ELECTIONS 2022
Gone to the dogs: Independent candidate for Flinders Sarah Russell takes her dog Ash Barky on the campaign trail, above left, while supporters of her rival independent, Despi O’Connor, show their signs of approval. Pictures: Supplied
Independents in ‘peace talks’ over ‘split’ vote Keith Platt keith@mpnews.com.au PEACE talks are being held between the campaign teams of the two independent candidates standing for Flinders in next month’s federal election. The two candidates - Despi O’Connor and Sarah Russell - have been at odds ever since O’Connor decided to seek election on her own terms after failing to get the backing of the Voices for Mornington Peninsula (VMP) group. O’Connor was one of three shortlisted candidates for endorsement by the VMP but announced she would stand as an independent just days before the VMP publicly revealed its candidate. The move split the vote for independents in Flinders which is being
contested by 10 candidates. O’Connor last week said she had “recently” been “working alongside Voices of Mornington Peninsula to resolve our differences and to ensure the best outcome for the people of Flinders”. However, this is disputed by Russell who said “there had been no contact between Cr O’Connor and VMP since she decided to leave VMP and go solo” in mid-December 2021. Contact had only been re-established before a meeting on 20 April, which followed an 11 April article in The News about Russell’s campaign (“Running on Hope for Flinders”). Russell refused to attend the meeting at a “public/neutral space” between O’Connor and VMP. “There was a 10-day period between the publication of the article and
O’Connor’s response. Was she waiting for a date to be confirmed for a meeting with VMP so she could imply she was working alongside VMP?,” Russell said last week. “O'Connor has ignored every approach, public entreaty and Tweet from me regarding supporting each other by doing a deal with our preferences. “Despi split the vote, not me. I have received some unpleasant emails from Despi's supporters asking me to withdraw my nomination - saying I have split the vote! “One supporter went as far as to question my "mental health. As I replied to him: I expected abusive messages from Liberal supporters, but not Despi supporters.” Russell said that it was only after The News article was published that
O'Connor’s campaign manager contacted VMP suggesting an “urgent meeting”. “O'Connor’s language is also misleading. ‘Working alongside’ implies co-operation and collaboration. Letters in The News demonstrate the anger many VMP members feel towards Cr O’Connor for splitting the vote.” O’Connor has told The News she was “disappointed” not to have been approached for comment before publication of the Running on Hope for Flinders article. “I am not interested in playing politics or starting fires between candidates - I am running to ensure that the community of Flinders are heard in Canberra, and that our community is no longer taken for granted,” she said. In a 13 April email to the VMP
O’Connor’s campaign manager Conal Feehely suggested a “face-to-face meeting with the VMP board and your endorsed candidate”. “At this stage of the election, it’s important for both independent candidates and their representatives to come together to discuss our common goal of seeing an independent elected in Flinders – and representing our community to the fullest. “Understandably, there has been some hostility between the two teams given the nature of the selection process and the fact of two independent candidates running in the same race. “I believe that it’s important to have given this meeting enough time to allow for water to pass under the bridge – and that now is the best time to discuss the upcoming election and beyond.”
Candidates condemn sign vandals Continued from Page 1 “I am not sure that, as Zoe has suggested, it is a gender issue. Having many years of experience in elections the defacing of signs seems to be a fairly common experience and is not confined to any one particular party.” Ms D’Arcy said she was also concerned that some of McKenzie’s supporters “seem be suggesting that it is Labor or those on the left who are responsible, without any evidence whatsoever”. She said there had been no reports of Labor signs being vandalised “but we have had a couple of people saying they put up signs because they have been defaced in previous elections”. Conal Feehely, campaign manager for independent Despi O’Connor, said: “We strongly condemn the defacing of other candidates’ signs. We have reached out to the affected campaigns privately on this issue and have also publicly criticised sign defacing on our social media posts. “Our volunteer force abides by a strict code of
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conduct which prohibits acting or speaking negatively with regards to other candidates/campaigns. “All volunteers have signed this code of conduct, and we can assure you that no Team Despi volunteers were involved in such vandalism.” Feehely said investigations were being made into reports that some O’Connor signs had been torn down. The shire’s manager of legal and governance, Amanda Sapolu, said that “from time to time” the shire received complaints about the placement of political campaign and electoral signs. “Requests to remove non-compliant signs are dealt with by our rapid response team,” Sapolu said “Our planning compliance and community safety officers may also remove signs where they are located on council land. “Details of any signs removed are forwarded to the Australian Electoral Commission [and] candidates may then arrange to collect their removed signs from us.” With Liz Bell
As of 19 April 2022, Mornington Coastal Medical Centre will be owned and operated by IPN Medical Centres Pty Ltd (ACN 088 149 893) (“IPN”). To ensure the continuity of patient care, all patient and practice records will be maintained by IPN (other than those records returned to a patient or passed on to a nominated medical practitioner at the patient's request).
e Briars at Th knock at The Briars Opportunities ies knock Opportunit material marketing to “elevate The shire’s tourists it is also lookingand influstates that trend among experience is an emerging of camping has moved the restaurant idea people to village precinct”.willtrend among tourists and where the the new is an emerging allowing more to focus encepeople states. centre, experiences allowing more where the experiences being an uncomfortable gallery, visitor’s anddocument glamourous, document from wildlife to a this idea ofupcamping has moved Liz Bell wildlife serving “A precinct where states. fresh space”, the food,the space”, the enjoy centre, enjoy this form of travel wetlands, gardens, award-winning sanctuary, and visitor’sliz@mpnews.com.au cheap nursery, and housed an uncomfortable visitors from being nursery, be on growing educating housed award-winning and gallery, The property areas. The property picnic experience. kiosk and cafe,2020, until June vineyard, outdoor wetlands, gardens, sources the form of travel to a glamourous, inspired Josephine’s 2020, ourcheap June meals, until picnic areas. sanctuary, community.” restaurant Josephine’s the tenderof interest docu- to market restaurant to expressions kiosk and Thelost According expected to homeexperience. Martha outdoor with giving tender be cooking property at Mount the back BriarsdocuTHE vineyard, cafe, when it controversially lost oppor- market of interest glamping when it controversially be sources the ment states the “rare” business 2027. at the site. and to market opporChefs “will will also According at the site. bycontinue up for glamping be opening The expressions could revive up global business billionto come would$3.9 to continue produce that marketmarket expected to nowtoopening experitunities is hoping the “rare” reach new come under athe glamping council global grown the opportunities revive to fresh new dining at glamping dinwould ment states Mount Martha the council is is hoping Now, Briars’ new Now,Dreaming, master plan, Briars The new under to purchase Thewhich opening up property at and with flash which “experiences” at the reach $3.9 billion by 2027. available expand to plan, into plan new dinTHE Briars tunities now Sanctuary tourism numbers with flash up for glamping tourism numbersand master 10 on “protecting, enhancing focusses by venturing ence, called include night walks, Briars heritage-listed Pageglamping experiBriars’ new property. The gate”. into under a new could be opening enhancing under The and by venturing Continued cultural to ing experiencesnight glampingthe natural, ing experiences and celebrating” opportunities “protecting, anticipated Council popular at the Peninsula Shireincreasingly cultural ence, called Sanctuary Dreaming, is Mornington new dining focusses on increasingly popular glamping thestargazing, property. stories, “experiences” the the natural, and heritage beauty of theIndigenous expressions of interest anticipated to include night walks, plan to expand property. property. and celebrating” is calling market. of the for com-bush food. our and market. is already loved by up a considerable walks makes“What restaurant/village for loved Indigenous stories, stargazing, night heritage-listed Peninsula Shire Council and heritage beauty by our com-and “glampand and we will bring Glamping makes up a considerable Glamping will remain, munityindustry the property, which at bring Mornington of interest ing precincts” walks and bush food. “What is already the hospitality we will industry and hospitality of the of part and expressions part considered carefully new, for in some remain, already includes a historic homestead is calling munity will ge and “glampcarefully considered which for restaurant/villa in some new, at the property, ing precincts” a historic homestead already includes
Liz Bell om.au liz@mpnews.c
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Power to the people
LABOR’S climate change and energy spokesperson Chris Bowen announcing that Flinders could get a “community battery” the party’s Flinders candidate, Surbhi Snowball. Picture: Supplied
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THE Labor Party is offering to provide a community battery at Flinders if it wins the Saturday 21 May federal election. The party says just 12 of the more than 230 houses in the Flinders area with rooftop solar have registered a battery. Labor says the community battery would allow “households to feed solar power into the shared battery during the day and draw from it at night – cutting electricity bills and emissions and reducing pressure on the grid”. Households unable to install solar, like renters, would be able to draw from excess energy stored in the battery.
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