Features inside
Western Port
HOLIDAY ATTRACTIONS
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PAGES 44–47 FOOD & ENTERTAINMENT
PAGES 49–52 SPORTS DESK
PAGES 54–55
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20 December – 17 January 2012
MPNEWS (1300 676 397) or email: team@mpnews.com.au www.mpnews.com.au
Summer ramble SUMMER by the Sea returns to the Victorian coastline in January with 300 events at 80 places including Hastings, Somers, Balnarring Beach and Point Leo. The festival is run by Coastcare, a division of the Department of Sustainability and Environment, using local experts. Coastcare’s Phillip Wierzbowski said the events included rockpool rambles, kayak adventures, marine monitoring, nature walks, geology adventures and snorkelling safaris. “The program aims to teach people of all ages about marine conservation, making it fun, safe and active,” he said. Activities in Hastings include a walk along Warringine Park boardwalk, looking at birds and wildlife, and a Coastcare program about how to care for the environment on 17 January. The boardwalk activity is on three Tuesdays from 3 January. Midnight walks at Somers are on Thursdays 12 and 19 January. Rockpool rambles are at Balnarring Beach on Wednesday 4 January and Point Leo on Friday 6 January. Activities at other beaches in the region include Phillip Island, Corinella, Tooradin, Pearcedale and St Andrews Beach on Western Port, and Seaford, Frankston, Mornington, Dromana, Rosebud, Rye, Blairgowrie, Sorrento and Portsea on Port Phillip. Details: www.dse.vic.gov.au/ summerbythesea or call 9637 9742. Golden days: Sunrise at Flinders, Western Port. Picture: Keith Platt
A COP THAT CARES
...but he’s seen as dated and one-dimensional By Cameron McCullough POLITICIANS and community leaders have rallied behind a former police officer’s efforts to rejoin Victoria Police. Former Hastings police sergeant Andrew Brady’s hopes of re-entering the police force appeared to have been dashed after an official report labelled
his approach to policing as dated and one-dimensional. The only option now open to Mr Brady, who spent nearly a quarter of a century in the force before leaving in 2007, is to rejoin as a recruit, do the full 33-week course, and be eligible for promotion to senior constable after four years. Hasting MP Neale Burgess emailed
Mr Brady to say that he had spoken with Police Minister Peter Ryan “and your case is going to be raised directly with the Chief Commissioner [Ken Lay]”. “I have spoken to police command seeking a review, and I will continue to push the issue” Mr Burgess told The News. Federal MP Greg Hunt described Mr
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Brady as “the best and most creative youth worker I have ever seen”. Mr Brady was awarded the Victoria Police Ethical Standards Medal in 1997, a Divisional Commendation in 2005 and was named Mornington Peninsula Shire’s Citizen of the Year in 2008 for services to the community. He hoped his vast experience would have allowed him to re-enter the force
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by undergoing a refresher course, rather than the full rookie training. “It is offensive to suggest my 22 years’ service counts for nothing,” he said. Mr Brady gained a reputation for working outside the square in his years of policing at Hastings. Continued Page 6
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