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WESTERN PORT FESTIVAL EVENTS GUIDE
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15 February - 28 February 2011
MPNEWS (1300 676 397) or email: team@mpnews.com.au www.mpnews.com.au
Op shop thieves ‘stealing from all’ By Dylan Tickell The Hastings Holy Trinity Anglican Church Community Op Shop has twice been hit by thieves in the past month. The Rev Alex Packett said the thefts lessen the amount of money the church can give back to the community. The goods were taken from the op shop’s storage area, devastating the team of volunteers who give up many hours sorting, displaying and selling the many generous donations. The Rev Packett said the thieves stole items that were the most likely to sell at local markets. Continued Page 4
Housing ‘affordability’ plan Shire moves to cut costs of rent, leases, mortgages By Keith Platt HASTINGS is one of 15 Mornington Peninsula towns listed as being suitable for public housing projects. A draft plan released by Mornington Peninsula Shire says it supports public or affordable housing making up three per cent of the shire’s housing stock within 10 years. The current percentage is 1.4. To achieve this target there will need to be 146 government or not-for-profit group subsidised houses built each year. The policy is aimed at mainly providing more affordable homes for rental. Demand for all types of housing on the peninsula has soared, increasing
prices and rents. Increasing numbers of people are having trouble meeting mortgage payments while public housing waiting lists have blown out to 10 years. There are a growing number of people “sleeping rough” on the peninsula. Towns listed as fitting the criteria for “social housing” are Hastings, Somerville, Baxter, Balnarring, Crib Point, Tyabb, Mornington, Dromana, Mt. Martha, Mt. Eliza, Rosebud, Rosebud West, Rye, Tootgarook and Sorrento. The shire wants developers to agree to include social housing sites in new subdivisions. It will also relax some planning and design rules and discount shire land by up to 25 per cent to make it easier for
more affordable houses to be built. Criteria for choosing locations included the affordable houses being built within urban growth boundaries, within one kilometre of public transport, and near shops, schools, employment opportunities and recreation facilities. A preamble to the draft policy states that the peninsula is undergoing a prolonged and increasing shortage of affordable housing for specific vulnerable groups, including the elderly, the disabled, carers and single parent families. “Low waged singles and families are also experiencing increasing difficulty obtaining suitable housing,” the draft Mornington Peninsula Shire So-
cial Housing and Affordable Housing Policy states. While acknowledging that responsibility for public housing rests mainly with the state and federal governments, the shire says it has “an important role to play” in such areas as planning, consulting the community and encouraging and providing incentives for social housing. The shire defines affordable housing as the cost of housing (rent or mortgage) not exceeding 30 per cent of a household’s income. It is also housing rented, leased or sold below the market rate. A “sustainable” rent is 25 per cent of a household’s income. Housing and social justice officer
Peter Sibly said the shire had three or four pieces of land which could be sold for subdivision to private developers with a discount being offered if they set aside 25 per cent of the blocks for affordable housing. The land had yet to be identified as being “surplus” to the shire’s needs and included four hectares at Hastings and other blocks at Baxter and Rosebud. Commercial developers could not be forced to include social housing in their plans, although South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory had legislated to make this mandatory. Mr Sibly said the shire would encourage the state government to pass similar legislation.
PRESENT THIS VOUCHER
clothing alterations
HAND CRAFTED POTS, WATER FEATURES, FURNITURE, STATUES, ART GALLERY ELITE HOME & GARDEN DÉCOR 16 Mornington – Tyabb Rd Tyabb Phone 03 9397 6644 Open Thurs – Sun 9.30am - 4.00pm
www.topez.com.au
Ladies & Menswear aOWered WR ¿W Repairs - Mending Zips Replaced SHOP 10, 37-41 VICTORIA STREET, HASTINGS (at rear Westernport Plaza)
PHONE: 5979 8599
$5
MAIN MEAL
SELLING, BUYING, RENTING? TALK TO US 5979 4412
Buy one main meal and receive a second meal for $5* From the selected menu (Valid Mon to Fri)
WESTERNPORT HOTEL 16 High Street, HASTINGS Phone 5979 1201 for bookings Not valid public holidays. *Conditions apply. Valid until 28th Feb 2011.
CNR HIGH & SALMON STREET, HASTINGS. PHONE 5979 1201
87 High St, Hastings
5979 4412
www.baywestrealestate.com.au