Regional grants for ‘metro’ shire Keith Platt keith@mpnews.com.au ALTHOUGH debate continues over whether the Mornington Peninsula is part of metropolitan Melbourne or a region, the Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has approved two projects under the federal government’s Building Better Regions Fund (BBRF). Mr Joyce attributes $188,000 for an environmental and education centre at Red Hill and $300,000 for a “recovery event” at Balnarring as being “a testament to the dedication of [Flinders MP] Greg Hunt”. The joint news release from Mr Joyce and Mr Hunt announcing the grants quoted Mornington Peninsula Shire mayor Cr Despi O’Connor as saying the shire was being “thrilled to receive this funding under the Building Better Regions Fund”. “The $149,998 secured through this grant will be dollar-matched by the shire … to deliver a fun, inclusive and immersive community event to Balnarring.” Cr O’Connor said. “This event will be delivered within the context of a broader, peninsulawide arts and cultural festival, and offer a broad range of music, creative arts and performance experiences, as well as participatory workshops and activities for people of all ages.” Mr Hunt, the Minister for Health and Aged Care, said the Balnarring “recovery event will expand and inspire our rich, vibrant arts sector - building on the $300,000 investment made earlier this year to the Mornington Peninsula
Regional Gallery” (“Artists invited to share peninsula impressions” The News 4/10/21). “I’m also excited for the environmental and education centre to come to life and provide environmental education on preserving our beautiful sites like the [National Trustowned] Endeavour Fern Gully.” National Trust of Australia CEO Simon Ambrose said the environment and education centre “will be a space for locals, visitors, tourists, researchers and students to learn and engage about the environmentally and culturally significant site, rich in flora, fauna and habitat diversity”. Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Minister Mr Joyce, said the federal government was “focused on ensuring our regions remain strong”. Extra money committed by the government “will support more projects, more jobs and create more economic opportunities in our regions to boost their recovery from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic”. “Funding for these projects in the Flinders electorate is a testament to the dedication of Greg Hunt,” Mr Joyce said. “Funding under the Building Better Regions Fund supports economic and social infrastructure for the long-term benefit of regional communities.” Seeing benefits in being considered metropolitan or regional by other levels of government, the shire is opting for being classified peri-regional (“Shire seeks metro break with benefits” The News 2/8/21). An online poll of residents is due to end this month, although councillors
have been warned that there are pluses and minuses to either classification. Shire advocacy facilitator Emma Lindsay, in a report to council’s 13 July meeting, said that “the debate surrounding the current metropolitan classification … is a complex issue including significant planning, land use and administrative implications”. “Most of our community are not aware of the complexities involved beyond COVID lockdown, which necessitate careful analysis and consideration, beyond a yes or no vote,” Ms Lindsay said. Ms Lindsay – who described the peninsula as having a hybrid urban and rural character – cautioned councillors against pushing for a change in the peninsula’s status until it had “a clear advocacy position, informed and validated by external and independent research”. The business-backed Committee for Mornington Peninsula has said that being classified metropolitan “frequently disadvantages our residents, businesses and communities without providing the standards that metropolitan designation should confer”. Liberal Mornington MP David Morris has told state parliament that the peninsula is not an extension of the metropolitan area (“Peninsula a ‘pretend’ metro area - MP” The News 16/8/21). “The standard of government services on the Mornington Peninsula is not up to metropolitan standards. It is not now, and it never has been,” Mr Morris, a former Mornington Shire president, said.
Man held after phone tower fire DETECTIVES from the Security Investigation Unit have charged a Mount Eliza man following a fire at a 5G phone tower in Mount Eliza. Nathan Glover, 44, was arrested at his home in Clendon Close, off Tower Road, Thursday 14 October. He was later charged with causing criminal damage by fire, possessing a prohibited weapon, possessing cannabis, possessing a drug of dependence, and committing an indictable offence while on bail. Mr Glover appeared via video link from Melbourne West police station at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court last week and, after being refused bail, was remanded in custody to reappear on 13 January. The charges follow an allegedly deliberately lit fire at a phone tower on Nepean Highway, near Sunnyside Road, Thursday 7 October. Damage to the tower was estimated at $1 million. A technician called to a fault at the tower reported the fire to police. Arson chemists attended and the investigation was referred to the security investigation unit due to the damage to critical infrastructure. The Age newspaper reported on Friday that police had found a six square metre hole dug in Mr Glover’s backyard in which he “intended to imprison Premier Daniel Andrews”. The paper said police had alleged the anti-lockdown protester gained entry to the tower by cutting wire fencing and climbing inside and pouring a mixture of red paint and petrol onto cabling. He then allegedly discarded a bottle containing the flammable liquid into some bushes, lit the fire and ran. The newspaper’s report said the
Picture: Gary Sissons court was told Mr Glover was pictured on CCTV arriving at the tower and leaving 10 minutes later on an electric scooter. Mr Glover was on bail after being charged with using a telecommunication device to harass and menace after allegedly posting on Facebook, under the profile name “nathan.glover.756”, that he intended to capture and arrest Mr Andrews and put him before a “kangaroo court” on October 26 last ye ar. Stephen Taylor
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19 October 2021
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