NEWS DESK
Donations accepted under tree Free courses Herbicide THE Giving Tree has been put up at Frankston Library, with visitors invited to put gifts under it to be donated to disadvantaged kids. Frankston Life Community CEO Mark Whitby said “Christmas is an important time of the year to think about those less fortunate in our community.” “For many in our community Christmas isn’t a happy time. The joy of giving, the joy of receiving, and especially the joy of sharing is what being part of a community is all about,” he said.
The giving tree is a joint effort by Frankston Life Community and council. The gifts under the tree will be handed out at Frankston Life Community’s Christmas lunch for disadvantaged families. “The Frankston Life Community Christmas lunches are especially meaningful to the many volunteers who give their time on the day,” Mr Whitby said. “It is an opportunity to serve members of our community who are often overlooked by the general population.”
The lunch is expected to host 400 guests, and is run with the help of over 100 volunteers. Unwrapped gifts worth $20 or less can be placed under the tree until 20 December. The Christmas Lunch will be held on Christmas day at the Frankston Arts Centre. More information at frankston.life/community Christmas spirit: Frankston Library staff Vanessa, Sabine, and Marnie at the Giving Tree. Picture: Supplied
for education ban spreads FRANKSTON TAFE will soon offer free early childhood education courses. Starting from 2020, the Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care and Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care will be tuition free for eligible students. Carrum MP and parliamentary secretary for early childhood education Sonya Kilkenny said that since January, 36,000 students statewide had started free TAFE courses. “As we start the roll out of funded three year old kindergartens across Victoria, our biggest reform in early childhood education ever, now is the perfect time for anyone considering working in kinders or childcare to enrol in our TAFEs and take up the opportunity of becoming qualified in early childhood education without the worry of tuition fees,” she said. More information at skills.vic.gov. au/victorianskillsgateway Brodie Cowburn
Naturalists’ meeting set THE next meeting of the Peninsula Field Naturalists will be on 13 November. The club brings together people passionate about the environment. Member Judy Smart will speak at the meeting about Tasmania’s Overland Track. 16 High St Frankston, 8pm 13 November. Ring Judy on 0400 910 941 for more information.
KINGSTON Council has agreed to phase out the use of the herbicide glyphosate. Council voted on 28 October to “immediately reduce the use of glyphosate through improved practices and use of alternate products and continue to reduce glyphosate through contract renewal processes phasing out completely by 2020, where contractually possible” and to “determine that no further contracts or agreements are to occur where glyphosate is being used.” The motion agreed to by councillors read that council will “cease the use of Local Safe to control weeds in council’s playgrounds, and in areas where Local Safe has been used, glyphosate will not be used.” They also voted to “commence using social enterprise organisations to undertake hand weeding in council’s playgrounds” and to “continue to monitor advice from government regulatory reviews and advice from Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority.” The move follows a similar call made by neighbouring Frankston Council, who voted to ban the use of the herbicide by staff and contractors starting from 1 July 2020. Frankston councillor Glenn Aitken said “probably the key to the whole issue is the $2 billion lawsuit in America that was awarded, and I understand that has now passed through three trials and been affirmed.” “We can’t ignore this issue any longer,” he said.
Frankston Times
12 November 2019
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