NEWS DESK
‘No comment’ on police drugs probe
Meeting needy’s needs: Pastor Mark Whitby oversees the City Life group’s ongoing mission to feed and help Frankston’s homeless and disadvantaged. Picture: Gary Sissons
Charity’s turn to seek help VOLUNTEERS at the City Life cafe give a helping hand to Frankston’s homeless and the needy but the church welfare organisation also needs a helping hand itself this year. Food is dished up to the hungry each day at the Clyde St Mall and an outreach van, dubbed The Cornershop Kitchen, visits communities to distribute much-needed meals. Finances at the charity are tight and an impending move from its existing premises to make way for an apartment complex development means City Life faces struggles of its own. Pastor Mark Whitby, who manages City
Life’s resources, said “it’s been a pretty tough period”. “We are having to move and we literally give away thousands of dollars’ worth of food each week,” he said. The church group hands out more than 16,000 nutritious breakfast, lunches and dinners annually and about 4000 food parcels. The breakfast program is supplied by the Frankston Breakfast Club. City Life receives no government funding and relies on donations and sales at its Clyde St op shop to survive. Mr Whitby said about 100 volunteers self-
SENIOR Frankston police are tight-lipped over claims of possible illicit drug use by officers at the station. It has been revealed that three police have been suspended on full pay after reportedly being under the influence of the drugs. Last week Channel 7 News reported the state’s anti-corruption watchdog, IBAC, had been called in by Victoria Police in September to investigate “evidence of widespread drug use” at the Fletcher Rd headquarters. Senior police on Thursday would not comment on the claims, nor which area of the station was being investigated by the Independent Broad-Based AntiCorruption Commission. A spokesman said knowledge of the investigation pre-
vented further comment. Any hint of drugs use raises fears criminal elements have infiltrated the station. It is not known what types of drugs were possibly involved. The Age last week reported an IBAC spokeswoman as saying: “[We are] investigating allegations of serious police misconduct and corruption. It is inappropriate to comment further on this ongoing matter. “IBAC has a broad role in relation to assessing police personnel conduct, and investigating and preventing misconduct by police personnel. IBAC can receive complaints about the conduct of Victoria Police officers, police recruits, Protective Service Officers, and employees who assist in the administration of the police.”
Bus assault counts
lessly give more than 30,000 hours of community service each year to keep City Life afloat. “If anyone knows of a site we can move to please let us know,” he said. The charity’s existing premises are 2300 square metres but Mr Whitby said “we may not need it that big”. Donations to City Life can be made at givenow.com.au/citylife or by bank deposits to Westpac BSB: 033 272, account: 272959. See citylife.net.au for further information about the charity. Neil Walker
POLICE are seeking help from bus passengers following an incident in which a 17-year-old girl was allegedly assaulted. Transit Robbery Taskforce members have charged a Frankston man travelling on the Cranbourne-bound No. 36 bus in Beach St, Frankston, 3.40pm, Monday 16 November. The 32-year-old is facing counts of attempted armed
robbery, recklessly causing serious injury, intentionally causing serious injury and threatening to inflict serious injury later that day. He was remanded in custody and will appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 7 December. Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or make a confidential report at crimestoppersvic.com.au
Hospitals on notice over carpark fees Neil Walker neil@baysidenews.com.au HOSPITALS have been ordered to review car parking fees after a review found some regular patients and visitors are financially burdened with hefty costs due to repeat visits. The Labor state government promised to review hospitals’ car parking fees before last year’s state election and commissioned an independent review of carparks at Victoria’s public hospitals. The review found hospitals charge different car parking rates and only some provide discounted parking to regular
patients, visitors, carers and pensioners. In some cases discounted carpark fees were not displayed or promoted by hospitals. The government has ordered every public health service operating fee-based car parking to have a formal policy in place by February next year. Health services must also publish and publicise car parking policies and all fees, including concessions details, must be clearly displayed at carpark entrances, points of payment and signs inside hospitals. “Having to go to hospital regularly can be distressing enough, both as a patient and as a visitor, without having to worry
about how much it will cost to park the car,” Health Minister Jill Hennessy said. “We’re directing all public hospitals to do what they can to ensure Victorians can safely, conveniently – and economically – receive regular treatment or visit their loved ones in hospital.” Peninsula Health planning and infrastructure acting executive director Rick Law said Frankston Hospital already had a formal parking policy. “Patients, carers or relatives demonstrating financial hardship can access concession parking rates by speaking to a hospital social worker. Oncology patients are not charged for parking.”
Frankston Hospital carparking fees begin at $7 for one hour rising to $15 for five hours, the maximum fee for all-day parking. A weekly rate of $45 is available. The Victorian Healthcare Association welcomed the review into hospitals’ carpark fees but noted “Victoria’s public hospitals are not funded to build and run car parks”. Association CEO Tom Symondson said public hospitals take out loans from the government to build car parks but these must be repaid and hospitals have few options to raise revenue to repay the loans.
“We would welcome the government contributing to the cost of providing parking discounts as well as supporting hospitals to expand their parking services given the pressures of increasing rates of chronicity and a growing population,” he said. The VHA backed the prominent display of concession carpark rates. Hospitals must also review their carpark fees and policy every year as part of the government push to ease financial stress on regular patients and visitors. Peninsula Health said it reviews its policy each year.
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BLAIRGOWRIE • DROMANA • MORNINGTON • ROSEBUD • SEAFORD • TOORAK Frankston Times
23 November 2015
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