NEWS DESK
Bay search for missing kayaker
POLICE released this image of Kylie Phillips and the car she was driving in the hope that someone can provide information on her whereabouts.
THE police air wing, water police and emergency services crews were late last week continuing to search for a missing kayaker off Mt Eliza. Kylie Phillips, 44, of Mt Eliza, was last seen at the Canadian Bay Yacht Club, Wednesday 15 November. The alarm was raised when she did not return from paddling her green kayak. Her car was found in the club’s car park. Mornington police Acting Senior Sergeant Russell Sephton said SES ground searches overnight had scaled down but the bay search would continue.
It is believed Ms Phillips has a medical condition. She is described as being about 170cm tall, slim build, and shoulder-length wavy brown or red hair. Police urge anyone who saw a blue Holden Viva station wagon, registration ULP 346, in the vicinity of the yacht club on Wednesday afternoon, to call Crime Stoppers 1800 333 000. Tim Warner from Victoria SES said anyone going out on the water should tell friends or family about their journey and always wear a lifejacket. Anyone with mental health issues should call Lifeline Australia 13 11 14.
Union sees ‘disgrace’ in lease deal Stephen Taylor steve@mpnews.com.au THE decision to lease out the running of Mornington Peninsula Shire’s aquatic and leisure centres to Belgravia Leisure has been blasted as “disgraceful” by a union official in a letter sent to all shire councillors. The official, organiser Ty Lockwood, represents staff involved in the transition which took place on 1 November. The lease arrangement affects staff at Pelican Park Recreation Centre, Crib Point pool, Somerville Health & Fitness Studio, Civic Reserve Recreation Centre in Mornington, and Westernport Gymnastics at Hastings Community Hub. The shire’s best practice facilitator Vicki Bishop notified Mr Lockwood beforehand that all leisure centre staff,
including casual staff, would transfer to Belgravia Leisure. She said they would “retain their existing employment terms and conditions as well as recognition of prior years of service with the shire. There will be no substantive changes to roles or rostered hours”. Affected staff members were notified of their redeployment in September. The shire’s chief financial officer Matthew Green said staff at the leisure centres “continue their employment with Belgravia Leisure”. “They retain their existing employment terms and conditions for the life of [their] contract,” he said. “It is the employee’s choice regarding superannuation: they can remain with their current fund, transfer to the Belgravia default fund or choose any other fund they prefer.”
Mr Lockwood is acting for a shire staff member who does not want a job with Belgravia Leisure, not least because her new contract reportedly offers a three-year term rather than the ongoing employment enjoyed by most shire staff. “This in our view again breaches the transfer of business clause of the 2014 MP Shire Enterprise Agreement as [she] had permanent ongoing employment with the shire: now her employment ceases on 28 October 2020,” Mr Lockwood said. “Why and how was this decision made? Who made this decision: MP Shire or Belgravia Leisure?” Mr Lockwood said he had “further concerns that other shire leisure employees may also have the same issue”. “This is our second attempt to try MGS Ad process MORNPIN and get this redeployment
sorted,” he told Ms Bishop in an email. “MP Shire has, in our view, breached the 2014 Enterprise Agreement again. “Perhaps a proper review needs to be conducted to ensure there aren’t further breaches …” Mr Lockwood wanted to know if councillors were aware that Belgravia Leisure has an Enterprise Agreement that “has not been renewed since 2003? Do the councillors think that this is ok? “Are the councillors happy that their decision to outsource Leisure has screwed over good, honest hard working residents and everyday people? “Would the ratepayers of Mornington Peninsula Shire be happy with their rates reportedly paying CEO Carl Cowie somewhere in the order of $400,000 a year with very lucrative conditions? “He is currently on a European jun:Layout 1 27/10/17 10:47 AM
ket at ratepayers’ expense but everyday workers can’t even get a simple pay increase and, potentially, have working conditions from 2003.” Belgravia manages more than 120 other centres across Australia. Ratepayers will pay it $5.72 million over five years in management fees. The Bayswater-based company will also run the shire’s All Access outreach programs for older adults in Mornington, Rosebud, Hastings, Somers, Blairgowrie and Somerville. The shire announced the “partnership” with Belgravia Leisure on 14 September. It said all council staff at the five centres would be offered jobs “with recognition of prior service and maintenance of existing terms and conditions of employment”. The deal was hailed as “a win-winwin” Pageby1then-mayor Cr Bev Colomb.
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