pains want to continue, at almost all costs, the “democratic dictatorship” where we are allowed to vote every once in a while to just elect the next “democratic dictatorship”.
The idea that independents “vote with anyone” is not supported by evidence. Their voting behavior is influenced by a mix of their policy priorities, electoral mandates, and negotiations, making their support for any other party – issue-specific rather than political.
Joe Lenzo, Safety Beach
Consider this
Over a half a century ago a new government was elected; one that was set to break Australia out of years of torpor, placing this country on the world stage as a dynamic, progressive and welcoming nation. Power and privilege, entrenched for decades couldn’t accept this threatening shift and by all the means available reclaimed government within three years.
Since 1972 the significant reforms here have occurred under Labor Governments and (with the exception of of John Howard’s brave gun reform) the periods of coalition government have generally been marked with more of the same, policies focusing on entrenching the wealth and political power of this country amongst the elite few rather than sharing among the proletariat.
World wide, new extreme right wing politics and increasingly authoritarian leaders are taking over democracies that, in years past, would never have been considered vulnerable to such a development.
Society and politics here are becoming nastier year by year as successful duplicitous obstructionist strategies are adopted, as a consequence meaningful (especially radical) reforms are not possible while the extreme right manoeuvre to reclaim power they consider is their right.
The impending election is a critical moment in this country’s history. It is incumbent on us all to think deeply about the consequences of our vote, not just for the here and now but its effect on future generations and the world in which they have to live.
Bruce Wearing-Smith, Somers
Alcohol linked violence
In last week’s edition of the Frankston Times revealed that the Frankston Council boundaries has the highest rate of family violence cases in the South East of Victoria (Calls for family violence intervention, The Times 4/2/25).
Alcohol is the cause of most family violence in Australia and Frankston Council’s rubber stamping alcohol planning permits, especially off premises licenses, contributes to this family violence. Now the council is panicking and is trying to get money from state and federal governments to combat the large number of family violence incidents and is writing to candidates who nominate for the federal electorate of Dunkley.
The state and federal governments have already given over a billion dollars to the fight against family violence and there may not be any more money to give. They need to ask the state government to not grant any more liquor licenses in the Frankston City area.
Russell Morse, Karingal
Un-Australian
Who are these people coming out of our woodwork? One assumes they are Australians because they live here. Aren’t the floods and heatwaves enough for them; apparently not? Why else this current attack on Australians of the Jewish faith? What in heaven’s name do they hope to achieve? Having an opinion (one way or the other, or not at all) is a right, but transferring this to a hate campaign is disgraceful, disgusting, perhaps even a form of sickness?
I shudder at the thought of these types barracking for an AFL football team.
Cliff Ellen, Rye
Not unlucky
In my letter last week (Time Warp, Letters 4/2/25) I ended my previous letter with the question “so is Barkly Street the unlucky street?”. Since then I’ve done some rational thinking about that question, and have come to the conclusion that it was a negative response from me. So, I’m now applying my positive attitude to that question: spelling mistakes on a sign, incorrect time on the clocks, all no big deal, those problems are certainly out-weighed by the good things in Barkly Street.
One of which is the barber shop that’s been in the one family for 40 years, Wally was the first barber that I went to in Mornington, and I continue to go to that same shop now. Then there is Farrells Bookshop. It’s actually numbered as a Main Street shop, but as their door is on the very corner I’ll class it as also being in Barkly Street, my bookcase is full of books from that great shop. Also Chocolat, the French patisserie in Barkly Street. Wow, it is a fantastic shop for cakes and all types of tasty edibles, plus great coffee, it is a shop that the tables are always full, so I’m not the only person who likes that shop.
I think that I need to check out other Barkly Street shops to appreciate the area.
Lance Rickard, Mt Martha
