Mornington
Downunder
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HUGE SALE
Your guide to what’s on this weekend for peninsula families
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Tuesday 16 December 2014
MPNEWS (1300 676 397) or email: team@mpnews.com.au www.mpnews.com.au
Santa takes reins while samoyeds take strain THE Christmas samoyeds were back at Bentons Square shopping centre on Saturday, entertaining children along with the Mornington Salvation Army band. The dogs make an appearance every year, pulling Santa’s sleigh into the centre. According to the Samoyed Club of Victoria the dogs “have a twinkle in their dark intelligent eyes and their ever present smile. They are truly dogs with Christmas in their hearts all year long”. The dogs are recognised for being good natured and patient, allowing young children to snuggle and cuddle them. Samoyeds were originally used to hunt, herd reindeer and haul sleds for the samoyed people in north western Siberia where they were treated as members of the family. For more information about the club’s monthly pet walks, puppy inquiries or general information go to www.samoyedclubvictoria.com Picture: Yanni
Raw milk warning Stephen Taylor steve@mpnews.com.au THE death of a Mornington Peninsula child after drinking raw cow’s milk has prompted Frankston and Mornington Peninsula health officers to visit retailers suspected of selling the product. Frankston CEO Dennis Hovenden said Environmental Health team officers had attended 10 premises last week. They ranged from health food
shops to specialist delis and grocers in Frankston, Karingal and Seaford. “None of the premises inspected had any brand of bath milk available for sale,” he said. “One retailer had previously sold this type of product, but confirmed it would not be sold in future due to the inherent health risk.” Mornington Peninsula Shire’s environmental health team leader Mark Upton said his officers would remind
retailers of the importance of informing customers that products – such as bath milk - are not for human consumption. The toddler, 3, died in the past month after drinking Mountain View Organic Bath Milk. The case has been forwarded to the State Coroner. Another four children aged one to four, also from the Mornington Peninsula and the south-eastern suburbs, reportedly recovered from serious illness after drinking unpasteurised milk.
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Mountain View Organic Dairy proprietor Vicki Jones told 3AW the milk cartons – labelled bath milk - were clearly marked as cosmetic-use only and ‘not-for-human-consumption’. She said local retailers were expected to inform customers of the dangers of drinking it and to advise them of its use only as a skin-care product. However, the cartons appear similar to regular milk and are often sold in fridges next to drinking milk.
Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Dr Rosemary Lester warns we are all vulnerable to illness caused by the pathogens present in raw milk. “The risks are even greater for young children and for the elderly, those with underlying health problems, immunocompromised or pregnant,” she said. As a result, the sale of unpasteurised milk for human consumption is illegal in Victoria. Continued Page 8