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Your weekly community newspaper covering the entire Western Port region For all advertising and editorial, call 03 MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Council has withdrawn a $400 fine issued to a dog walker for not having their dog under effective control near cyclists at Hastings. Dog walkers had complained that rangers were policing the local law and pointing to a sign which says dogs must be leashed within five metres of paths used by cyclists. The dog walkers claim it is unreasonable to expect them to be able to control especially big, effervescent and lively dogs in the off-leash park, near the corner Marine Parade and Cool Store Road. Jack-Russell-fox-terrier-cross owner Dee Holicka, of Hastings said people were “furious” at the possibility of a fine and that the single sign’s wording was “vague”. That threat has abated, however, after the shire’s community safety coordinator Talana Cook said a recent sign audit had found the signs “might be confusing to dog owners and we are in the process of removing them”. Ms Cook said a fine was issued as a result of the sign, but “we subsequently withdrew it”. She reiterated that “dogs must be under effective control at all times, even in a leashfree area, and especially where pathways are shared with cyclists”. Ms Holicka said especially older people would find it difficult to control some breeds when they were “running around, exercising and having fun”. “There’s hardly any cyclists there, anyway,” she said. Stephen Taylor
FREE
Wednesday 19 May 2021
5974 9000 or email: team@mpnews.com.au www.mpnews.com.au
Shire backs down on dog fine
DEE Holicka and her pet Holly with the sign at Hastings foreshore that shows dogs are not allowed near the bike track although there is no fence separating it from the leash-free area. Picture: Gary Sissons
Supply setback for builders Stephen Taylor steve@mpnews.com.au A “PERFECT storm” of bushfires, industry cutbacks, COVID, people working from home, and government incentives for new home building and renovations have led to a shortage of structural timber affecting the Victorian building industry. The dearth of supply across the
Mornington Peninsula has meant many timber yards are finding it hard to source stock for their trade customers. There are concerns the shortage, leading to delays, will generate a “ripple effect” affecting the jobs of electricians, carpenters, joiners and others involved in home building. Adding to the “storm” are rises in global freight charges and strong demand for timber in other countries,
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especially the US, absorbing supplies from European producers which traditionally would have been sent here. Supplies of pine – the most common framing timber – were badly affected when a large NSW mill was razed by bushfires earlier last year. This, combined with the decommissioning of a major South Australian framing mill, helped create that “perfect storm” which has engulfed the industry with
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“no end in sight” to the supply problem. Framing timber prices could jump 30 per cent by year’s end, although supplies of other timber are not affected so badly. Dromana Discount Timber owner Luke Wharton, who has spent 29 years, in the industry, said he had never seen shortages of so many building materials and products which has pushed prices “through the roof”.
“We are seeing unprecedented demand now, yet the forecast for 2020 was that the housing market would crash,” he said. “Instead, it went the other way.” Mr Wharton said early last year there was a shortage of pine frames. “Pine producers were just starting to get on top of that when COVID-19 hit and there’s been a domino effect ever since.” Continued Page 6
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