15th March 2016

Page 10

NEWS DESK

Centre signs on against violence Port or airport PENINSULA Community Legal Centre commemorated International Women’s Day last Tuesday (8 March) by signing a statement of its intention to commit to creating a community that is safe and accessible for women and their children. Donned in white, purple and green, the centre’s staff took a break from their day to meet in the boardroom to witness the centre’s signing of The Peninsula Model’s ‘Creating Safety, Equality and Respect in our Community: a Catchment Wide Strategy to Prevent Violence against Women and their Children’. Frankston and Mornington Peninsula Primary Care Partnership prevention and community engagement coordinator John Baker said The Peninsula Model is part of the Frankston and Mornington Peninsula Primary Care Partnership. “This is a catchment-based partnership between a range of health and community service organisations, key stakeholders, consumers, carers and communities throughout Frankston and the Mornington Peninsula. The partnership is working on addressing gender equity and the prevention of violence against women and their children at the policy and practice level within organisations.” Its strategy includes the vision “for women and their children to live free from violence; feel safe and respected, valued and heard in their relationships, workplaces and within the community. We strive for every woman, man and child in the Frankston Mornington Peninsula catchment to have equal access to opportunities that enable them to reach their potential and participate fully in the social, economic and cultural aspects of their lives.”

plea to Premier

Neil Walker neil@mpnews.com.au

Safety first: Primary Care Partnership’s John Baker and Peninsula Community Legal Centre CEO Jackie Galloway sign The Peninsula Model pledge to prevent violence against women and children. Picture: Gary Sissons

Peninsula Community Legal Centre CEO Jackie Galloway said violence against women and girls remains prevalent. “Last year, more than a quarter of our clients reported family violence. We helped many women by providing free legal advice and assistance, including duty lawyer services at the Frankston Magistrates’ Court and Dandenong Family Law Courts. “We have recently welcomed interim additional funding for 2016-17 from the Victorian government, which is enhancing our ability to provide legal help to people dealing with family violence. Our centre also provides community legal education about

family violence and actively supports local family violence networks and partnerships.” Peninsula Community Legal Centre is a not-for-profit organisation that provides free advice on many legal issues, with ongoing assistance available for clients experiencing disadvantage. In addition to its family violence services and general legal services, the centre also operates specialist programs in family law, child support, tenant and consumer advocacy and rooming house outreach, which also frequently assist clients experiencing family violence. For more information about free legal services see pclc.org.au or call 9783 3600.

THE possibility of a commercial airport at Hastings is still up in the air and many peninsula residents who contacted The Times after this month’s previous article (‘Airport plan takes flight’, The News 1/3/16) believe the plan will not fly but Frankston Council is serious about its suggestion for a south east airport in the Mornington Peninsula suburb. Frankston mayor Cr James Dooley has written to Premier Daniel Andrews asking the Labor state government to consult independent authority Infrastructure Victoria about the feasibility of an airport in Hastings. In the letter dated 1 March Mr Dooley says land between Hastings and Somerville, about 2000 hectares known as the ‘Long Island Precinct’, earmarked for a container site for the Port of Hastings could be rezoned as “the location for a south east airport”. Frankston Council still wants the Port of Hastings development to proceed despite Labor’s preference for a port at Bay West near Geelong. The state government was finally able to pass legislation approving the sale of a 50-year lease for the Port of Melbourne and plans to use the expected $6 billion to fund its promise to remove 50 level crossings across Victoria’s rail network including 11 on the Frankston line. Cr Dooley believes the Port of Hast-

ings option is not dead in the water and the Port of Melbourne legislation passed last week leaves the door open to an expansion of the Port of Hastings. “We hope that the Victorian government will receive independent advice from Infrastructure Victoria, on the best location for a second container port,” he said. “The ideal location for this second container port would be the Port of Hastings, which meets all of the needs for a major container port and would result in major employment creation across the south east region.” If the Port of Hastings expansion does not proceed Frankston Council says the government should look at an airport for the area. “It is timely for the Victorian government to explore all of the potential opportunities to transform the Port of Hastings into a significant transport hub to strengthen the economy of our growing region,” Cr Dooley said. “We will be meeting with representatives from the South East Melbourne Group of Councils later this month, to present a letter addressed to them, and discuss the opportunities that a regional airport will present for our entire region”. The South East Melbourne Group of Councils includes the shires of Mornington Peninsula, Bass Coast and Cardinia and the cities of Frankston, Kingston, Greater Dandenong and Casey.

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Mornington News 15 March 2016

caroline@mphearing.com.au www.mphearing.com.au


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