Affordable housing not council’s domain
Using emails and social media, our Mornington Peninsula Shire Council intends to urge the owners of holiday houses and investment properties to rent these to long term tenants (“Long-term rentals key to housing ‘crisis'”, The News, 13 September). Dream on.
The peninsula is the sixth worst municipality for rough sleepers because there is an abundance of sheltered beaches, foreshore and parks.
Affordable housing and social housing are the domain of federal and state governments and councils should not try to triplicate this.
Our federal government has, as an economic policy, firm plans to bring in hundreds of thousands of migrants over the next few years, on top of our refugee intake; all will need accommodation and housing.
I await the federal government’s housing crisis solution, although I would think that any government would wait until the artificially grossly overpriced housing market has finished its downward price adjustment back to normal or below, before embarking on housing construction or land purchase or development.
Meanwhile, our state government is spending many billions of dollars on roads and rail, including bridges, tunnels, skylinks and infrastructure; all necessary to accommodate the future growth of Melbourne, alleviate transport chaos, and to modernise our century old system. (Not to forget the huge number of real taxpaying jobs created, along with incredible amounts of concrete, steel, bitumen, cabling, lights, etc.).
Councils can be helpful by providing humanitarian assistance to the homeless and rough sleepers in the form of somewhere to have a hot shower, some toilets, a cup of hot tea in the morning, somewhere to sleep in the car or tent safe from predatory thugs.
I know one rough sleeper and that is his list of needs to get through one day.
Having a job is virtually impossible.
Brian A. Mitchelson, Mornington
Shout out to shire
I had to laugh having received the Shire Council’s latest glossy, “Shout Out”. (How much are they spending on publications of self gratification, and Action Plans with no actions or responsibilities?). $500,000 to develop a business case for a performing arts centre?
Over 39% of people on the Peninsula will be over 55 by 2026. Not one mention of advocating for this significant voting group. I am still hearing stories of aged people struggling without support: no shopping, personal care, in home care. I bet none of the councillors are worrying where their next meal may come from, about having a clean bed to slip in to, or a house where some of the surface dirt is cleared at least sometimes, or having their next shower, or being forced to go into less than satisfactory “care”. Many of us are still not receiving these supports.
We care. We may be old but we vote, and can read budgets – which many of us will be examining more closely since much of the Councils allocation per $1000 of rates income is going to support their own structures and a mere $4 is directed to Aged and Disability.
Barbara Rimington, Balnarring
Yellow peril
Is it a coincident or are the councillors rubbing it in?
After the yellow ringed pothole incident, now I found a yellow leaflet from our Mayor Anthony March in my letter box telling me what unique insight our council has in anything our citizenship may need.
Of course the thing that most elderly and incapacitated need most, help with every day needs once provided by the Shire, does not get the slightest mention.
The fact that the Shire caved in to wishes of nimby citizens against possible homeless accommodation on the peninsula, there is also no mention.
A great big wast of our rate money would come to mind.
Rupert Steiner, Balnarring Beach
Rental stress
AS a long time resident of St Andrews, (25 years), I am appalled by the current state of housing on the Peninsula. This is an issue that goes beyond the critical matter of homelessness in the region, which has itself become an escalating and urgent problem.
Over the years, and through many interactions with single supporting parents, the unemployed, those with disabilities, the aged and others, I have frequently been outraged by the behaviour of some estate agents and landlords towards their relatively powerless tenants. I have seen injustices in the form of unsustainable rent increases as shortages of accommodation in the region are exploited unscrupulously and repeated failures of essential repairs and upkeep. These factors force many into homelessness or seriously substandard and compromised living conditions.
In advocating for some of these folks I have generally been dealt with dismissively by agents who fail to fulfill their responsibilities towards tenants, who are often forced to wait months, even years, for essential repairs.
This lack of professionalism needs to be rectified as a matter of urgency.
Martin Harris, Rye
Use quiet fireworks
Last night (18th September), a large number of firecrackers were let off at Ferrero Reserve, I think celebrating the end of the Mt Martha Footy Club season.
It seems to be an annual event, Covid permitting.
I like doubtless numerous others, had to try and calm a petrified, shaking dog desperately seeking a bolthole.
I cannot imagine that our native animals would be immune to similar fear and anxiety.
The very loud, staccato bangs, similar to gunshots, could well trigger painful memories and associations, for any war veterans within hearing.
If there must be fireworks for some reason, perhaps there could be consideration of the wider community, and spectacular but quiet fireworks used.
Enid Williams, Mount Martha
God Save the King
The vicious vitriol lacking compassion for fellow Australians from a “Greens spokesperson” Samantha Ratnam following the news of the passing of our much loved Monarch Queen Elizabeth II exposed a disrespectful, disloyal, insensitive, ignorant, uneducated mind supporting and encouraging division among Australians.
Samantha displays no understanding of Australian culture or knowledge of our history.
A history that has produced writers, musicians, poets, opera singers, world-class ballet dancers and producers, scientists, engineers, medical leaders, educators, painters, war heroes, farmers/ producers of world class wines, wool, beef, etc.
Just who is this “johnny come lately” person telling generational Australians what to think?
The Commonwealth is something we are proud to be a member of.
God Save the King.
Maureen Sharpe, Mornington
Election coming
Before you place your tick on the ballot paper, just stop and think for a moment.
Exactly what has the Liberal Party done for you and the peninsula when it’s been in power in all those times?
Even when we had the occasional state ministers in our seat or even next door in Mornington, transport and education were left wanting.
Compare that to Labor through Chris Brayne who has improved transport down here with a new timetable and an express bus to Frankston.
Schools are being refurbished and improved.
You just have to look around and see the improvements.
Vote liberal and we’ll go back to the inaction that is their demeanour.
They’re promising big bucks for the Rosebud Hospital, but what’s the bet nothing will happen for the Liberals first term.
Guy will be too busy with the construction of the east/west tunnel that nobody but him wants to worry about piddly little rosebud.
If you want action, then Labor and Chris Brayne is the way to go.
John Cain, McCrae
Independents?
It is not surprising that there is so much advertising and comments regarding the state election in November.
Bubbling along are the corflutes and home-delivered pamphlets of the candidate’s ‘promises’, also blazoned across pages of newspapers and television.
That is shaky ground.
It is not up to them, individually, what can and cannot be achieved. That is party politics. Each candidate supports certain community issues but should not fall into the trap of promises that may not come to fruition. It’s interesting to see more independents coming forward.
But how independent are they? How much influence will they have, and how do they gain traction without donations?
Herein comes a dilemma – what if an independent candidate had previously supported a political party but decided to enter as an independent?
I bring to your attention Elizabeth Woolcock, a Liberal Party member until recently. (“Liberal turns independent for Nepean, The News, 14 September).
Can she be totally independent and not influenced by Liberal matters? Indeed yes, she can.
It is up to the voters to believe her promotions.
To give this particular candidate full consideration, it’s heartening to understand that an independent candidate cannot be endorsed by a registered party. Still, shallow waters run deep!
Anne Kruger, Rye
Look at windfall tax
Although I am not happy that Labor will not stop the Stage Three tax cuts where the richest 1% will save as much as the poorest 65% combined, I am somewhat comforted that, for once, a government has stood behind its election promises.
My hope is that the Independents and Greens make it a condition when the budget gets to the senate, lets Labor off the hook and enhances the legitimacy of Greens and Independents.
Windfall Profit Taxes. Two in three (67%) Australians support the introduction of a windfall profits tax on the oil and gas industry to support Australian households, Queensland Resources Council (QRC) predicts $15bn to Queensland, NSW could make $23bn. Federal Government – A Big Fat Zero. Not Happy Albo!
Labor has a hard boat to row upstream against turbulent currents to make Australia become the first intercontinental exporter of renewables.
Important to put up funds for transition from the dying fossil fuel industry for workers, not industry, and move forward at the speed of light.
It is a once in a lifetime opportunity to not be squandered.
Joe Lenzo, Safety Beach
Pool inspections
While the State Government is resisting or limiting pay increases for doctors, nurses, teachers etc, they have very generously increased the income of building inspectors by forcing pool and spa owners to have a safety inspection by now privatised building inspectors despite rules and requirements for pools and spas being very basic and simple.
Most inspectors charge around $350-400 for the first ten minute inspection and then $80-100 for the follow up five minute inspection – if you google “pool inspections Victoria” you can check.
It is one thing to charge high fees to builders and developers who can pass the cost on but this can be a burden for many home owners with a pool.
In my case the inspection fees plus council fees came to $473, equal to my weekly age pension.
Maybe if these bureaucrats could put down their Bollinger, come down from their ivory towers, and see how the rest of us live, we may get some “commons sense” decisions.
John Meaney, Frankston South
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 – 27 September 2022
