OPINION
Welcome
Shire a failure when it comes to consultation
TO THE WORLD Photos: Yanni
By Sarah Russell
LILY
CHARLIE JADE
Parents: Tessa & Cameron Green Birth date: 30.01.2024 Birth weight: 3880gms Born at: Frankston Hospital
Parents: Jenna & Brad Birth date: 29.01.2024 Birth weight: 3720gms Born at: Frankston Hospital
EMMA
FIN GEORGE Parents: Ella Martin & Jason Leder Birth date: 30.01.2024 Birth weight: 3022gms Born at: Frankston Hospital
Parents: Kirsty & Brad Sonneveld Birth date: 30.01.2024 Birth weight: 4880gms Born at: Frankston Hospital
DUSTIN Parents: Maddie & Mark Birth date: 6.02.2024 Birth weight: 3190gms Born at: Frankston Hospital
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MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has a track record of failing to consult ratepayers about important decisions. First, it came for older people who use aged care services. Then it came for our beloved wildlife sanctuary at The Briars. In 2022, councillors voted to outsource aged care services to corporate providers, a decision presented to the local community as a fait accompli. Thousands of vulnerable older people were left without home care – some for several months. Then mayor Cr Anthony Marsh said the council wanted “to ensure our residents had a choice and the advantage of a competitive market environment”. A choice? What sort of choice is it to leave some of our most vulnerable residents without care? As for a competitive market? The private providers were not able to provide care. The Commonwealth Home Support Program will not transition before July 2027. Council had five years to make the transition to a “competitive market environment” and ensure the transition went smoothly. Instead, it chose to push ahead and marketise aged care services at a time when all private aged care services were short staffed due to the pandemic. More recently, residents were kept in the dark about Warner Brothers’ plans to stage a Harry Potter sound and light show in the beloved wildlife sanctuary at The Briars, Mount Martha. Clearly it is an issue of great interest to the community, yet most councillors willingly signed non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) with a multinational company. Whatever happened to councillors’ commitment to integrity, transparency and consultation? Do our councillors need to be reminded they are elected to represent us? Cr Steve Holland claims those of us opposed to this event being held in a wildlife sanctuary are a “noisy minority” and “fringe activists”. Absurd claims given more than 16,000 people signed a petition in protest against this event within a fortnight. Cr Holland should perhaps reflect on the fact that he received only 9463 votes when elected, much less than half the 21,000 people who have now signed the petition. A council spokesperson said the process of approving the event was “no different from many other commercial in confidence matters that are routinely considered by council during closed sessions”. This is utter nonsense. Discussing tender applications such as those required for new infrastructure require commercial in confidence. However, Warner Brothers’ sound and light show was not a competitive tender. It has also been claimed the “event will showcase our region, inspiring visitors to stay for a few days in what is generally a quiet time for our tourism sector”. This suggests the agreement with Warner Brothers has been based purely on financial grounds - with no concern for the
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Liz Bell liz@mpnews.com.au being warned residents are bins N Peninsula closed shops or full MORNINGTON Peninsula residents are being warned on CCTV MORNINGTO outside donations them being captured that leaving donations outside closed shops or full bins that leaving to could lead over Easter could lead to them being captured on CCTV over Easter Keep Australia and fined. and fined. to the waste watch group of all donations left According to the waste watch group Keep Australia per cent in landfill According around 90 bins end up Beautiful Victoria, around 90 per cent of all donations left Beautiful Victoria, stops or recycling outside charitable stops or recycling bins end up in landfill or soiled. although outside charitable are damaged Jeff Antcliff says that because they are damaged or soiled. this because they manager at reducing Vinnies general manager Jeff Antcliff says that although Vinnies general are getting better peninsula residents are getting better at reducing this on way to go. peninsula residents is still a long we have had a reduction waste, there is still a long way to go. peninsula, waste, there past five years at our shops on the “Over the past five years we have had a reduction on “Over the about conleft unattended that, but it’s things being left unattended at our shops on the peninsula, things being thank residents for it’s about consaid. to of and I’d like to thank residents for that, butPaul and I’d like process,” he went to a lot education he said. process,” tinuing that education op shop Hastings, with tinuing that said well-meaning people Kirkham, good for donations, went to a lot of at Vinnies people said well-meaning Mr Antcliff Mr Antcliff and Graeme it into the fold and pack often became soiled VOLUNTEERS and Jones pack good for donations, and made launder and foldthat to launder trouble Angela where it trouble to goods Benjamin, it unattended, donated it unattended, where it often became soiled theleave only of to recycle only to leave blown around. some VOLUNTEERS at Vinnies op shop Hastings, Paul Sissons of reuse and at open Gary or blown around. by weather Picture: or by weather store. 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Let 2022 be a critical turning point for French Island. signs and aplays mural”. stores and “Myincrease stores and at clothing bin hubs across Melbourne charity thing to honourBecfanatic, of wall the suggested of business charity adorns now tribute the moment where we all do our bit towards buildThe and was significant owner bins. The Somerville “My partner adorns the wall has seen a significant increase in signs warning people off has seen a of his or outside Phillips Auto Spark, in business hours ing a true circular economy.” now hit hard by in of his idol, Shane the death donating out of hours or outside bins. The tribute Phillips donating out Simcock Street, Somerville. Auto Spark, Warne. “We really wanted to do somehis business SALES Somerville. BARN DOOR Simcock Street, FRIDAY
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PROTESTERS outside Mornington Peninsula Shire Council’s Rosebud offices before the Tuesday 6 February public council meeting. wildlife that call the sanctuary their home. The Briars wildlife sanctuary contains rare flora and fragile ecosystems that are home to 23 species of animals, including threatened koalas, 16 species of reptiles, and 90 species of birds including a breeding pair of endangered powerful owls. Did councillors read the ecological assessment report about the potential impacts of holding this event in the wildlife sanctuary? It is extraordinary that Warner Brothers and Fever did not need a planning permit. While council makes ratepayers go through hoops to build a small shed on our property, corporate giants face no obstacles when they propose an extravaganza in a wildlife sanctuary. And when asked if the Bunurong Land Council had given its approval, a councillor replied: “I’m following up with officers.” How did councillors not think to check with the land council before giving their approval? The influence of corporate money resulted in our council and councillors acting in the interests of big business instead of the local community. The director of the Australia Institute’s democracy and accountability program, Bill Browne, said it was not clear why the nondisclosure agreement was needed, and it raised concerns about transparency. “This is a salient reminder … that the public is paying attention and doesn’t like being locked out of the decision-making process.” The council’s argument that this light and sound spectacular is in a limited area of the sanctuary is akin to the days when you purchased a non-smoking seat on a flight and sat surrounded by smoke from the smoking section. Of course, the wildlife will suffer during this event. As the opposition to this decision grows, thanks to a wonderful grassroots community campaign and extensive media coverage, Warner Brothers is re-evaluating the location of this event. Let’s hope our council and councillors also re-evaluate their behaviour. It was their job to listen to the community’s concerns before confidential contracts with Warner Brothers and Fever were signed.
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