POLITICS
Crewther seeks second chance in Dunkley FORMER Liberal Dunkley MP Chris Crewther wants the chance to regain the seat he lost to Labor’s Peta Murphy at the 2019 election. Mr Crewther succeeded fellow Liberal Bruce Billson in 2016 but failed to hold onto the seat that had been held by Mr Billson for 20 years. Mr Crewther is now one of four Liberals seeking preselection for Dunkley. The other contenders are Donna Hope, Sharn Coombes and Chrestyna Kmetj. Ms Hope (formerly Mrs Bauer) was the state MP for Carrum until 2014, when she lost her seat to Labor’s Sonya Kilkenny. She unsuccessfully contested the seat in 2018 and has since been working as a Jetstar flight attendant and staffer for federal MP, Katie Allen. Ms Coombes, who is soon to move to live in the Dunkley electorate, has been a criminal barrister for more than 20 years and was twice runner-up on the reality TV program, Survivor. Ms Kmetj, of Ukrainian descent, lives outside the Dunkley electorate in Mount Martha and is a self-employed business manager. None of the Liberal hopefuls could provide comments due to the preselection rule which
prohibits nominees from revealing information to the media before they’ve been selected. The preselection is due to happen in August providing there are no further delays due to lockdowns or rescheduled Victorian Liberal Party council meetings. An auditor general’s report has criticised train station car parking promises made by the Liberals in the lead-up to the 2019 federal election. In March, the $7 million car parking expansions at Kananook and Seaford stations announced by Mr Crewther in May 2019 were abandoned by the federal government. The Australian National Audit Office has since found that the $660 million Urban Congestian Fund car park plan was inappropriately administered. Ms Murphy said last week that the car parks were “just an attempt at a political fix, never to be delivered”. “The Liberal government didn’t even engage with our local community, the [Frankston] council or the state government.” Joseph Misuraca and Keith Platt
NO parking: The former MP for Dunkley Chris Crewther with federal Treasurer Josh Frydenberg in 2019 announcing that $14 million would be spent extending car parking at Kananook and Seaford railway station. Mr Crewther lost the following election and both car park plans were dropped in March this year.
Labor ‘wins’ in boundary change CHANGES to state electoral boundaries see Labor as having a small winning margin in two of the Mornington Peninsula’s three seats. However, both major parties have reduced margins in seats they already hold on the peninsula. Hastings, held by Liberal Neale Burgess since 2006, has swung 1.5 per cent to Labor, changing Mr Burgess’s 1.1 per cent winning margin to a 0.4 per cent loss in Labor’s favour.
Labor, which gained a foothold on the normally solid Liberal peninsula with the election in 2019 of Chris Brayne in Nepean, sees his margin clipped from 0.9 per cent to 0.6 per cent. Mornington, held by Liberal David Morris since November 2006, remains unchanged at 5 per cent. In Neighbouring Frankston, Labor’s Paul Edbrooke sees his margin increase from 9.7 per cent to 10.2 per cent. Keith Platt
Climate Action Grants are open!
Calling all local creatives and artists to join The Creators Network! Join us at The Creators Network, a series of free creative networking events aimed at developing greater collaboration and sustainability in our broad and diverse arts and culture community. Connect with likeminded creatives and artists.
Achieving net zero emissions is a huge challenge Mornington Peninsula Shire cannot achieve alone. We need our community to work with us to foster behaviour change, share knowledge and reduce carbon emissions across the Peninsula.
Our Climate Action Grant program supports innovative projects that help achieve our climate emergency goals. The program is open to community groups, charities, schools, business associations, social enterprises and small businesses.
RSVP up to two days prior to the event: mornpen.vic.gov.au/ creatorsnetwork Meet our collectives Wed 21 July, Rye Civic Hall Meet our artists Wed 25 August, Mount Eliza Community Hall Meet our creative spaces Wed 22 September, Tyabb Community Hall
The program offers grants up to $10,000. Apply before 4 August. Eligibility criteria, info sessions and more: mornpen.vic.gov.au/climategrant PAGE 10
Mornington News
6 July 2021