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Costly outcome for rubbish dumpers MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has successfully prosecuted 11 rubbish dumpers in the past seven months, resulting in fines of $11,000. The shire says it is “continuing its zero-tolerance approach to illegally dumped rubbish” with 10 cases of aggravated littering and one local law breach being heard at Dromana Magistrates’ Court. Two tree loppers and five peninsula businesses were among those prosecuted in the cases which resulted in $11,459 in fines and $2313 in costs being recovered to help pay for clean-ups and offset statutory costs. The shire’s environment protection unit is getting tough on rubbish dumpers by boosting patrols at dumping hot spots with CCTV and covert cameras and gates, fences and bollards to prevent access to parks and reserves. The shire says all dumping incidents will be investigated with a view to prosecuting offenders. The council has also begun letterbox drops calling for residents to provide information about waste dumps, and rolled out the Dob-in-a-Dumper campaign to raise awareness of legal disposal methods. “Illegal dumping is a crime and can incur onthe-spot fines,” the mayor Cr David Gill said. “Council will investigate all reported cases and prosecute dumpers with penalties of up to $9500.” Cr Gill said dumped waste posed a “serious threat to our wildlife and can lead to contamination of land, waterways and groundwater”. “It’s not hard to do the right thing with a long list of items able to be disposed of for little or no cost at our resource recovery centres, or use the
waste vouchers on rates notices to book a kerbside collection. “The recent disruption to the recycling industry is another reminder of how crucial it is [that] we all make a conscious effort to reduce the amount of waste we produce, and dispose of rubbish and recycling correctly.” The shire spends more than $700,000 a year cleaning up illegally dumped waste. A total of 4518 cases of illegal dumping have been reported in the past 12 months. “Hardworking ratepayers’ money could be put to much better use in our community,” Cr Gill said. The most commonly dumped items are mulch, green waste, hard waste, such as furniture and miscellaneous items, and tyres. Items that can be dropped off for free at the resource recovery centres include household recyclables, steel goods (excluding fridges and air conditioners), bikes, computers, TVs, paint (up to 100 litres), gas cylinders (up to 9kg); motor oil (up to 20 litres), fluorescent globes and tubes and batteries. Green waste can be taken to the resource recovery centres using waste vouchers or disposed of through the shire’s no-charge green waste events twice a year. For a full list of items you can dispose of for free, visit: mornpen.vic.gov.au/wasteguide Peninsula households can book free kerbside waste collections for green and hard waste on 5950 1406. Report dumpers at mornpen.vic.gov.au/dobinadumper or call 1300 850 600 or 5950 1000.
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Call for a FREE measure & quote. Mermaid on screen JOSIE Jones is described as being as a “local warrior for change”. The Rye resident and the 2019 Mornington Peninsula Australia Day Citizen of the Year is also the subject of Surf Mermaid, a documentary covering how she overcame adversity to create a legacy. The 13-minute documentary by student filmmaker Charlotte Rowson won Best Documentary at this year’s Peninsula Film Festival. Ms Jones concentrates on preserving and protecting the marine environment of Port Phillip, which includes campaigning to reduce waste and litter. A screening of Surf Mermaid to raise money for Uniforms 4U and RU OK? will be held 6-8pm Friday 16 August at Sorrento Cinemas, 26 Main Street, Sorrento. Drinks and nibbles before the screening and a panel discussion with Steve Bastoni after the film.
Preservationists: Colleen Mackay, left, runs Uniforms 4U, an organisation that gives recycled school uniforms to needy families, and campaigner for a health marine environment Josie Jones. Picture: Yanni
School upgrade STATE Education Minister James Merlino was at Red Hill Consolidated School last week ahead of a $3.2 million upgrade to the school’s buildings. While at the school with Nepean MP Chris Brayne Mr Merlino also had a look at the $1.7 million architect-designed modular building that replaced an asbestos filled building. The new building includes four general-purpose classrooms, outdoor learning spaces and a staff room. Mr Merlino said the upgrade was necessary “because you can’t deliver a first-rate education in second-rate classrooms”.
est 1997
50 Hartnett Drive, Seaford (Opposite Vic Roads) 9782 4142
19 Treloar Lane, Pakenham
(Opposite Pakenham Central) 5940 3866
www.jaleighblinds.com.au Southern Peninsula News 14 August 2019
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