Mornington
GET YOUR
FREE TV GUIDE INSIDE!
An independent voice for the community
Your weekly community newspaper covering Mornington, Mount Martha and Mount Eliza For all advertising and editorial needs, call 03
FREE
Tuesday 13 December 2022
5974 9000 or email: team@mpnews.com.au www.mpnews.com.au
Dogs waiting for ‘home’ invite
CHRISTMAS is coming but there will be little to celebrate for many of the four-legged homeless this year at the Pearcedale RSPCA. The peninsula shelter is bursting at the seams with dogs, like many shelters across the state, and has come up with a promotion to help find them new homes. Throughout December, in an effort to rehome some and to make room for animals that are expected to arrive over the coming months, the RSPCA is running “mates rate”, where all adult dogs are available for $200. An RSPCA spokesperson said that since the promotion started, there had been many adoptions across RSPCA shelters, but not many at Pearcedale. RSPCA animal care team member Elise Bennell said the shelter had about 25 dogs, with about 14 behaviour and temperament tested and ready for adoption. Bennell said some had been there for weeks so that expert staff can work with them and make sure they are ready to be rehomed, while others had arrived more recently and were waiting to find a family. “It’s a great time for people to adopt, as holidays are a good time to settle in a new pet,” she said. “It would be lovely to find some of these guys a new home before Christmas.” The shelter, in Robinsons Road, Pearcedale, opens for adoptions 10am to 4pm daily.
Home for Christmas?: RSPCA animal care team member Elise Bennell, pictured with Juice the Staffordshire terrier, says Christmas is a good time to adopt as people are more likely to have time to settle the new pet into their home. Picture: Gary Sissons
Residents denied flood tip relief Liz Bell liz@mpnews.com.au MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has been accused of costing flood victims hundreds of dollars and adding to their trauma by not telling them about a free flood waste tipping service. Rob Johnstone’s garage in Mornington was flooded during two heavy
rain events in recent weeks, damaging much of what was stored there, including carpets and various bits of building materials. Johnstone, who knew the state government was reimbursing selected municipalities – including Mornington Peninsula Shire – for accepting flood waste at no charge to residents, recently took a trailer load of the sodden
flood waste to Mornington’s waste disposal centre in Watt Road. But when he got there he was told he had to pay and there was no such thing as free waste disposal. Incensed, he phoned the council and quoted information provided by the Environment Protection Authority, only to be told the same that there was no free waste disposal for flood-affect-
ed residents in the shire and he would have to pay the going rate for a trailer load of rubbish. “I know for a fact that the government has been offering free waste disposal for flood affected residents until the end of December, I have it in writing and I have confirmed it over the telephone,” he said. “The council should know that, because they get
refunded by the EPA for any waste fee they waive. Are they double dipping by charging people as well?” Johnstone said it was bad enough to lose belongings because of the shire’s “inadequate” storm water drainage system, but being denied the opportunity to take up a government offer of free waste disposal was adding to the stress of it all. Continued Page 11