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Members of the Red Hill Greek community walk to Rosebud pier for the ceremony with Father Eleftherios Tatsis who threw the crucifix into the bay which was retrieved by Mathew Papadimitriou, right. Pictures: Supplied
Blessing for cross GOOD luck and prosperity were on offer when members of the Red Hill Greek Orthodox community celebrated the annual Holy Epiphany and Blessing of The Waters at the Rosebud pier, Monday 6 January. That was the “reward” for the first youthful parishioner to retrieve the crucifix thrown into the water by Father Eleftherios Tatsis. The ritual commemorates Christ’s baptism in the River Jordan and is one of the most important days on the Greek Orthodox calendar.
Decades of decisions being checked Keith Platt keith@mpnews.com.au MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire officers are “reviewing decisions” made over the past seven years involving three companies at the centre of investigations by the Independent Broadbased Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC). However, the review involving hundreds of files will be extended back
decades, if necessary, according to the mayor Cr Sam Hearn. “We want to look at everything, not just back to an arbitrary date,” he said. “Three decades is quite a lot to look into and we want enough external involvement so it doesn’t just appear to be council looking at itself.” Cr Hearn said council “intends to make [the review findings] public” but could be asked to withhold information by IBAC or the police.
The review by shire officers of any council decisions made involving Mornington-based Watsons Pty Ltd, Schutz Consulting Pty Ltd and Wolfdene Built Pty Ltd announced in December followed three weeks of hearings by IBAC which revealed hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations being made to local councillors, MPs (Labor and Liberal) and political parties; bags of cash delivered to one councillor by a former mayor and state
MP; and, the promise of a $100 million prize hanging on a minister’s stroke of a pen to allow rezoning of land. Watsons director John Woodman unsuccessfully stood for Mornington Peninsula Shire’s Briars Ward in 2012 and 2016. In the 2016 council election, Watsons donated $2489 to Briars Ward candidate, now councillor, Rosemary Clark. Cr Clark was incorrectly named by The News as deputy mayor in the 24/12/19 article “Shire probe into permits”.
Cr David Gill said on Monday he would “make sure the review of permits goes way back … the results should be made public”. “If [the results of the shire’s investigations] go to IBAC they will be public, but I don’t want to compromise the IBAC inquiry,” he said. “How do you ever get to the bottom of these things where politicians and councillors are involved? Continued Page 16
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