NEWS DESK
Football club eyes on new ovals Mike Hast mike@mpnews.com.au DROMANA Football and Netball Club wants in on a plan to develop a section of Crown land on Boundary Rd, Dromana, into an adventure park. The senior and junior sections of the club have been seeking more ovals for several years as its ground off Pier St – Dromana Recreation Reserve – is at capacity. Next season the club will have 15 teams playing at the reserve – 11 junior teams (including two girls’ sides) and four senior teams, including a proposed women’s team.
Thirteen teams played there this year. A second girls’ team and the women’s team will be added for 2016. Football club president Mark Crawshaw told The News the recently released proposal to develop a $6 million adventure park at 161-191 Boundary Rd – land managed by Parks Victoria on behalf of the state and known as Parkdale Estate – should have at least one football ground and a soccer pitch. “Land for sports is limited in the area. It is the council’s responsibility to provide more facilities for young people with all the benefits that this would bring,” he said. The adventure park concept is be-
ing promoted by a group of entrepreneurs led by Stephen Todd. The group wants to build a network of mountain bike trails, pedestrian and dog walking paths, fitness area, hall and car park. The land is on the Arthurs Seat escarpment between Hillview Community Reserve and Hillview Quarries’ old Pioneer quarry, which itself is subject to a development proposal (“Hillview seeks new quarry”, The News, 1/9/15). Mornington Peninsula Shire and Parks Victoria have had sporadic discussions over almost two years about a land swap of Parkdale Estate and a shire reserve known as Concept Spur, 55 hectares west of Purves Rd between
Seamists Drive and Waterfall Gully Rd, and adjacent to Seawinds Gardens. Concept Spur was given to the Shire of Flinders in 1974 when a developer subdivided the land for homes. Last Friday, Mr Crawshaw said he and other club officials heard about the adventure park from Stephen Todd at last week’s meeting of the Association for Building Community in Dromana (ABCD). “We had a brief discussion with Mr Todd and told him about our wish list of two sporting grounds. His architect said there would have to be a seven-storey cut into the slope to create enough level ground but we think
MPs backed Abbott, welcome Turnbull Neil Walker neil@mpnews.com.au TONY Abbott was ousted as prime minister last week by his Liberal Party colleagues but local federal MPs Bruce Billson and Greg Hunt remained loyal to Mr Abbott until the end. Both confirmed they voted for the former prime minister in the party room ballot won by challenger Malcolm Turnbull 55-44 last Monday evening (14 September). Bruce Billson, the member for Dunkley and until Sunday, the Small Business Minister, said last week the Abbott government was “getting plenty of good things done but there wasn’t a sense that was being conveyed well and clearly to the electorate”. “We’re two years into a three-year term and my colleagues felt a change in captain-coach would be a sensible thing to do,” he said. “I voted for Tony Abbott. Being a cabinet minister brings with it an additional level of responsibility to work with and support the prime minister. “I take that responsibility seriously and it might be a little old-fashioned but I’m a great believer that you go home with those who brought you to the dance and felt that was the right and proper and honourable thing to do.” Environment Minister Greg Hunt, the member for Flinders, also believed cabinet loyalty is important. “I supported Malcolm Turnbull when I was a member of Mr Turnbull’s shadow cabinet in 2009 and equally, as a matter of deep personal principle and duty, I remained loyal to Mr Abbott as a member of his cabinet and voted accordingly,” he said in a statement provided to The News. The local cabinet members’ sense of loyalty to their leader last week was not shared by several of their cabinet colleagues, including Julie Bishop and Christopher Pyne, who sided with Mr Turnbull in the leadership ballot. Mr Billson hoped the Coalition government
could now put internal divisions over leadership to bed and get on with governing the country. “I think Malcolm Turnbull has made it quite clear that he and our team start from a solid foundation of good achievements and positive momentum on the economy, on jobs, on security and a range of policy fronts but he’s indicated a particular focus on preparing our nation, our economy and our citizens for the future.” Mr Hunt congratulated Mr Turnbull “on becoming the 29th Prime Minister of Australia”. “Prime Minister Turnbull has already said he intends to keep our climate change policies and targets,” Mr Hunt said. “Right now our focus is on the future. We are focused on the economy, jobs and security. We are focused on delivering Australia the good government it deserves.” Mr Billson admitted some constituents were “were quite sad with the way Prime Minister Abbott was dealt with” by his Liberal Party colleagues and “felt if there was to be a change they would rather that was done at the ballot box” but he said others had contacted his office in the past few days to “recognise the need for change”. “They realised we could not risk a change of government and Bill Shorten and the CFMEU running the country,” he said. Mr Abbott was deposed as prime minister by his party just under two years after winning the 2013 federal election. His time in office was marred by controversy including broken pre-election promises including funding cuts to education and hospitals and a first federal budget deemed by many to be unfair on lower and middle-income earners. Opinion polls consistently showed the Abbott government was unpopular with voters after being elected. Mr Turnbull announced a reshuffled cabinet on Sunday (20 September). Mr Billson lost his cabinet post as Small Business Minister to Kelly O’Dwyer but Mr Hunt remained Environment Minister.
part of the land close to Boundary Rd – known as Pat’s Paddock opposite Collins Rd – would need less cutting if a retaining wall was used,” he said. “Mr Todd said he was happy to work with the club.” The adventure park plan was too limited as it currently existed, Mr Crawshaw said. Clubs in the Nepean League needed at least two footy grounds. Rye was in the same boat as it too would have a new women’s team next season, he said. Mr Crawshaw said the AFL South East commission’s development manager Cam Roberts was interested in the potential new oval.
NDIS starts 2018 THE National Disability Insurance Scheme will be introduced on the Mornington Peninsula from 1 April 2018. Roll out plans for Victoria were announced last week with the first places in the state to receive the scheme from next July. Community services organisation Karingal currently offers a range of disability services on the peninsula as well as in the Barwon, Wyndham and southwest Victoria regions, supporting more than 2000 people. It was part of the Barwon region trial, which has become a template for the NDIS in Australia, and will expand its services on the peninsula including showing residents on how to prepare for the scheme. Brandon Howard of Karingal said 105,000 Victorians would benefit. “The NDIS will empower people with a disability to ultimately lead a more fulfilling life, providing independence, opportunity and a greater inclusion within their community,” he said. “We will be scheduling information sessions on the peninsula to pass on our knowledge and experience.”
Come ‘n Try Day
Standing by the leader: Dunkley Liberal MP Bruce Billson, right, with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull last year. Pic: Yanni
Mr Turnbull will now keep an eye on opinion polls and could decide to call an election before January 2017 if the Coalition’s political fortunes improve under his prime ministership.
A FREE Senior Victorian Come and Try Day will be held at Camp Manyung, Mt Eliza, 10am-1pm, Monday 5 October. A range of fun and exciting activities are planned. “Our goal is to try and get senior Victorians outdoors and be active while having fun with each other,” program officer Kiandra Patterson said. “We were hoping our event will help senior Victorians get active.” Seniors can reserve a ticket for the day by calling 9788 1100.
• Wedding • Conferences • Functions • Family Bistro • Playzone • Full TAB Facilities • Live Fox Footy channel 2415 Pt Nepean Rd Rye Beach Ph 5985 2277 www.ryehotel.com.au Southern Peninsula News 22 September 2015
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