NEWS DESK
Get ready for change in the weather PROPERTY owners and residents of Kingston are being urged to prepare for climate change. The recently-launched Climate Ready website explains how global warming is caused by people “adding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere more quickly than in the past” and provides details on how to create a “climate ready action plan”. The website is the result on a partnership between the peninsula, Bayside and Kingston councils and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP). Climate Ready - a website designed to help you better understand how to adapt to the likely impacts and risks of climate change is now available. “Greenhouse gases have always played a part in Earth’s natural temperature regulation, but this ever growing human activity is putting more pressure on the natural system than it can accommodate,” the website states in its explanation for global warming. Kingston mayor Cr Tamsin Bearsley said Kingston Council believed the Climate Ready project “will be a useful tool in helping council engage with the broader community and motivate them to create their own interactive, personalised action plans to prepare for the impacts of climate change”. “My family and I have completed a Climate Ready plan and realise just how many actions we have yet to complete. We are committed to actively working our way through our plan to ensure our home and family are climate ready.”
Climate ready: At the launch of the new climate change website at The Briars, Mt Martha, are Hugh Fraser, left, Kelly Crosthwaite, Carl Cowie, Tamsin Bearsley, James Long, Graham Pittock and David Gibb.
Mornington Peninsula Shire mayor Cr Graham Pittock said Climate Ready “provides an online solution for residents to understand their climate change risks and start preparing for the future”. Cr Pittock, Cr Hugh Fraser and the shire’s then renewable resources team leader Jessica Wingad attended last year’s United Nations’ climate change conference in Paris. Since their return the shire has announced a five-year plan to become “carbon neutral” as well as accepting an invitation to commit to an international Compact of mayors to minimise climate change. "Climate Ready provides a one-
stop-shop website with easy access to information on preparing for heatwaves, bushfire, drought, flooding and severe storms,” Cr Pittock said in describing the new website. "Through gaining a better understanding of climate change risks and having an action plan we are much less likely to suffer during events such as heatwave, bushfire or flash flooding," he said. The action plan is described as being “a step-wise tool that describes the choices available, depending on which climate change risks are most likely to have an effect where you live”. "Climate Ready, with its action plans and associated community
engagement program, will be an invaluable tool for our community to prepare for the risks climate change is likely to bring," Cr Pittock said. The Climate Ready plan is at www.climateready.com.au and free consultations are available at the Eco Living Display Centre, The Briars, Mt Martha. Community workshops on preparing for climate change will be held 6-7pm Thursday 14 April at Seawinds Community Hub, 11a Allambi Av, West Rosebud and 10.30-11.30am Friday 15 April, Hastings Community Hub, 1973 Frankston-Flinders Rd, Hastings. Bookings: climateready.com.au/ workshops
Home zones still unknown Neil Walker neil@baysidenews.com.au KINGSTON is no closer to having council’s requested residential zones approved by the state government almost three years after a statewide consultation with councils across Victoria began. The independent Residential Zones Standing Advisory Committee, first tasked by the previous Liberal state government to liaise with councils to identify areas to be protected from overdevelopment and areas where more housing can be built, knocked backed Kingston Council’s 2014 request to have more than 75 per cent of the region classed as non-growth areas. Council was advised to rethink its future housing policy amid concerns by
some councillors that the area has been earmarked for “excessive” development while suburbs such as those in Melbourne’s east are protected from overdevelopment. In late 2014 former Labor planning spokesman Brian Tee indicated his party would review “botched planning zones imposed on councils” if it won government (‘Game of zones may begin again’, The News 12/11/14) but the Andrews government has shown no inclination to revisit Kingston Council’s submission to have at least three-quarters of the municipality zoned as non-growth Neighbourhood Residential Zone areas. Labor Planning Minister Richard Wynne has in fact decided, without consultation with Kingston Council, to impose a “discretionary” four-storey
height limit for new housing in central Mentone, contrary to council’s 2013 Mentone Activity Centre Structure Plan that set a “mandatory” four-storey limit (‘Height limit change shock’, The News 23/12/15). Repeated requests by The News to the Planning Minister’s office asking why the height limit is now discretionary have gone unanswered. Council took two years to put together the Mentone Activity Centre Structure Plan after community consultation. Kingston councillors said some residents blamed council for the delay in having new residential zones locked into place but council had followed the consultation and submission process put in place by the state government. Council still has oversight of individu-
al planning applications and councillors can “call them in” to be debated before approval or rejection. A new submission to the state government’s Managing Residential Development Advisory Committee will be made by Kingston Council later this year. A draft submission, lodged at last month’s council meeting by council officers, forecast Kingston can be home to 15,254 new dwellings until the year 2031 and about 64 per cent will be apartments. Officers stated council “has a pragmatic approach” to the need for more housing as Melbourne’s population rises but would prefer apartments to be mostly built in central activity centres such as Moorabbin, Cheltenham and Southland near public transport hubs.
Pets party on KINGSTON will celebrate its furry, four-legged friends at the annual Pet Expo event on Saturday 2 April from 10am–3pm at Corrigan Oval and the Harold Box Community Centre in Marcus Rd, Dingley. Kingston mayor Cr Tamsin Bearsley said the Pet Expo was a fun day out for the whole family – and pets are welcome to join in. “Kingston’s Pet Expo is a fantastic day out to celebrate the positive role pets can play in our community and to promote responsible pet ownership,” Cr Bearsley said. The Pet Expo features: n free activities including pony rides, live reptile display, face painting and animal farm n entertaining demonstrations including flyball competitions, howling huskies, frisbee catching dogs and ferret races n dog and cat competitions including best-dressed dog/cat, happiest dog and dog/owner lookalike competition (see website for details) n cat breeders show n free microchipping on the day for the first 50 animals (Kingston residents only). Entry to the Kingston Pet Expo is free. All dogs must be on a leash at all times and cats in a secure cage. See kingston.vic.gov.au or phone Council on 1300 653 356 to find out if you are eligible for reduced registration fees, as you may need to bring along documents on the day to receive a discount.
Police clamp down Continued from Page 1 Inspector Daly said spectators should not think they were innocent bystanders. “You’re encouraging dangerous and even deadly behaviour. We are investigating your involvement and will prosecute you,” he said. “The arrests (Friday) are not the first and they will not be the last. “The taskforce is not slowing down. We are widening our remit and looking at other hoon groups. No one associated with hoons is exempt.” Inspector Daly said the arrests were a culmination of months of covert investigation. “We are now turning our attention to the Friday night drag scene in and around Melbourne’s south east.” “Our message to these groups is – as long as you behave in a way that endangers peoples’ lives, you’ll continue to be under the scrutiny of police.” All those arrested have been bailed to appear at Dandenong Magistrates’ Court on 11 May.
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BLAIRGOWRIE • DROMANA • MORNINGTON • ROSEBUD • SEAFORD • TOORAK Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News 9 March 2016
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