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Tuesday 13 October 2020
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Cash for outdoor dining changes FRANKSTON businesses can apply now for $5000 grants to help create outdoor dining spaces. Outdoor dining will be encouraged as part of Melbourne’s exit from stage four lockdown restrictions. Funding through the state government’s Outdoor Eating and Entertainment Package business grants program is now available for businesses to help them get ready. Jim Derzekos, owner of Seaford restaurant 38 South, is working on a grant application. The restaurant opened a year ago and he hopes the funding will help it get back on its feet. “The first six months were enjoyable, building up the business and establishing ourselves but obviously the last six have been challenging,” he said. “We’re a family business and we’re surviving though. There are some challenges coming so far as staffing and preparing new menus for summer. It is difficult getting ready to reopen but we’re hopeful.” Contact council about approvals for outdoor dining at businessconcierge@ frankston.vic.gov.au. To apply for a grant visit business.vic.gov.au/ support-for-your-business/grants-andassistance/.
DANIEL, Alena, Alex, Amy, and Jim (L to R) from 38 South in Seaford. Picture: Supplied
Rail extension funding still in the budget Brodie Cowburn brodie@baysidenews.com.au THE extension of the Frankston line to Baxter is still included as a “key project” in the federal budget, despite being at a standstill for a year. A business case assessing the electrification and duplication of the Frankston line to Baxter was completed in October last year. Despite
pressure from the opposition and state government, the federal government have not released the finished business case. The state government has also not committed funds to the project, leaving it in limbo. The federal government’s $225 million commitment to the project was first announced more than two years ago by former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull. After the release of the federal budget last week, urban infra-
structure minister Alan Tudge released a statement confirming that the funding is still in this year’s budget, and has been included in the “National Rail Program”. Dunkley MP Peta Murphy said she has written to Mr Tudge twice to ask for the release of the business case to get the project moving again. “Despite their failure to even release the business case, Minister Tudge said in a letter [that] the next step is a de-
tailed business case in order to further investigate the options available and enable Infrastructure Australia assessment,” Ms Murphy said. “It is clear that the federal government is not committed to extending the line to Baxter given the minister has said he still needs to investigate the options available. If the federal government was genuinely committed to extending the line to Baxter, they would have increased funding for it
like they have with countless other infrastructure projects.” State Frankston MP Paul Edbrooke told The Times that “nothing has changed” in regards to the state government’s position on the project “because the actual cost is still hidden in the business case that has been hidden for almost a year”. Continued Page 3
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