Survey shows satisfaction with city’s overall performance
At Frankston, we pride ourselves on being welcoming and inclusive with a longstanding commitment to public safety.
Figures published regarding residents’ perceptions of public safety – as captured in our annual community satisfaction survey – don’t reflect the full story (“Survey says safety a serious concern” The Times 18/7/23).
While there were small declines in perceptions of safety in comparison to last year, it’s worth noting that overall perceptions of safety and people feeling very safe are all up compared to two years ago.
The data also shows that Frankston residents feeling very safe at night has increased 43.4 per cent since 2021 and feeling unsafe has decreased 21.8 per cent.
Residents feeling very safe traveling on/waiting for public transport has increased 23 per cent since 2021 and feeling unsafe has decreased 37.9 per cent.
Critically, the survey shows satisfaction with the overall performance of Frankston was 7.0 out of 10 – above the south eastern region average of 6.9 and 11 per cent above Frankston’s long-term average since 2012.
We have concentrated on all areas of service delivery and the positive results are an acknowledgement of this. Not only did Frankston outscore on overall satisfaction compared with other councils in the south-east, but it also outperformed the average scores across Melbourne in a number of key areas including weekly garbage collection Frankston 8.7 (metro 8.5); library Frankston 8.7 (metro 8.2); food and garden waste collection Frankston 8.6 (metro 8.2); fortnightly recycling Frankston 8.6 (metro 8.5); and aquatic and leisure centres Frankston 8.4 (metro 7.8).
While this is heartening, we are determined to build on this and keep improving delivering the best outcomes for residents and visitors, as well as ensuring our city is a safe and welcoming place to live, work, play and visit.
Nathan Conroy, mayor, Frankston City Council
Importing CO2
While our community discusses the Voice to Parliament referendum and tries to pay their bills, politicians in Canberra have been making deals behind closed doors to import carbon dioxide (CO2) from Japan.
The CO2 emissions would be transported via undersea pipeline to Australia to be “stored” in offshore oil and gas fields – carbon capture and storage. CCS is infamous for its lack of success.
Why would the Minister for the Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek seek amendments to the London Protocol treaty to allow Japan to send its carbon emissions to Australia?
Why would the House Standing Committee on Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water (including our MP for Flinders Zoe McKenzie) hold only one public hearing on these amendments with minimal community consultation?
Why would Plibersek announce the Sea Dumping Bill 2023 on 22 June to allow the import of CO2 into Australia from countries like Japan as well as the export of CO2 from Australia to countries like Timor-Leste?
Who could benefit from building pipelines to transport CO2 from liquefied natural gas facilities like the Beetaloo Basin or the Middle Arm project in Darwin?
The Sea Dumping Bill 2023 would also allow new permits for “artificial reef placements” – perhaps to accommodate decommissioned oil and gas infrastructure to drop to the sea floor.
There have been no details about environmental risks to the marine environment or long-term financial risks and liabilities for the Australian taxpayer if an undersea pipeline leaks.
Parliamentarians need to be more transparent with their constituents before signing deals with fossil fuel corporations or making promises to Japan.
I hope our elected representatives in Canberra will vote against the Sea Dumping Bill when raised in the House of Representatives in early August – there is no community support because we were never consulted about it.
Dale Stohr, Crib Point
Planting for the future
Last year’s ABC program, Australia’s Favourite Tree, highlighted the stunning array of trees and ecosystems that Australia boasts. Sadly, we are not doing a good job of looking after them. Nearly 40 per cent of Australia’s forests have been destroyed since colonisation. We are the only developed country on the list of global deforestation hotspots.
We, our climate, and our 1700 threatened species rely on healthy trees and ecosystems for our wellbeing.
One hopes that the much needed Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act reform results in better outcomes for trees, forests, and nature.
In the meantime, Australians can help by planting trees. National Tree Day is coming up on Sunday 30 July.
Last year, despite the mud, my family spent a rewarding day at The Briars, Mount Martha and this year we are looking forward to helping out at Sunshine Reserve, also in Mount Martha.
The National Tree Day website makes it easy to join one of the many plantings happening across the Mornington Peninsula – it’s a fun way to work together to care for nature.
Amy Hiller, Kew
Bank for community
More than 12 years ago the only bank in Mount Martha (the NAB) decided to close it’s doors, leaving our community with no direct banking facilities. A group of citizens got together and approached the Bendigo Bank to set up a community bank. After more than 12 months a local shareholding by local residents who invested in starting the bank met the required targets.
The community bank model states that the Bendigo Bank will run the strict government banking requirements and the local community will run the governance of the public company, which operates the franchise to run the branch, this is done by volunteer board members.
Half the profits go to the Bendigo Bank for running the bank and half go to the locally owned public company which gives up to 80 per cent of profits to local sporting clubs and organisations.
These amounts have increased as the business expanded, so much so that this year a special $250,000 extra grant allocation was given to Mount Martha groups for capital works projects.
This year $40,000 (with $20,000 a year for the next two years) is going to Mornington Community Support Centre’s fresh food program.
Thanks go to Fergus Nutt (who gave us free accommodation in his Warlimont and Nutt offices); Martyn from Mount Martha fine foods who organised a group of local businesses to cover the rent of the shops until we could open in Bay Road; Kerry Debernadi and Gary Sanford who have worked tirelessly to build up the business.
With the new manager Stacey Wakeman and the support of all in the community it gives us the chance to further increase the money that all our local groups need to finance their organisations.
Whenever you need financial or insurance information, go to the Mount Martha Community Bank first.
Barry Kirkpatrick, Mount Martha
Refugees in limbo
On 19 July 2013 the Rudd Labor government made the restrictive policy that refugees on Nauru and Manus islands and those who arrived by boat would never be able to settle permanently in Australia. An intended short term threat which has lasted 10 years. More than 3000 people were sent to Nauru and Manus under this policy to endure prolonged and indefinite detention which caused great physical and mental harm – 14 died while in detention.
Our government recently transferred refugees from Nauru to Australia, so that there are no longer any refugees in detention on Nauru. Those assessed as refugees may find resettlement in the US, Canada and New Zealand. They live in detention on short term visas. Some have no resettlement options.
Latest figures from the Australian Refugee Act Network indicate that there are still around 80 men living in Papua New Guinea who were released from Manus detention centre to live in motels in Port Moresby or resettle in PNG. The Australian government does not take responsibility for these men, many of whom suffer from the ill effects caused by living for up to 10 years in Australian detention centres.
The United Nations Refugee Agency is working with the Papua New Guinea government to get some of these men permanently resettled in NZ and the US. But 40 of them have no pathway to future permanent resettlement.
And the 1150 who were evacuated for medical reasons from Nauru and Port Moresby to Australia are in community or closed detention and are living on short term visas and with uncertain futures.
None will be able to settle in Australia.
It is time the government ends this long disaster of suffering and displacement. Ten years is too long.
Ann Renkin, Shoreham
Fadden on the right
The Liberals retained Fadden and the good news it secured Peter Dutton’s position as leader driving the Liberal’s further to the right and away from women and younger voters.
Even if Peter Dutton was ousted from the leadership, it wouldn’t be a disaster for us progressive wokes as [deputy leader] Sussan Ley is tipped to take his place continuing the movement to the alt-right.
Not surprising is that the median weekly household income is $3302 – $171,704 a year – which gives credence to one of the comments made about Robodebt that “not many of those people here, so it is not an issue for us”. This electorate fine-tuned its moral compass, ignoring such things as Robodebt, a disgraced MP, car parks rort, sports rort, $2 billion CHHP program, $1.4 billion Building Better Regions Fund and Safer Communities Fund.
They actually believe the myth that the Coalition is the best money manager and would solve the cost of living crisis, inflation and the “crime” problem, whatever that is.
Is the real reason actually the stage three tax cuts where they are great beneficiaries while “those people” get almost nothing?
I could say that if the situation were reversed to a Labor government, there would have been a change in a “safe” Labor seat, but I am sure the result would be the same.
We must put an end to “democratic dictatorship” where we are allowed to vote every once in a while to just elect the next “democratic dictatorship” for another term in office and vote for the “rational” crossbench to ensure our voices are heard, not the voices of the political parties.
We want public servants not political servants. We must make every electorate a contested seat that cannot be taken for granted no matter who wins.
Joe Lenzo, Safety Beach
