Chelsea • Mordialloc • Mentone
Proudly published by Mornington Peninsula News Group Pty. Ltd
PHONE: 03 5974 9000 Published weekly
Circulation: 16,880
Audit period: Oct 2013 - Mar 2014
Source: AMAA; CAB Total Distribution Audit for further information visit www.auditedmedia.org.au
Editor: Brodie Cowburn 0401 864 460 Journalists: Brodie Cowburn, Stephen Taylor 5974 9000 Photographers: Gary Sissons, Yanni Advertising Sales: Anton Hoffman 0411 119 379 Real Estate Account Manager: Jason Richardson 0421 190 318 Production and graphic design: Dannielle Espagne, Marcus Pettifer Group Editor: Keith Platt Publisher: Cameron McCullough
NEWS DESK
Youth the future for hall RENOVATION works at Mordialloc’s Masonic Hall are scheduled to begin by the end of the year, at an expected cost of $2 million. Council bought the building for $1.15 million in 2011, but it has since been sitting vacant for years. It will now be renovated to make it a permanent home for Kingston Youth Services. The mayor Georgina Oxley said “the former Masonic Hall is in a fantastic location in the centre of Kingston and on the train line to make it more accessible for young people right across our community.” “Local young people will be able to access important information, support and services to help them navigate
study, work, health issues and more,” she said. The refurbishment works at the heritage building will include adding a lift and ramps for disability access, a new kitchen, a new office space, and support service spaces. Bowden Corporation has been contracted to carry out the works on the building. Youth Services currently operates out of Southland, paying $90,000 in annual rent. Council identified youth services as a focus for the Masonic Hall building and sought expressions of interest in 2016 for tenants to lease the vacant building (“Hall’s well for youth hub plan”, The News, 8/3/17). Works soon: $2 million renovation works at the Mordialloc Masonic Hall have been contracted. Picture: Gary Sissons.
REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS: Peter McCullough, Stuart McCullough, Andrew Hurst, Ben Triandafillou ADDRESS: Mornington Peninsula News Group PO Box 588 Hastings 3915 Email: team@baysidenews.com.au Web: baysidenews.com.au DEADLINE FOR NEXT ISSUE: 5PM ON MON 9 SEPTEMBER 2019 NEXT ISSUE PUBLICATION: WEDNESDAY 11 SEPTEMBER 2019
An independent voice for the community
We are the only locally owned and operated community newspaper. We are dedicated to the belief that a strong community newspaper is essential to a strong community. We exist to serve residents, community groups and businesses and ask for their support in return.
MP defends mandatory reporting
If you’re over 50, now is the perfect time to start the next exciting chapter of your life. Lifestyle Chelsea Heights has a range of homes in a secure, gated community with resort-style facilities ready to move into right now. So stop waiting and start living. Call our friendly consultants today and you could be in your new home sooner than you think.
Call us today 1300 50 55 60 lifestylecommunities.com.au Move now to resort-style living from just $445,000* *Prices are correct as at September 2019
PAGE 4
Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News
4 September 2019
FRANKSTON MP Paul Edbrooke revealed his father’s story of survival in an emotional defence of mandatory reporting legislation which would force priests to report confessions of sexual abuse. Mr Edbrooke took to the floor of parliament on 28 August to share the story of his father, Nick, who was sexually abused by a clergyman as a child. “It’s the late 1960s, you’ve just arrived here in Melbourne for a fresh start, and at 15 you’ve already had your innocence torn away,” Mr Edbrooke said. “My dad is a survivor and he said I could share this letter if it assists parliament to realise apologies are worth nothing unless we follow them up with action.” Mr Edbrooke read an apology letter sent to his father last month, which detailed the abuse that he suffered and his subsequent suicide attempts. Mr Edbrooke also labelled Melbourne’s Catholic Archbishop Peter Comensoli as “detached from all logic and reality” in his address to parliament. Archbishop Comensoli came under fire last month during a discussion on ABC Radio about mandatory reporting legislation. Archbishop Comensoli said that he would be prepared to go
to jail in order to “keep the seal” of confession. He also defended convicted child sex offender George Pell in the wake of his failed appeal. Mr Edbrooke called Archbishop Comensoli’s comments an “insult to our community and our survivors”. FRANKSTON MP Paul Edbrooke.
EPA aims for response time reduction THE Environment Protection Authority Victoria will launch a pilot program to help “reduce response times to pollution” in the Kingston municipality. The program sees the EPA collaborate with council to “embed” EPA authorised officers within council to “respond to issues of noise, dust, odour and waste management arising from small to medium size businesses” and “equip communities and industry with the knowledge and skills to help prevent, identify and resolve environmental issues.” EPA CEO Dr Cathy Wilkinson said “we’re excited to be expanding our presence in Melbourne’s south east and seeing the improvements from the first phase, including reduced
response times to reports and improved industry compliance, replicated and built on in this second phase.” “As well as responding to issues such as dust, noise and odour, which have the potential to greatly affect liveability, the officers for the protection of the local environments will also be a valuable part of EPA’s increased focus on preventing and identifying illegal stockpiling and disposal of waste,” she said. “We’re committed to being closely connected with the communities we serve and empowering and encouraging them to assist us to prevent harm from pollution and waste.” The program is funded until June 2020.