NEWS DESK
Mount Martha ‘hot spot’ for break-ins
Living the dream: Liz Hincklin, Jacquie Beddows and Gidja Walker are the subjects of documentaries in the Dreamweavers series that focus on their inspirational activities after overcoming adversity. Picture: Yanni
Women’s adversity leads to inspiration DREAMWEAVERS, a series of short documentary films about three Mornington Peninsula-based women who have suffered adversity and inspire others, will be screened as part of the Flinders Fringe Festival on Sunday (25 February). The series was made by award winning film makers Heather Forbes-McKeon and photographer for The News, Yanni Dellaportas. Gidja Walker, an ecologist and ethnobotanist who has worked for years protecting Earthscapes, overcame discrimination in a male dominated profession. Walker mentors young women entering the world of nature-based learning and an advocate for traditional
owner custodianship. Jacquie Beddows suffered a stroke and aneurysm in 2011, aged 50. While no longer able to work as an early childhood support worker, she established Singing for Wellness in 2015 and Art for Wellness in 2019 at Seawinds Community Hub, Rosebud. The third subject of Dreamweavers, Liz Hicklin, is an inspirational 92-year-old author, poet and raconteur whose enthusiasm for life and entertaining others challenges assumptions about old age.. Following its success in 2023, the Flinders Fringe Festival will be held from 23 to 25 February. For bookings go to flindersfringe.com.au/
A SPATE of break-ins around a Mount Martha “hot spot” has residents calling for more intensive policing. In recent weeks the number of houses around the Hearn Road area that have been targeted has put home owners on alert. Mount Martha resident Sonia said residents were sick of the crime and the inability to stop the offenders, who had been caught on CCTV and appeared to be teenagers or young men. “In December, January and this month there have been a lot of properties affected. I know of people in Capri Drive, Shearwater Drive, The Point, Churchill, Stanley, Ponyara Road and others around the hill area,” she said. “They have been targeting us for weeks … early hours …. police are patrolling and trying to identify them”. Sonia said police were trying, but were probably under resourced. “People need to be aware this is happening, and be alert … have security and just be aware,” she said. MP for Eastern Victoria Region Renee Heath late last year called on the Minister for Correction Anthony Carbines to address the crime rate. Heath said a rise in crime over summer had signalled the need for more police on the Mornington Peninsula. Carbines said the police commissioner recognised that highly visible proactive policing operations – ensuring police officers were on the frontline, responding to calls for assistance – would best ad-
dress crime and keep communities safe. He said the 2022-23 state budget included an extra $600 million, of which $342 million was for an additional 502 police officers. Carbines said the extra police was on top of the more than 3600 additional police already on the frontline financed as part of the Allan Labor government’s record $4.5 billion investment in Victoria Police. “I encourage you to remind your constituents that they should continue to call triple zero (000) for emergencies or the police assistance line (131 444) or online reporting service for non-urgent reports”. Victoria Police was contacted for comment. Liz Bell
Shire ‘consolidates’ MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Council is advertising for “experienced contractors/firms” to be partners in building new “consolidated” shire offices. The offices can be built on private or shire-owned land and would replace the current offices at Rosebud, Hastings and Mornington. The shire lists potential locations as: Wannaeue Place, Rosebud; Queen Street, Mornington; Waterloo Place car park, Mornington; Besgrove Street, Rosebud; Marine Parade, Hastings; Civic Reserve, Dunns Road, Mornington. Details: mornpen.vic.gov.au/futureworkplace
Tourism?
Your Opinion matters! You’ve told us that Mornington Peninsula’s tourism industry is crucial to our local economy. We know it too. Tourism injects $1.7 billion* annually into our economy and supports over 8,000 jobs. As residents and visitors to the Mornington Peninsula, your input is invaluable to shaping our destination management plan. Help us address infrastructure needs and leverage the tourism industry by filling out this 5 minute survey. Your responses will be included alongside industry and key stakeholders’ input to ensure the full range of views are incorporated.
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*Source: National Visitor Survey Data, September 2023
Mornington News
20 February 2024
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