NEWS DESK
Playing footy Mike Hast mike@baysidenews.com.au
Intruders steal away into night: CCTV stills of the men police are seeking over the theft of bikes and accessories from Mordialloc Bicycle Centre on Beach Rd.
Police on the hunt for bike shops robbery gang THIEVES are hitting local bike shops hard in overnight robberies – with two in Mordialloc and one in Hampton resulting in the loss of stock valued at $38,000. On Sunday 28 June, thieves broke into the Mordialloc Bicycle Centre on Beach Rd and stole 11 bikes and bike accessories valued at $10,000 over a seven-hour period. CCTV footage shows two men forcing entry to a storage shed in a laneway behind the Beach Rd shop about 8pm. The same thieves are believed responsible for the theft of 14 bikes valued at $15,000 from Hampton Cycles in Hampton St, Hampton, about 4.30am, also on Sunday 28 June. These robberies follow a raid on Turning Point Cycles, Mordialloc, on Friday 29 May. At 3.15am thieves broke into the Main St store
and stole two bikes valued at $13,000. They cut through a security grill and forced a rear window to gain entry to the store before stealing the “high-end” bikes. Detectives have released images and CCTV footage of men they believe may be able to assist with their inquiries. Images of some of the bikes and accessories stolen from Mordialloc Bicycle Centre have also been released. Bayside/Glen Eira Crime Investigation Unit is appealing for public assistance to help solve the crimes. Anyone who can identify the men, is offered a bike, or sees the bikes and accessories for sale, should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report to crimestoppersvic.com.au
VICTORIAN politicians are again playing political football with infrastructure – not the abandoned East West Link but the state’s future port needs and the fate of Port Phillip. And the Liberal and Labor “players” in their nice new shiny jumpers with no actual mud on them have been joined by a ring-in from another team – federal environment minister Greg Hunt, who is no doubt wearing his Team Australia jumper and knows the field of play quite well being a Victorian and living on the peninsula near Melbourne’s vast waterway. The past few weeks have seen claim and counter-claim about what will happen if the Andrews Labor government leases the Port of Melbourne to one of the big shipping companies for 70 years. It hopes to receive $7 billion, which it will use to remove 50 of the state’s worst level crossings over the next eight years as well as building Melbourne Metro, the West Gate Distributor and other transport projects not yet announced. No new container port The state Opposition claims the government will have to give the shipping company a monopoly to get the best price. This means no new container port at either Hastings or on the western shore of Port Phillip, the so-called Bay West option proposed between Werribee and Geelong. The squabble over the two locations has been a long political football game – in the early 2000s, the Labor government proposed expanding the Port of Hastings over 25 years in three stages. It spent a bucket of money on reports and consultants. But something was amiss as the Port of Hastings land use and transport strategy was completed in September 2006, but the government stalled its release until March 2007 and again until December. Labor government ports
minister Tim Pallas finally found time to visit Hastings in August 2009 to explain the plan to stakeholders, but still nothing happened. Labor lost government to the Liberal-Nationals Coalition in 2010. The Coalition picked up the Hastings ball with ports minister Denis Napthine in mid-2013 committing $110 million over four years to do economic and scientific studies. Labor lost interest in Hastings and started promoting Bay West. Why did it spend all that money and time looking at expanding the Port of Hastings? The game entered the fourth quarter last year when the Coalition lost government after just four years in office. The Labor government cut the cash for Port of Hastings planning, devastating the expectations of many people. People saw an expanded port as the key to reviving a town doing it tough, especially after job losses and contraction at BlueScope Steel, the area’s only major industry. Environmentalists were overjoyed as an expanded port would have put at risk Western Port’s unique natural values. Blasting The Heads The Liberal-Nationals Opposition has gone in hard on the Labor government’s plan to lease the Port of Melbourne for 50 years (with the option of a further 20 years). Opposition Leader Matthew Guy and shadow treasurer Michael O’Brien have nails sticking out of their footy boots as they’ve tried to frightened Victorians about the government’s port lease plan. They have claimed the entrance to Port Phillip, The Heads, will have to be blasted to allow larger ships of the future to enter. Southern peninsula Liberal MP Martin Dixon had a crack in the goal square two weeks ago when he said widening and deepening The Heads would make the controversial 2008-09 dredging “pale into insignificance” and ensure “the destruction of Port Phillip Heads Marine National Park”.
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Council approves 2015-16 Budget
Stay updated on the Moorabbin Reserve redevelopment
Kingston Council’s 201516 Budget provides a significant investment in community infrastructure and quality services via a modest rate rise of 4.25%.
Council is supporting this exciting redevelopment that will see the current crumbling infrastructure and neglected open space transformed into a valuable community sports hub and vibrant parkland.
Budget 2015/16
CITY OF KIN
community
GSTON
inspired leadersh ip
Kingston Council’s 2015-16 Budget provides a significant investment in community infrastructure and quality services via a modest rate rise of 4.25%. In 2015-16 Council has committed to make Kingston a stronger, fairer and more connected community through a $52 million capital works program that will see some incredible projects come to life including: • Road repairs and resurfacing $6.1m • Westall Community Hub $4.3m • Carrum Family & Children’s Centre $1m • Mordialloc Life Saving Club $3.2m • Bay Trail shared path $600,000 • Karkarook Park to Clayton Road parkland link $750,000 To help reduce the impact on pensioners, Council has also increased its pensioner rebate from $80 to $100, which they receive in addition to the Victorian Government rebate. kingston.vic.gov.au/budget
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The project offers a host of community benefits including a much-needed indoor sports court, a hub for community football leagues, a new community playground and parkland upgrades. To subscribe to receive regular updates on Moorabbin Reserve visit kingston.vic. gov.au/moorabbinreserve
Have your say on Local Laws Current local laws sunset in November 2015. A review of local laws has resulted in the proposal of a new, single and consolidated community local law. All seven current local laws will be repealed when the new local law is introduced. The proposed City of Kingston Local Law is now available for public review. Submissions on the proposed Local Law can be submitted to Council until Friday 31 July 2015. kingston.vic.gov.au/haveyoursay
Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News 15 July 2015
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info@kingston.vic.gov.au
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What’s on
Ink About It
? GET INVOLVED! National Tree Day
City of Kingston Rose Pruning Demonstration SUNDAY 19 JULY 11AM - 1PM KEITH STYLES RESERVE MENTONE
SUNDAY 26 JULY FROM 10AM – 12PM Do your part to protect and enhance our natural environment. If you are interested in participating in helping our foreshore, attend one of our sites
Join us for an engaging rose pruning demonstration run be the Rose Pruning Society of Victoria, followed by a free BBQ courtesy of the Cheltenham Rotary Club. Please bring your own secateurs.
• Aspendale Foreshore Meet at the end of Coleman Ave
Kingston’s annual Interfaith Art Exhibition
• Bonbeach Foreshore Meet at the end of Harding Ave
4-26 AUGUST ST NICHOLAS GALLERY, MORDIALLOC
• Carrum Foreshore Meet at Carrum Life Saving Club • Yammerbook Reserve Aspendale Gardens Meet at northern end of Long Beach Trail kingston.vic.gov.au/nationaltreeday Interfaith Tree Planting Day Join Kingston Interfaith Network in the rehabilitation of Mordialloc Creek Reserve on Saturday 1 August from 10am – 1pm. Register on 9581 4734 or kate.daddo@kingston.vic.gov.au
kingstoncc
This year’s exhibition has a focus on ‘reclaiming the heart of humanity’. The exhibition will be filled with a variety of artworks forms submitted by the local community. Opening Night Tuesday 11 August 6pm - 8pm Discussion with Panel of Artists Sunday 16 August 2pm - 4pm Gallery opening hours Monday-Thursday: 12pm - 3pm Saturday: 10am - 1pm kingston.vic.gov.au/interfaith
2015 entries now open for Ink About It creative writing competition Ink About It is a free competition for 12 - 25 year olds, which invites creative writers to interpret an image by writing a short story, poem or song. Entries are now open and close on 25 August 2015. Word limit is 1000 words.
For more information paul.corb@kingston.vic.gov.au 1300 369 436.
Upcoming Council Meetings Ordinary Council Meeting Monday 27 July 7pm Planning Committee Meeting Wednesday 22 July 7pm To watch Council meetings live or view previous meetings go to kingston.vic.gov.au