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Tuesday 5 April 2022
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Sailors seek ‘world’ title in Germany
Ready to sail: Mornington Yacht Club’s Jack Eickmeyer, Lily and Matilda Richardson and skipper James Jackson are hoping to continue their winning ways when competing in the Best Sailing Club of the Year, Worldwide championships later this year. Picture: Supplied
FOUR sailors from Mornington Yacht Club will be heading for Germany later this year after having won the under-22 category and open class events in last month’s Asia Pacific finals in Newcastle. Fifteen clubs from around Australia and Vanuatu competed in the titles on 26 and 27 March. The competition in Germany will determine the World’s Best Sailing Club of the Year. The Mornington team hoping to continue its winning form in Germany comprises skipper James Jackson, 17, Jack Eickmeyer, also 17, and 19 year old twins Lily and Matilda Richardson. James Jackson was last year’s Australian Sailing’s youth sailor of the year and Jack Eickmeyer is Victoria’s top junior Laser sailor. Twins Lily and Matilda Richardson represented Australia in the 2019 World Youth Championships. All members of the team participated in the Mornington club’s junior and youth sailing program. The upcoming competition in Germany, through a series of qualifying races in identical yachts will decide the most successful club from each country, who then compete for the title of the Best Sailing Club of the Year, Worldwide. Each team is made up of two male and two female sailors.
COVID alert for councillors, officers Keith Platt keith@mpnews.com.au RAPID antigen tests were provided to Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors and executives last week after they attended a meeting alongside a councillor who later tested positive to COVID-19. Shire CEO John Baker alerted councillors and officers to the case in an email on Wednesday 30 March, the day after the meeting at the shire’s Rosebud offices. Within days one of the executive officers also tested positive to COVID. “The current advice is that we do not need to isolate unless we have symptoms or we test positive via a RAT,” Mr Baker said in an email to councillors and senior officers.
He said the group had spent less than four hours with the infected councillor “and consequently are not classed as close work contacts” but advised it was “prudent” to get tested. Mr Baker said the tests could be collected by councillors on Thursday morning but added “obviously do not come in tomorrow if you have any symptoms”. Notification of the councillor’s diagnosis came on the same day the shire issued a news release warning that “COVID-19 infections are on the rise again on the Mornington Peninsula” and it was “time to get your COVID booster shot to ensure you are fully protected ahead of the [Easter school] holidays”. “We all have family, friends and colleagues that have either had COVID-19 or have had to isolate as a
household contact. It can be a difficult time,” the unattributed news release stated. On Sunday, the peninsula was listed as having 1730 active COVID-19 cases, 241 higher than the previous day. Cr Gill told The News he asked the mayor, Cr Anthony Marsh, if he could be excused from physically attending briefings at the shire’s Rosebud offices due to the risks posed by COVID-19. Cr Gill sought permission to attend online, in the same way council meetings had been held throughout last year’s lockdowns. Cr Gill said Cr Marsh had told him he disliked “hybrid” meetings and told Cr Gill to physically attend all meetings or attend them all online. Cr Gill acknowledged there had been technical problems with online
meetings, but felt briefings should fall into a different category to public council meetings where councillors were required to vote. He said he had worn a mask and distanced himself from other people in the room during Wednesday’s prebudget briefing. He said one councillor – since diagnosed as COVID positive – “was frequently coughing” during the meeting. A council officer sitting next to the councillor had also since tested positive “but you don’t know if that’s where he caught it”. “I am more susceptible to COVID than others and I want to limit my exposure,” Cr Gill said. “I asked to be given a code to [gain online access] to last Wednesday’s and other non-voting meetings, but
this was refused. I went unwillingly to where, as has been shown, there was a COVID-positive person.” Cr Marsh has been contacted for comment. The shire’s people and culture manager Kelly Gillies said the shire had “clear protocols” in line with health department requirements and advice if councillors or staff tested positive to COVID-19. “This includes informing all identified workplace contacts, monitoring of symptoms, and recommending daily rapid antigen testing for five days. We do not provide information about specific cases, in line with health privacy requirements,” she said. “This includes cleaning guidelines when a confirmed COVID-19 person attended the setting in the previous 72 hours.”
Our shining stars. After another year of challenges and successes, Mercedes-Benz Vans would like to congratulate Mercedes-Benz Mornington as one of our top performing retailers of the year. Mercedes-Benz Mornington consistently demonstrates the commitment to excellence that’s been the hallmark of the Mercedes-Benz brand for more than 130 years, and we honour their dedication. The 2021 Mercedes-Benz Vans Retailer of the Year winner is: Rural Mercedes-Benz Mornington Visit Mercedes-Benz Mornington to experience retail excellence for yourself. www.mbmornington.com.au
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