NEWS DESK
Speed fine inquiry ‘never got through’ Stephen Taylor steve@baysidenews.com.au
Nurses united: Mum and daughter nurses Melanie and Emily are keeping nursing in the family.
Nursing careers a family focus LITTLE girls often want to grow up to be just like “mum”, and Langwarrin nurse Emily McCulloch has done just that – completing her graduate year at Peninsula Health almost 30 years after her mother. Mrs McCulloch, who graduated in 1988 and is now an associate nurse unit manager and lactation consultant in the women’s health unit at Frankston Hospital, said she had never pushed her daughter to pursue a career in nursing, but did advise her of the rewards. “I advised Emily that pursuing nursing had to be her choice, but also that it’s a very rewarding profession where you can make such a difference in people’s lives when they are at their most vulnerable.” Emily said it was a desire to help others which led her into nursing, and she is now looking after orthopaedic and plastic surgery patients on the Port Philip Ward at Frankston Hospital.
“Being able to advocate for those who need it most and being the person the patient trusts to carry them through their time of need is so rewarding and satisfying,” she said. Emily’s love of the job is something also shared by her mother, now a midwife. “I love being part of a fantastic team of midwives who are truly passionate about providing the most amazing care to women during one of the most memorable moments in their lives,” said Melanie. “I also really enjoy teaching and supporting junior midwives and helping women to breastfeed with confidence.” Emily was one of 56 nurses who completed the graduate nurse program at Peninsula Health in 2016. Fifty-seven graduates started in this year’s Graduate Nurse Program in February.
A PORTSEA resident who lodged a submission to Road Safety Camera Commissioner John Voyage relating to his speeding fine says it “probably never reached him due to administrative errors”. David Gilder, who uses Peninsula Link regularly, said perhaps many others were in the same situation. “When I became aware of the commissioner’s investigation I wrote to Civic Compliance Victoria asking that I be added to the list of names that he required. I informed them that I had already paid my fine,” he said. “My request was forwarded to the Department of Justice and Regulation. I next received two letters from different sections of Victoria Police telling me a review had judged me guilty and that my fine was still valid. “There was no mention of Commissioner Voyage.” Mr Gilder said he did not request a review of his fine which was already paid. “All I asked for was to have my name added to the list before the commissioner to add credibility to his review,” he said. “After the bureaucratic run around I gave up. “One wonders how many others had similar experiences trying to contact the commissioner.”
Mr Gilder’s comments follows ‘Speedsters’ slow to complain’ (The News, 21/2/2017) in which Mr Voyage said he was puzzled at the lack of “objective evidence” received from motorists blaming their speeding fines on faulty Peninsula Link cameras. Mr Voyage was getting ready to wrap up the evidence-collecting part of his investigation which he said he wanted to finalise in six-to-eight weeks. His report was to then go to Police Minister Lisa Neville. Another fined driver, Mark Mercuri, told the Peninsula Link 108 group he recently received an email from Mr Voyage saying he was still “taking into consideration all the information” he receives, despite his being delivered a few days past the deadline. “I can only assume he will still be open to receiving any decent arguments, information or proof if you have it, which I’m glad he has so that’s a positive at least,” Mr Mercuri said. “It’s worth a shot so don’t hold back to help build a stronger case.” Peninsula Link 108 member Jarrod Salmon said the drivers’ deadline would have applied if Mr Voyage was receiving lots of correspondence and needed time to slow down and look through it all. “I can't see there being a problem with the odd [submission] hitting his desk,” he said.
Lobbyist hired for council cash dash Neil Walker neil@baysidenews.com.au A COLLINS St lobbying firm was hired by Frankston Council to push for state and federal funding for the region in the lead up to 2010 state election and 2016 federal election. The hiring of a lobbyist came to light at last month’s public council meeting as councillors agreed to establish a committee of councillors and council officers to begin planning a similar campaign to hit up politicians for cash ahead of the 2018 state election. Cr Kris Bolam welcomed the formation of a committee of councillors
— one from each of Frankston’s three electoral ward — to look at projects that could benefit from state funding but noted councillors were not solely responsible for convincing Liberal and Labor politicians to invest in Frankston. “We did put up a lot of money for a lobbyist to do a lot of that work on our behalf as well so it was a multi-faceted approach,” Cr Bolam said at the meeting. When asked by The Times, Frankston mayor Cr Brian Cunial confirmed Melbourne based CPR Communications and Public Relations was paid $108,972 to provide “advocacy support” during council campaigns aimed at letting the major political parties
know Frankston deserved its fair share of funding for major projects. Cr Cunial noted more than $200 million of state and federal funding had been committed to the Frankston area since 2010 and cited the Peninsula Aquatic Recreation Centre (PARC), Chisholm TAFE redevelopment and Frankston train station precinct upgrade as examples of lobbying paying off for Frankston. “Without council’s strong advocacy work to both state and federal candidates at each election, the Frankston community may not have received the extraordinary amount of funding that has been committed and delivered to Frankston, particularly within the past
seven years,” Cr Cunial said. “Frankston City Council continues to have a strong focus on advocating to other levels of government to support activities that are beneficial to the Frankston community.” CPR Communications said it was appointed to work on the pre-election campaigns by council after a tender process. “Elections are a critical opportunity for local councils to secure major state and federal funding for their community priorities,” CPR managing director Michelle Edmunds said. “Election funding outcomes underpin community development and infrastructure planning for many years
to come. It’s a highly competitive environment, with every council seeking funding commitments. “Council teams work intensively on these projects to give their communities the best chance of success, and that often includes using a mix of internal experts with local knowledge and external experts with broader advocacy campaign expertise.” Cr Cunial said council’s in-house staff worked on the 2014 state election lobbying campaign called ‘Speak Up For Frankston’. He said “advocacy engagement with an external organisation” is not separately listed in council’s annual report or budget.
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