NEWS DESK
Money ready to flow for group projects MORNINGTON Peninsula community and charitable organisations can apply for South East Water’s 2022 Community Grants program until 4 March. The $500 to $10,000 grants are available to help groups undertake community projects. Projects must support the health and liveability of Port Phillip and Western Port bays and nearby areas, such as beaches, creeks and wetlands. Now in its third year, the program has so far granted $134,000 to 34 community groups. In 2021, the program helped buy equipment for Mornington Life Saving Club and Baxter Fire Brigade, pay for education programs at the Australian Marine Mammals Association, environmental activities at Nepean Conservation Group and Willum Warrain Aboriginal Association. Food for Change, at The Briars, Mount Martha used its $5000 to install a drip irrigation system to help grow fruit, vegetables and herbs which are donated to food relief agencies across the Mornington Peninsula. Food for Change chief executive and founder Matt Donavon said the charity was “very grateful to have received the grant and the irrigation has already helped us to plant fruit trees which will help in our efforts towards providing much needed food relief to the local community”. Applications close 5pm Friday 4 March. Details: southeastwater.com.au/grants
THE mayor, Cr Anthony Marsh. Picture: Yanni
Call for probe into ‘approvals’ Continued from page 1 “There have been many strange reasons given by DELWP to explain the unacceptable delays in making recommendations to you. “In the meantime, DELWP has been considering taking over the valuable golf course but are held up by an act of parliament that set up the trust and also requires your approval of members.” The Governor in Council is headed by the Victorian Governor and includes members of the Executive Council, which comprises the premier and government ministers. Issues decided by the Governor in Council include such things as making regulations; appointing, renewing and removing statutory officers; appointing judges; determining use of Crown land; and issuing proclamations.
SOUTH East Water managing director Lara Olsen and Matt Donovan, of Food for Change inspect the vegetable garden at The Briars, Mount Martha. Picture: Yanni
Uncovering public opinion Keith Platt keith@mpnews.com.au MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Council wants public opinion about nude bathing continuing at Sunnyside Beach, Mount Eliza, but a state government MP says his private polling has already provided the answer: going without clothes is all right. Nepean MP Chris Brayne said voting on his Facebook poll gave unanimous support to “optional clothing” rules to continue at the secluded bayside beach between Mount Eliza and Mornington. Late last year, the council flagged that it would seek public opinion before approaching the government over
the issue (“Call for fresh look at nude beach” The News 22/11/21). Since the beach was gazetted as a nude bathing beach in 1986, there have been reports of lewd behaviour and drug taking on and around the beach, in the car park and on the foreshore. Cr Steve Holland told the Tuesday 8 February council meeting that the survey issue had been largely “misunderstood”, as council was not indicating it wanted to change the nude bathing status of Sunnyside North Beach, but to open the debate up to the community. He said that another beach “on the other side of the bay” had its clothing optional status removed at one point as it was now considered to be a built-up area, and that Mount Eliza’s population
and demographic was also changing. Mr Brayne said that 413 of the 415 responses to his online poll gave nude bathing the thumbs up and the other two responses were a sad emoji and a heart symbol. “In a time with businesses struggling with staffing issues and the ongoing effects of the pandemic, is another public consultation really that necessary on this issue?” Mr Brayne, whose electorate does not cover the Sunnyside area, said on Wednesday, the day after councillors decided to approach the public. “The overwhelming response [to his Facebook poll] was supportive of the retention of the beach as clothing optional.” Cr Debra Mar said she thought the
move was about the “victimisation” of people who chose to “do this” [wear no clothes], and there should be other strategies considered to address negative behaviour in the area, which could not be linked to the clothing optional status. “They’re [nude bathers] having to defend themselves…,” she said. Cr Mar said the removal of the clothing optional status would not solve the problem of undesirable behaviour near the beach, and that it would be better to get police involved in managing the issues. Cr Holland successfully moved that residents living near Sunnyside be surveyed via email and a survey on the shire’s website be open to all.
Results from the surveys in May would be used by council when deciding if the optional clothing status at the beach should change. Cr Holland said it was important the survey results distinguished between non-residents and Mornington Peninsula Shire residents, as well as residents living close to the beaches, and each should be weighted differently. For the motion were the mayor Cr Anthony Marsh and Crs Holland, David Gill, Lisa Dixon, Mar, and Kerri McCafferty. Against: Crs Antonella Celi, Paul Mercurio and Susan Bissinger. With Liz Bell
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Southern Peninsula News
16 February 2022
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