15 January 2019

NEWS DESK Author visiting library for LGBTQIA+ event

Plan to improve, keep peninsula’s biodiversity

AUTHOR Nevo Zisin will visit Frankston Library on 4 February as port of the Midsumma Festival.

The writer is coming to Frankston to speak about their book ‘Finding Nevo’, an autobiography which delves into Nevo’s experiences with gender. Nevo was assigned female at birth, and after beginning the process of transitioning at age 17, now identifies as non-binary.

Nevo works as a youth leader and runs programs and workshops at schools, and also works with the Jewish community on issues of gender and sexuality.

The 21 year-old author published their book in 2017.

The Midsumma Festival is a three week event held across Melbourne which celebrates the LGBTQIA+ community.

The free event can be attended by making a booking at library.frankston.vic.gov.au or by phoning the library at 9784 1020 Speaking matters: Author Nevo Zisin will speak at Franskton Library on 4 February. Picture: Supplied

Hot topic: Crs Simon Brooks and Antonella Celi, Kids Safe’s Jason Chamber, the mayor Cr David Gill, Peninsula Health’s Felicity Topp, Seawinds Early Learning Centre’s Sarah Scott-Branagan, Melissa Fitzpatrick and Karen Van Derkaay, and police officers Alan Coffey and Leanne Marshal with Sophie, Evie and Arlie.

Picture: Yanni

Hot cars a deadly risk DESPITE publicity and the pleas for parents to use common sense, every year in Australia more than 5000 children are rescued after being left alone in hot cars.

In the year to the end of August, Ambulance Victoria was called to 1587 cases of people locked in cars in Victoria – the majority being toddlers and babies.

Last week, Mornington Peninsula Shire Council and Kidsafe Victoria launched its Kids in Cars awareness campaign at Seawinds Community Hub, Capel Sound, ahead of the annual

influx of an estimated 140,000 visitors over the summer holidays.

The temperature inside a parked car could be 20-30 degrees hotter than outside – up to 60 degrees on a typical summer’s day. Leaving the windows down has little effect.

The mayor Cr David Gill said “Do not leave children in cars” signs would be placed on roadsides, outside pre-schools and early childhood centres, council offices, libraries and maternal healh care nurse centres.

MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire is seeking public feedback on a new plan to help manage, protect and enhance biodiversity on the peninsula.

The draft Biodiversity Conservation Plan outlines strategies and actions to help achieve “best practice environmental stewardship” and draws on the Shire’s State of Biodiversity Report.

Biodiversity is regarded as being the variety of plants and animals in a particular area, with high levels seen as important for a healthy habitat.

The draft biodiversity conservation plan details data from scientific, government and community sources - essential reading for anyone interested in the peninsula’s natural environment.

The mayor Cr David Gill said the community “has told us natural assets are the most important feature of the peninsula”.

“With over 200 kilometres of coast, 440 kilometres of creeks, 400 species of indigenous fauna and nearly 700 species of indigenous plants, the diverse environments of the peninsula need protection to remain resilient and healthy.

“Biodiversity also plays a key role in our health and wellbeing.

“We have a fantastic wealth of volunteers and it’s important to strengthen this connection and encourage the wider community to become good environmental stewards.”

Cr Gill said the nearly 60 “friends” groups in collaboration with the shire’s bushland management team ran 380 working bees across 60 reserves during 2017-2018.

“At these working bees, volunteers contributed more than 4800 hours, undertaking 96 hectares of environmental weed control and planting 9500 local native plants.”

He said the groups provided a platform for other environmental opportunities besides working bees, including Clean-Up Australia Day, tree planting events and citizen science projects.

Details about making submissions to the draft Biodiversity Conservation Plan are at: mornpen. vic.gov.au/haveyoursay.

OPEN DAILY until

28 JAN Frankston Times

15 January 2019

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