16 May 2016

Page 3

NEWS DESK

Councillor heads up Liberal election bid Neil Walker neil@baysidenews.com.au A FORMER mayor of Frankston will oversee Liberal candidate for Dunkley Chris Crewther’s campaign to succeed departing MP Bruce Billson ahead of the 2 July federal election. Cr Darrel Taylor is Mr Crewther’s election campaign manager tasked with giving the Liberals’ candidate a good run at seeing off the challenge of Labor candidate Peta Murphy to hold the seat of Dunkley. When contacted by The Times Cr Taylor confirmed he had been ap-

proached to be Mr Crewther’s election minder a few weeks after the Liberals decided on its candidate to contest Dunkley. The councillor is the treasurer of the Frankston South branch of the party and the secretary of the Dunkley Federal Electorate Conference. “I was asked to be campaign manager by Chris and the executive of the Dunkley FEC and I accepted,� Cr Taylor said. He sees no conflict with his councillor duties in the run-up to polling day next month. “It won’t have an impact and won’t be an issue. I’ll be busy no doubt and

won’t have any spare time.� Cr Taylor’s entry as a player in the federal election risked reigniting divisions within council – some fellow councillors were unhappy when he put his hand up for Liberal preselection for Frankston when mayor before the 2014 state election – but one of the most vocal critics Cr Colin Hampton says he has no problem with Cr Taylor’s latest political move. Cr Hampton, a Labor Party member, said Cr Taylor had promised not to nominate for preselection before he was anointed mayor in 2013 by his peers. Cr Taylor denied the claim. “I have no problem with him do-

ing that [being a Liberal campaign manager] because he didn’t promise councillors he wouldn’t do that,� Cr Hampton said last week. “In this respect it’s a democracy and he’s allowed to do what he wants but he’ll have to be very careful about promoting that candidate in the chamber.� Cr Taylor missed out on state preselection to Sean Armistead who fell short in his bid to defeat Frankston Labor MP Paul Edbrooke, who succeeded Liberal turned independent Geoff Shaw, by a slim margin at the 2014 state election.

Campaigning for Crewther: Cr Darrel Taylor is the Liberal candidate for Dunkley’s election campaign manager.

Youth ‘stand up’ for memorial

Perfect day: Donna Bradley-Robinson hopes to raise a lot of money for multiple sclerosis research. Picture: Yanni

On course for MS fundraiser FORMER police officer Donna Bradley-Robinson was forced to quit the force when her multiple sclerosis symptoms increasingly made her job impossible. Ms Bradley-Robinson, a Frankston resident, was diagnosed with MS in 1994 at the age of 29 after experiencing symptoms since she was 16. Since retiring as a police officer in 2010 she has dedicated herself to raising the profile of the often invisible disease. With an average age of diagnosis of 30, MS is largely a young woman’s disease – that randomly attacks nerve fibres in the brain and spinal cord – for which there is currently no cure. The progress, severity and symptoms are different for everyone. Symptoms range from tingling and numbness to paralysis and blindness. Ms Bradley-Robinson is hosting a charity event called The Scarlet Cup at Mornington Racecourse this month featuring live and silent auctions, a Calcutta Horse Race, major raffle draw and a Fashions on the Field competition. Channel 9 Postcards TV show presenter Brodie Harper will be MC for the day. The Scarlet Cup will raise funds for the MS Ambassador

program, MS Support Services, MS Connect programs, and new MS research projects. MS Research Australia CEO Robyn Hunter praised Ms Bradley-Robinson’s hard work and enthusiasm. “Our Kiss Goodbye to MS campaign, through the help of wonderful fundraisers like Donna raises vital funds for research into MS. These funds are directed to research projects that are investigating better treatment options, the cause and a cure for MS.â€? Ms Bradley-Robinson said she is managing her MS symptoms after undergoing a new form of treatment to try to keep the disease in check. “The best way I can describe how I feel is that I’ve been surrounded by fog for the past 35 years and suddenly the sun has risen and it’s a perfect day,â€? she said. “I have never known what it feels like not be exhausted on a daily basis.â€? ď Žď€ The Scarlet Cup is being held at the Mornington Peninsula Racecourse on Sunday 29 May, midday to 5pm. See thescarletcup.com.au or call Donna Bradley-Robinson on 0404 491 119. Tickets $100 per person. Tax-deductible donations can also be made via the website.

DAMAGE done to the new Frankston war memorial at Beauty Park has been repaired by Frankston Council workers. Mayor Cr James Dooley said council “was extremely disappointed to be made aware of alleged damage to the new Frankston war memorial in the lead up to Anzac Day� (‘Skateboarders mar memorial’, The Times 20/4/16). “We consider any mark on the memorial that isn’t the name of person who has served to be exceptionally offensive to those who gather at this site to pay their respects to those who served and sacrificed to protect the freedom of others,� he said. “Council is currently investigating the installation of signage at the memorial, urging parents to stop their children from playing on the memorial as a sign of respect.� Cr Dooley said council workers determined some of the marks left on the memorial wall were caused by children sliding down the wall “with rubber from their shores coming off as they slid down�. “We are also aware of some local youth who have taken to social media to discourage any negative behaviour that may cause damage to the memorial. We are delighted to see the youth of Frankston standing

Marred: Marks have been removed from new war memorial. Pic: Gary Sissons

up for their local community. “Council has surveillance procedures in place which may be used to identify offenders and provided to local police for further investigation.� The mayor said the company who won the design and construct tender for the Frankston War Memorial, skate park designers Convic Pty Ltd, are putting together a range of additional measures to limit skateboard and BMX riding on the new memorial for council to consider. Neil Walker

Correction TWO recent articles (‘Silence surrounds council hearing’, The Times 25/4/16 and ‘Second councillor in spotlight’, The Times 9/5/16) concerning Cr Colin Hampton and Cr Darrel Taylor’s appearance last month at a councillor conduct panel hearing stated the Municipal Association of Victoria would make a decision on the councillors’ behaviour. The MAV merely facilitates such panel hearings and does not itself make a decision on the outcome of councillor conduct panel hearings. The association also does not receive panel reports or notification of the independent panel members’ decision. That information is passed to the relevant council, the parties to the hearing and the Victorian Local Government Minister.

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BLAIRGOWRIE • DROMANA • MORNINGTON • ROSEBUD • SEAFORD • TOORAK Frankston Times 16 May 2016

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