Build two new ports, Southern United selects coaches lease inquiry told Mike Hast mike@baysidenews.com.au MELBOURNE needs two new ports – one at Hastings and one on the western side of Port Phillip – Captain Richard Cox told the Port of Melbourne Select Committee hearing in Hastings last week. The committee is gathering information about the Labor government's proposed long-term lease of the Port of Melbourne to commercial interests, and came to the peninsula for the first time to hear submissions from individuals, councils including Mornington Peninsula Shire and Frankston, and conservation groups. Captain Cox, a Tyabb resident and former Port of Hastings harbourmaster, told the committee that bulk trade required waterfront space for silos and tanks with wharf loading and unloading infrastructure different from that used for containers. He said Hastings should be developed as a container port, and the western side of Port Phillip – dubbed Bay West – should be for bulk trade "combining Geelong and Melbourne port facilities". After dumping plans for a container port at Hastings last year, the state government said Western Port should become a port for bulk trade. The area is already a bulk trade node with United Terminals (fuel) and Esso (gas and crude oil) operating north of the
town, and Swiss company Puma Energy seeking to build a tank farm for imported fuel in the precinct. Captain Cox said Victoria needed the two new ports if trade was to remain strong "otherwise we will become a backwater and have the added expense of our goods being sent by road from NSW or Adelaide". "Businesses will then move closer to these ports with dire consequences for Victoria’s economy," he said. The entrance to Port Phillip – The Heads – would not allow transit of bigger container ships, he said. "One shipping company already wants to bring in vessels that carry 8000 containers and many shipbuilding yards have orders for 10,000 container ships." The Heads was not up to international standards for vessels of this size. "What will happen to Victoria’s economy if a vessel did hit the rocky sides [of the channel] and sink, blocking the channel?" Captain Cox said 60 per cent of containers coming into the Port of Melbourne were taken by road to the “Dandenong and Braeside area”. There was not enough room to store containers west of Melbourne but Hastings had 3500 hectares zoned for port-related use. Melbourne had just 560 hectares. He said the government should lease the Port of Melbourne for 10 years not 50. Mornington Peninsula Shire and
Frankston Council told the committee Melbourne's second container port should be at Hastings. "Port development at Hastings is integral to driving continued industry development and business innovation" in the southeast, the shire's submission stated. It would bring $1 billion in gross regional product by the mid-2030 and an extra 5700 jobs. Both councils oppose any further deepening of The Heads and Port Phillip shipping channels. Preserve Western Port Action Group told the committee an expanded Port of Hastings would have "serious adverse consequences for the everyday life of the region, its economy, its social fabric and its biodiversity". "Construction will involve substantial dredging in Western Port, which in turn will speed up the tides, which will redefine the coastline and compound the effects of climate change." There was a risk of damaging seagrass and marine animals and endangering the biodiversity and food chains of the region. Other risks included increased air and noise pollution, illegal discharge of ballast water, collisions and oil spills, and road congestion. Western Port's $620 million a year tourism industry (including Phillip Island's famous penguin parade) would be harmed. It currently provided 5000 full-time jobs.
By Craig MacKenzie SOUTHERN United Soccer Club has named Theresa Deas as president and Stuart Munro as head coach. It is one of eight clubs contesting next year’s inaugural Victorian Women’s National Premier League competition. Deas is a former Matilda’s goalkeeper who made her Victorian state debut aged 14 and her international debut at 17. She was inducted into Football Federation Australia’s Hall of Fame in 2003 and the Football Federation Victoria equivalent in 2011. Married with two daughters she has managed the national women’s team, Victorian state teams, is a former director of Women’s Soccer Victoria, worked as a women’s football development officer and project officer
and sat on the FFV women’s standing committee. Munro has had a celebrated career as a professional footballer and as a coach. The Scot played with St Mirren and Alloa before establishing himself with Glasgow giant Rangers where he played for seven years. He also played with English clubs Blackburn Rovers and Bristol City before coming to Australia in 1997 to join Sydney United. Munro has coached Gippsland Falcons, Carlton, Parramatta Power, South Melbourne, Oakleigh Cannons and Dandenong Thunder and has been assistant coach of Perth Glory. Southern United is expected to announce the rest of its coaching staff shortly.
In charge: Southern United president Theresa Deas and senior coach Stuart Munro. Picture: Darryl Kennedy
Unanswered questions on Evocca graduation rates Neil Walker neil@baysidenews.com.au EVOCCA College is refusing to reveal graduation rates at its Frankston campus in the wake of a damning Senate inquiry into the funding and management of vocational education and training (VET) providers. The Queensland based college, which has more than 40 campuses nationwide, was one of several registered training organisations offering short diploma courses criticised in the report over its marketing to students (‘College’s marketing to students slammed’, The News 28/10/15). The Senate committee heard allegations vulnerable students with little or no chance of completing courses are
enrolled by some private sector operators to boost enrolment numbers and rake in hundreds of millions of dollars in profits at the expense of taxpayers. The federal government banned private colleges earlier this year from offering so-called “free” iPads and laptops to persuade students to sign on the dotted line. Students are signed up for “study now, pay later” deals with federal VET FEE-HELP funding, paid for by taxpayers, not having to be repaid until students earn at least $50,000 per year. The Senate committee tasked with investigating the private colleges industry recommended the repayment threshold be lowered to $30,000 or $40,000.
When asked about graduation rates at its Frankston campus Evocca College communications executive Suzanne Ross said the college “is focused on delivering quality vocational education and training that is geared towards students generating strong outcomes” in a statement. “This year 79.4 per cent of graduates from Evocca College Frankston have either continued with further study or are in employment.” When asked how many students had graduated at its Frankston campus, Ms Ross subsequently replied: “It’s Evocca’s policy not to disclose statistics relating to specific campuses.” Data released by the Department of Education and Training reveals Evocca had 27,907 students enrolled
nationally last year but just 1053 students completed courses. Evocca received more than $250 million in VET FEE-HELP funding in 2014 according to the Department’s figures. “Evocca College has completion rates which are well in excess of the industry average for both public and private VET FEE-HELP providers,” Ms Ross said. Department of Education and Training statistics show Evocca College’s progress rate of units completed by students against units undertaken was 27.6 per cent against a national average of 64.4 per cent for VET FEE-HELP providers nationally.
Marketing under fire: Evocca College opened its Frankston campus in Balmoral St in 2013. Picture: Gary Sissons
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