Western Port
View the whole picture.
YOUR GUIDE TO WHAT’S ON THIS WEEKEND FOR PENINSULA FAMILIES FACEBOOK:
peninsulakids.com.au mornpenkids
INSTAGRAM:
com.au
An independent voice for the community
Your weekly community newspaper covering the entire Western Port region For all advertising and editorial, call 03
FREE
THE P RO PE R TY INSI G HTS SITE
Wednesday 12 February 2020
5974 9000 or email: team@mpnews.com.au www.mpnews.com.au
Highway closed THE Western Port Highway was blocked between Eramosa and Bungower roads on Friday following a high-speed, two-car collision. Police said one car appeared to have crossed double lines and crashed head on into another car 200 metres south of Eramosa Road, 12.45pm. Three people – the driver and passenger in one car and the driver of the other –had to be cut free from the wreckage. First Lieutenant Adam Carrigg, of Somerville CFA, said CFA crews from Langwarrin, Somerville, and Pearcedale, and Frankston SES, helped with the rescue. Sergeant Bob Jung, of Somerville Highway Patrol, said two air ambulance helicopters ferried the drivers to the Alfred and Royal Melbourne hospitals, while the passenger was taken by road ambulance to the Royal Melbourne. The speed limit on the Western Port Highway is 100kph. The weather at the time was fine and the roads were dry. Stephen Taylor
Head on: CFA, SES, ambulance and police vehicles line Western Port Highway after the two-car crash. Pictures: Gary Sissons
Mornington Centrelink to close Stephen Taylor steve@mpnews.com.au THE federal government’s shock decision to close the Mornington Centrelink and Medicare offices next month was a “real kick in the guts”, Mornington Peninsula Shire mayor Cr Sam Hearn said last week. As from Monday 23 March Centrelink clients will have to travel 24 kilometres to the Rosebud office, 14km to Frankston or 18km to Hastings. “This will be a terrible outcome for the community in terms of the challenges it creates and will make it really hard on families who rely on those services,” Cr Hearn said.
The shire estimates closing Centrelink Mornington will impact up to 3000 low-income households, 11,000 older people, 800 unemployed people, 1700 single-parent families and 12,000 people with a disability (including 3731 with disability parking permits and 1170 NDIS participants). “The shire was not advised or consulted on this matter nor was the local community,” Cr Hearn said. “The intended closure date gives very little time for service users to make other arrangements.” Flinders MP, Health Minister Greg Hunt, was also left out of the loop. “I received a letter on Wednesday 5 February. Within the first five minutes
of receiving the letter I took immediate action and spoke directly with [Government Services] Minister [Stuart] Robert,” he said. “I am profoundly disappointed that neither I nor the community were informed or consulted prior to this decision being made.” Mornington Community Information and Support Centre manager Stuart Davis-Meehan described the closure as “horrendous”. “We have a lot of clients who rely on that service and getting to Frankston or Rosebud will be extremely difficult for them,” he said. “A lot of clients come here asking where Centrelink is [so] this decision will make it a nightmare.
Jewellers
TYABB AUTOMOTIVE “SMALL TOWN FEEL...BIG TIME SERVICE”
SERVICING AND MECHANICAL REPAIRS FOR ALL MAKES AND MODELS
PH: 5977 4319 22 MORNINGTON - TYABB ROAD, TYABB VIC 3913 WWW.TYABBAUTOMOTIVE.COM.AU
Buy one meal get one free*
OVER 40 YEARS
EXPERIENCE 14 Mornington-Tyabb Road, Tyabb
Phone 5977 3711
people, and more people without internet connection. Increased foot traffic at other Centrelink sites is likely to increase queues for clients across the peninsula. Nepean MP Chris Brayne said the closure was “a huge concern to many people in my community who access this office for their aged pension, disability payments, and other services”. “Many of my constituents do not own a computer and rely on the staff at Centrelink to help with their payments,” Mr Brayne said. “My concern is that Rosebud Centrelink could be the next office to close. I have written to [Mr Hunt] seeking urgent clarification.”
FREE MEAL
Jewellery manufacture and repairs TYABB CRAFT VILLAGE
“It doesn’t make any sense to me. It will just make life more difficult for those doing it tough.” Mr Hunt has told Services Australia that the support centre could “host satellite services ... or a mobile service in their car park”. Peninsula-based journalist Debbie Lee broke the news of the impending closure on Southern Mornington Peninsula Noticeboard saying “the public are being kept in the dark until it is too late for protest.” Statistics supplied by the shire show the peninsula has a much higher aged population than greater Melbourne and the state average; more people with a disability; more unemployed young
Your Authorised Husqvarna Servicing Dealer
VALID ONLY ON PRESENTING THIS VOUCHER. LIMIT $15.95 ON FREE MAIN MEAL EXCLUDING ENTREES, SENIOR AND KIDS MEALS. ONLY TWO VOUCHERS PER TABLE, NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER OFFER. EXCLUDES PUBLIC HOLIDAYS. CONDITIONS APPLY. MANAGEMENT RESERVES ALL RIGHTS. VALID UNTIL 06-03-2020