Chelsea • Mordialloc • Mentone
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Editor: Neil Walker 0431 932 041 Journalists: Neil Walker and Chris Brennan 0431 932 041 Photographers: Gary Sissons 0419 572 878 Yanni 0419 592 594 Advertising Sales: John Davidson 0405 154 540 Real Estate Account Manager: Jason Richardson 0421 190 318 Production and graphic design: Stephanie Loverso, Neil Walker Group Editor: Keith Platt 0439 394 707 Publisher: Cameron McCullough REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS: David Harrison, Peter McCullough, Stuart McCullough, Gary Turner, Peter Ellis, Cliff Ellen, Andrew Hurst. ADDRESS: MPNG PO Box 588, Hastings 3915 Email: team@mpnews.com.au Web: www.mpnews.com.au DEADLINE FOR NEXT ISSUE: 5PM ON MONDAY 20 JAN 2013 NEXT ISSUE PUBLICATION DATE: WEDNESDAY 22 JAN 2014
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Attack on good community group ‘disappointing’ and ‘political’ I WAS amazed to see [Mordialloc MP] Lorraine Wreford’s attack on the Kingston Residents Association in The News. (KRA ‘a Labor of love’, The News, 18/12/03.) I find it disappointing that The News ran a what I believe was a politically-motivated attack by a local MP, under cover of parliamentary privilege, on a very good, relatively new community group and on local councillors. There is no evidence that KRA is a Labor front, apart from the fact that it includes some ALP members, which surely doesn’t make it a Labor front. Its long list of local achievements and activities is evidence that KRA is a genuine and valuable community group, which is why I have supported it with ward funds. I also authorised a personal development grant to Maureen Lim - a former market gardener - to attend a national conference on peri-urban development, in recognition of her constructive interest in the Green Wedge. Ms Wreford should apologise for her slur about these ward fund grants, which were entirely in accord with council policy and involved no conflict of interest. I admire the way Ms Lim has continued the community advocacy work she began as a council candidate through KRA, which began with a narrower platform of capping the rates, (which I also support). She successfully lobbied for continued funding for occasional child care centres de-funded by state government; obtained a mailbox for elderly residents at Chelsea Holiday Park; obtained disabled parking at Chelsea Heights and made safe the disabled access to Edithvale Beach; supported Heatherton residents by organising a rally to ask the Planning Minister for protection against concrete crushers; supported Cheltenham and Mentone residents by chairing a meeting to campaign for parkland; upgraded traffic safety around local shops and at Thames Promenade; supported Edithvale, Chelsea, Dingley Village residents in VCAT cases against overdevelopment; and supported capping rates to inflation. This more than some councillors have done. I don’t recall any MP ever launching such an attack on a community group. This is a state election year, and if Ms Wreford or other MPs continue to abuse their parliamentary privilege by indulging in similar attacks, I hope The News will require
evidence that such accusations are true. I am an independent councillor and have never been a member of a political party, despite Ms Wreford’s claims that I am a “Kingston Labor councillor”. Cr Rosemary West, South Ward Editor’s note: The News interviewed Mordialloc MP Lorraine Wreford to seek further information and confirmation about Ms Wreford’s comments in parliament, as was made clear in the article.
KRA criticism ‘unfair’ I AM disappointed and surprised by [Mordialloc MP] Lorraine Wreford’s report about the Kingston Residents Association, using parliamentary advantage and the media. It seems unfair to publicly single out KRA without clear evidence of wrongdoing, or at least Ms Wreford resolving her concerns directly with them. I recently joined KRA in support of their actions to improve planning, services, infrastructure and amenity for the general community, and not because of any political affiliation, which I consider irrelevant to assisting the community. Every community group has members that belong to political parties, identified or not, and receive grants from Councillors or organisations that may also have political affiliations, identified or not. The issue is whether funds are spent for the benefit of the community as intended, rather than the source of the funds. There would be community groups funded by Liberalaffiliated councillors or organisations, such as Aspendale Gardens Residents Association, who also work hard for the community, so your argument would make that wrong also. Indeed, if one goes down that track then funding of community groups would cease along with their function! Are you suggesting that would be a good outcome? My comments are my own initiative, unbeknown to KRA, and I am not a Labour Party member. Nina Earl, Mordialloc Email letters to the editor to team@mpnews.com.au or mail to MPNG, PO Box 588, Hastings 3915. The News may edit correspondence for length or legal reasons.
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Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News 15 January 2014
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