NEWS DESK
Race on to become Liberal candidate Neil Walker neil@baysidenews.com.au TWO high-profile politicians may face off for Liberal Party preselection as candidate for the Dunkley electorate in this year’s federal election. Donna Bauer, the former Liberal state MP for Carrum, and Cr Paul Peulich, a former mayor of Kingston, could be set to contest the party nomination for the seat of Dunkley which includes the suburbs Frankston, Langwarrin, Mt Eliza, Mornington, Seaford and Skye. Labor’s Sonya Kilkenny narrowly won the Carrum contest in late 2014’s state election by a margin of just over 500 votes ahead of Ms Bauer. An electorate boundaries shift in 2013 after an Electoral Boundaries Commission review made Carrum one of the most mar-
ginal seats in Victoria. Ms Bauer was previously a Kingston councillor representing the South Ward, including Aspendale, Aspendale Gardens, Chelsea, Chelsea Heights and Mordialloc, all suburbs lost from the Carrum electorate after the boundary shift. She battled bowel cancer in the lead-up to the 2014 election. Cr Paul Peulich has reportedly also thrown his hat into the ring for preselection but he declined to confirm whether he is definitely in the running before publication. Cr Peulich’s mother is Inga Peulich, the long-time Liberal state Upper House MP for the South Eastern Metropolitan Region, and he was Kingston mayor in 2014. Ms Bauer remained tight-lipped about her preselection chances when contacted by The Times, citing Liberal Party
preselection rules against conducting preselection campaigns in public. Party members will decide next month who will represent the Liberal Party at the federal election in Dunkley. The Liberal vacancy in Dunkley is a result of the political retirement of former small business minister Bruce Billson. Mr Billson announced late last year he would be stepping down as an MP at the next election weeks after being dropped from cabinet by incoming Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. Other candidates believed to be circling the nomination include Peter Angelico, election campaign manager for Sean Armistead, who was narrowly lost out to Labor Frankston MP Paul Edbrooke at the 2014 state election, and Matt Berry, a former staffer for controversial MP Geoff Shaw.
Came in like a wrecking ball: Contractors have begun tearing down The Ambassador Hotel function centre. Picture: Gary Sissons
Start of the end for The Ambassador DEMOLITION of the derelict Ambassador Hotel function centre has finally begun. Contractors have moved in to knock down the building that sold for $2.24 million at a mortgagee auction in September last year (‘ The Ambassador sells... again’, The Times 14/9/15). Former site owner Joanna Kordos was the latest in a line of developers seeking to build apartments at the 325 Nepean Highway address before lender the Jadig Group stepped in to enforce a mortgagee sale. Frankston mayor Cr James Dooley welcomed the start of demolition works at the Ambassador Hotel, long considered a highly-visible eyesore. “This is the first step towards the rejuvenation of this prime Frankston location,� Cr Dooley said.
Political ambitions: Kingston councillor Paul Peulich, above left, with Liberal Dunkley MP Bruce Billson and Donna Bauer, right, may face off to become the Liberal Party candidate for Dunkley.
“The current planning permit expired on 19 January. However, the owner has six months to extend the former planning application at council’s discretion. “Officers will contact the owner within the next few days to discuss whether there is any interest in pursuing this opportunity or if they would like any advice regarding the process of submitting a new planning application for this important site.� It is understood that an as yet unnamed property development consortium plans to build an apartment complex at the site. Ms Kordos had planned to build 37 ‘luxury’ apartments before the property was repossessed. Neil Walker
Crime crackdown to hit city streets Neil Walker neil@baysidenews.com.au A BLITZ on anti-social behaviour in Frankston’s city centre led by Frankston Council will attempt to clean up the streets with offenders facing fines of up to $2000 if they do the wrong thing. A team of five council officers, with the help of police, will target public nuisance and illegal behaviour in central Frankston and along the foreshore from the end of January. “We will be systematically targeting activities such as: smoking in restricted areas, public consumption of alcohol, walking dogs in restricted areas and littering,� Mayor Cr James
Dooley said in a statement released by council. “Other anti-social behaviour such as violence will also be targeted by our officers, with the support of the police.� Cr Dooley said council wants to create “a safe and inclusive environment for our entire community�. “These blitzes are being introduced to help support this aim. Anyone who blatantly ignores signs and restrictions will face hefty penalties,� he said. Frankston Police Senior Sergeant Justin Watson says people should report anti-social behaviour to police and officers will be targeting trouble “hot spots� alongside regular patrols. “We will respond appropriately so
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that people can enjoy shopping in Frankston and enjoy the foreshore areas like they should be able to,� Snr Sgt Watson said. “Any anti-social behaviour will be dealt with promptly and appropriately.� Police officers have the power to enforce council local laws. There were 163 fines issued by police last year including 89 fines for the possession or consumption of alcohol and 74 for a failure to comply with a council sign such as a no-smoking zone or a designated area where dogs are banned. Long arm of the law: Police officers and council officers will step up patrols at trouble hot spots in central Frankston at the end of the month. Picture: Yanni
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Frankston Times 25 January 2016
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