Chelsea • Mordialloc • Mentone
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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 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 10 JUNE 2019 NEXT ISSUE PUBLICATION: WEDNESDAY 12 JUNE 2019
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NEWS DESK
Push to punt out pokies problem Brodie Cowburn brodie@baysidenews.com.au KINGSTON Council has launched a campaign to curb the negative influence of poker machines in the municipality. Punters in the Kingston municipality lost a whopping $86 million on pokies in the 2017-2018 financial year. Only eight municipalities in Victoria suffered higher losses than Kingston on electronic gaming machines. Kingston mayor Georgina Oxley said that the “enough is enough” campaign would work to “raise community awareness of the harm caused by poker machines in our community, call on the Victorian Government to introduce stronger controls to minimise the number of poker machines in Kingston, and help people find other ways to spend their time and make community connections.” “There are 898 poker machines at 16 local venues, yet under Victorian Government laws our area could have up to 1,213 electronic gaming machines. And this number could grow further as our population increases,” she said. “This is despite the fact that Kingston consistently rates third in Victoria for licenced venues, sixth for number of poker machines and in the top 10 for amount of money lost. Enough is enough.” In July 2017 Kingston Council paid $25,000 to join the Alliance for Gambling Reform in an effort to reduce the impact of problem gam-
bling in the community. The Dingley International Hotel was the venue that raked in the most from gamblers’ losses in Kingston, with gamblers losing $15 million at its 90 gaming machines. The venue ranked 16th of 498 venues across Victoria by how much money was lost on their poker machines (“Pokies losses hit new high”, The News 8/8/18) .
Sports, schools, motorists target of state budget THE state budget handed down last week included cash for local roads, sports clubs, and schools. The budget held $7.8 million for a major refurbishment of classrooms at Skye Primary School, as well as $1 million towards St Anne’s in Seaford. Parkdale Secondary college received $967,000 to go towards classroom upgrades, while Mordialloc College had $856,000 allocated to it. $800,000 has been made available for upgrades at Patterson River Secondary College. The budget also contained boosts for a number of sporting grounds, including $4.5 million towards Aspendale Stingrays’ home ground at Kerr Crescent Reserve. $3.5 million was also allocated towards the construction of female friendly facility at Regents Park. $3.2 million will be put towards Roy Dore Recreation Reserve in Carrum, $2.6 million towards RF Miles Reserve, and
$350,000 towards Carrum Downs Recreation Reserve. The state government has allocated $2.3 million for a signalised intersection at Ballarto Road and Lyrebird Drive in Carrum Downs. Carrum MP Sonya Kilkenny said “this upgrade will improve traffic flow, take the stress out of getting in and out of Lyrebird Drive and most importantly improve safety for our community. This upgrade will make it safer and easier for the 16,000 drivers that cross this intersection every day.” “We’re delivering what we promised, boosting safety and busting congestion at the intersection of Lyrebird Drive and Ballarto Road,” she said. Mordialloc MP Tim Richardson said that funding for further level crossing removal works was a key part of the budget. “This budget continues to build on our record of getting rid of dangerous and frustrating level crossings, with Argyle Avenue, Chelsea Road, Swanpool Avenue level crossings to be consigned to history along with Balcombe, Edithvale, Park and Charman Roads level crossings,” he said.
Burn permits open APPLICATIONS for permits to burn in the Frankston municipality are now open. Permits can be applied for by landowners on more than 1600 square metres. Permits expire in November 2019, or when the Fire Danger Period is declared. Apply online at www.frankston.vic. gov.au/permittoburn
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We’ll continue to support existing passbook holders, allowing thousands of Australians to keep banking their way. It’s just the start. Better for you. Commonwealth Bank of Australia ABN 48 123 123 124.
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Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News
5 June 2019