NEWS DESK
Shire boss on Fox ‘party’ cruise Keith Platt keith@baysidenews.com.au MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire CEO Carl Cowie was among the high profile guests aboard a luxury liner cruising the Mediterranean for a so-called “conception party” of prominent businessman, Lindsay Fox, a year-and-a-half after accepting council's top job. The cruise was made in July 2016, an appropriate time before Mr Fox’s 80th birthday was celebrated in April this year with far fewer guests at Montalto Vineyard and Olive Grove at Red Hill South. The boundary of Mr Fox’s sprawling Portsea property was contentiously extended across the beach three years ago due to the build-up of sand and the in-
creasing distance to the acknowledged high tide level. The mayor Cr Bryan Payne last week said Mr Cowie took annual leave and paid his own airfare to Europe. “Carl Cowie was a guest on the trip organised by Mr Fox last July. He was on annual leave and paid his own airfare to and from Europe. The shire incurred no costs as a result of this trip.” Council on Friday did not respond to questions about any declaration about the trip made by Mr Cowie on the shire’s gifts register. The shire’s Gifts, Benefits and Hospitality policy – an “internal” document “owned” by the CEO - states: “Gifts, benefits and hospitality received must not create a real or perceived sense of obligation that may lead to a perception of preference or conflict.”
LETTERS
The policy also states: “Councillors and council staff are to ensure that attendance at private functions does not have potential implications for council’s reputation or image or may cause an actual or perceived conflict of interest.” The Times does not suggest any wrongdoing by Mr Cowie. When first contacted about Mr Cowie’s trip, Cr Payne said the Fox cruise happened before he was a councillor (he was elected in October 2016) “but I did know about it”. “I agree it could look like a conflict of interest if it didn’t have council approval,” Cr Payne said. “I’m surprised you guys didn’t pick it up sooner.” The Gifts, Benefits and Hospitality policy is not publicly available on the shire’s website. The official council response provid-
ed on Friday stated: “The Gifts policy is an internal corporate policy. Such policies are not placed on council’s website. “The register has been audited on an annual basis. There is no legal requirement to make this available externally subject to Freedom of Information requests.” Neighbouring Frankston Council's Staff Gifts and Hospitality Policy register is available for public inspection. As reported widely at the time, Mr Fox – generally regarded as one of the peninsula’s most high profile property owners – chartered the Seabourn Odyssey for a seven-day trip between Athens and Venice for his "conception cruise". The ship costs about $200,000 a day to charter and is capable of carrying
Letters - 300 words maximum and including full name, address and contact number - can be sent to The Times, PO Box 588, Hastings 3915 or emailed to: team@baysidenews.com.au many lines and stopped trains, with commuters stranded uncomfortably and unable to get home. Station St, Edithvale was flooded, its drains unable to cope with even the most moderate rainfall. I could imagine future flooding rains cascading down the walls of the railway trench and stopping trains entering safely. The high voltage DC electric current is an unfriendly companion to passengers on a stalled train. How foolish the choice of a damp and expensive ditch with its additional costs on moving pipelines and cables. Sky rail gave a gift of open space to enjoy but government, it seems, is blind. Les Williams, Edithvale
Not always men In The Times of 4 December is a government advertisement stating “family violence has no good days”. This is the truth, of course, but it is unilaterally focused on men as perpetrators. All categories of family violence can be perpetrated by people of both genders. I am associated with a men’s group and I see good and true men suffering extraordinarily. The greatest supporters of these men are women, but men are so circumspect now. The post-separation incidence of male suicide is 40 per cent, typically men 35 to 45 years. This exceeds all the road deaths, homicides and deaths of our people in Bali by far. There are only ineffective and pusillanimous attempts to correct the situation and I have a solution, but would only evoke an “oh yes” situation. The advertisement goes on about “respect women”, and we should, but we should surely respect all people - disrespect is not gendered. I see kids used as chattels by people, which is grievous and upsetting. Boys grow up wondering what they have done wrong by being male. As for the grub Harvey Weinstein, if you in any way endorse his behaviour you need to see someone. I suppose there are female equivalents to Weinstein but I don’t want to think about it. Give men a break this Christmas. These frenzies of misandry have been going on for years but, most of all, having happy children is best of all. Tony Nicholl, Mt Eliza
Medical precinct
Lads, we need to talk Driving along, you see a girl walking down the street, so you honk your horn, whistle or call out to show your appreciation, right? Wrong. Most women don’t like this at all. It’s not “a compliment”. Our recent “Young people and walking” study found this type of behaviour makes young women aged 15-20 feel vulnerable and unsafe while walking. The study of more than 1000 young people commissioned by Victoria Walks and Youth Affairs Council of Victoria and funded by VicHealth found 40 per cent of our young people do not feel safe walking in their community. Only 15 per cent of young women feel safe walking after dark. A top concern was being approached by strangers. Walking is very important to young people’s health. Our study showed they walk to get to places and to relax. With the costs of the growing obesity epidemic we need to encourage physical activity. Females particularly like walking. Victoria Walks is calling on local and state governments to invest in making our streets safer and easier for young people to walk so they can develop healthy habits as they transition to adulthood. But we need males to reconsider their actions. Young women, many as young as 15, told us they are regularly harassed while walking. We don’t tolerate this sort of behaviour in schools and workplaces. Men who think it is OK to objectify women
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Frankston Times 11 December 2017
more than 450 passengers. Mr Fox’s guests included actor Hugh Jackman, TV personality and Collingwood Football Club president Eddie McGuire, retail billionaire Solomon Lew and his Premier Investments CEO Mark McInnes, mining magnates Gina Rinehart and Andrew Forrest, former Crown Casino boss and horse breeder Lloyd Williams, the Pratt family and politicians Bill Kelty and Jeff Kennett. Several of the cruise guests own property on the peninsula. Mr Cowie has just returned to work after a council-sanctioned trip which included seminars and conferences in Sweden, Germany and Malta. This latest overseas trip was paid for from his $30,000 study tour allowance on top of his near $400,000 salary package.
Ditch trenches plan? A future of flood-prone rail under road along the Frankston line is a forecast for the years ahead if elevated rail is not built in Edithvale. Picture: Yanni
in public places should take a good hard look at themselves, grow up and stop it. Ben Rossiter, executive officer, Victoria Walks,
Screen scream Which genius at the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council thought that putting up screens on the median strip through the Mt Eliza village shopping centre was a good idea? It was difficult enough for motorists to navigate through and avoid pedestrians because of sight blockages from signs and vegetation and now the council has added another hazard. The screens make it almost impossible for motorists to see children or shorter adults on the pedestrian crossings until the last second when they suddenly appear in front of the vehicle. Did anybody at the council actually think before proceeding with this installation? Robin Cooper, Mt Eliza
CCTV unused Mt Eliza Chamber of Commerce is to be congratulated with its inspirational street decorations. Don’t see any of our rates at work from [Mornington Peninsula] shire contributions and
not a local councillor within cooee. Pity that some lowlife continues to graffiti and spoil the overall happy effect. Not only does the main bus stop and shelter get dumped upon, but also private businesses and government offices. The shire has appropriately demounted the baby anti-graffiti sign which got tagged by the lowlife perp, and even its own signs get tagged too. When will someone utilise the CCTV cameras that cover the main street and surely must be recording the hooded neanderthal lower than a dingo’s what’s it that crawls out from under his rock after dark and drops his CROC tag around our beautiful village? Surely the Mornington police or the shire’s environmental protection team, could actually use the expensive CCTV to catch the crim who despoils our lovely locale? The daubings will be removed, but it is always the unpaid public who has to do it and not the proper authorities or prosecuted perp. Ian Morrison, convenor Mt Eliza Community Alliance
Ditch the ditch The sky rail debate that ended up placing our future trains in flood prone ditches is a serious mistake. The recent heavy rain flooded
The proposed $250 million redevelopment of Frankston Hospital with clinical teaching and research areas in partnership with Monash University is fantastic news for Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula. The project proposed by Peninsula Health and announced at its annual meeting last week will create 1000 jobs including 500 long-term jobs for doctors, nurses, allied health professionals and administration staff. Our region’s population will increase by 50 per cent in the next 30 years. But job growth lags well behind: our area has fewer than 28 local jobs per 100 residents. A medical precinct would lead the region’s future economic prosperity and job growth. Health and education are two of our biggest employers. With investment, both sectors can create many new jobs including long-term, wellpaid ones. The project also will ensure residents, especially older people and those with serious illnesses, have access to quality healthcare without travelling to Melbourne. We can have a world-leading medical precinct to tackle important age-related health issues, chronic conditions, and social health issues. The region is uniquely placed to drive and benefit from research into age-related health issues as the peninsula has the second-highest elderly population in Victoria. More than 30 per cent of residents are over 60, almost twice the metropolitan average. Our region has a large population, and deserves healthcare that can fulfil most medical needs except perhaps trauma and neurology. I look forward to a time when specialist doctors are based here and travel to Melbourne to consult rather than the other way round. Now we need all levels of government to support redevelopment plans. I urge both the Andrews government and the Matthew Guy-led opposition to commit to this vital investment. With proper investment and support, Frankston Hospital and Monash University’s Peninsula campus and will form the hub of a vibrant and integrated health, business and education precinct. Fred Harrison, president, Committee for Greater Frankston