NEWS DESK
Poor health led to couple’s death: coroner Stephen Taylor steve@mpnews.com.au A CORONER’S report into the deaths of an elderly Rosebud couple late last year has described the tragic circumstances as a “common theme”. Judge Sara Hinchey was commenting on the death of Nancy May Budge who died in an apparent murder-suicide pact with her husband, Roy, in the driveway of their Adams Av property, 4.30pm, Thursday 3 November. Both
were in their mid-80s. “It is well understood that people who have lived a full, productive and loving life, but who experience an irreversible deterioration in their physical health, can develop a determination to end their own lives, often in circumstances of desperation, loneliness and fear,” she said. “The Coroners’ Court of Victoria investigates a number of deaths each year in which a person suffering an irreversible decline in physical health has made the decision to end their
own life. Such deaths raise a number of moral and social issues, which fall outside the jurisdiction of the court.” A neighbour found Mrs Budge dead and Mr Budge suffering life-threatening injuries from a 0.22 calibre gunshot wound. He was airlifted to The Alfred hospital but later died. The couple were suffering from terminal illnesses and had “got their affairs in order”, before ending their lives in the car. They had dropped off their dog in their daughter’s backyard and withdrew cash for bills.
Judge Hinchey reported that experts could not determine who had fired the fatal shots because gunshot residue was on both their hands. She said Mrs Budge, in desperation over her poor health, had previously told family members that “if doctors could not do anything to help her, she would take matters into her own hands and get dad’s gun and shoot herself because she was not going to live like this”. Further, an ailing Mr Budge had said that “if he had to shoot [Mrs Budge]
then he would have to make sure it was a good shot”. The family “did not believe that Mr and Mrs Budge were serious regarding these statements, but [were] aware that they did not want to go on suffering as they were.” The coroner determined that Mrs Budge had died from a single gunshot to the head. * For support and information about suicide prevention, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467
Artist’s poster play for a clean bay
Shire plan for office in city
Keith Platt keith@mpnews.com.au
SOME of Mornington Peninsula Shire’s planning staff and senior executives may soon be operating out of an office in central Melbourne. The shire’s CEO Carl Cowie told The News on 31 August that “there is nothing to report regarding a Shire office in central Melbourne”. But one day later (1 September), in his regular Friday email to shire staff Weekly Message, Mr Cowie described sitting in an Uber “waiting to get on the Monash [Freeway]” on his way to a meeting in the Melbourne CBD with “the exec team”. (He also praised the benefits of having a tablet, or hand held computer, “so you can really get your work done anywhere”.) Exactly one week before (25 August) Mr Cowie’s email to staff said “we have received some pricing for what could be a good first site for a shire planning presence in the CBD”. “I will be inviting several key officers for a look at the office space on Friday 1 September.” The shire’s media department did not respond when asked by The News on the office inspection day: “Is the shire planning, or investigating, having an office in or near central Melbourne?” The quotes attributed to Mr Cowie the previous day also included: “Any such decision [about a Melbourne CBD office] would require Council approval.” Councillors have been briefed about problems faced by the shire in retaining qualified planning staff and the offer of a city office is seen as a “perk” to persuade them to stay. One councillor some years ago told The News that cars were required to attract “bright young things” to the shire from the city. A city office might also prove beneficial to executives who do not reside on the peninsula, even though they knew the position they applied for was based in Rosebud, Mornington or Hastings. Keith Platt
STANDING in the sand dunes at Rye, Josie Jones is pleased to note the absence of rubbish. She is there to promote a community walk at Hastings to raise money and awareness of the Dolphin Research Institute, for which she has designed and added a poster to her “I’m really a mermaid” series. No stranger to the foreshore at Rye, Ms Jones has for the past 12 years walked its length and breadth collecting rubbish either dropped by careless beachgoers or dropped in the bay. A graphic designer, Ms Jones estimates she’s collected four tonnes of rubbish in a personal campaign that’s been recognised with a KVB Tidy Towns: Dame Phyllis Frost Award for “her outstanding commitment to her work in sustainability”. A regular speaker at schools and community groups, she is a keen diver and likes to mention the “full stable of seahorses” under Rye pier. The presence of the seahorse colony exemplifies the need for a clean bay. “The end result of dropping rubbish on land ends in the sea,” Ms Jones says. “I’m passionate about people coming together and working together.” Part of her vision is to help the Dolphin Research Centre, something she can achieve by producing a series of posters with her graphic art skills. She has also become something of a statistician, counting and weighing rubbish to convince people of the growing waste problem. Over two months she collected 5879 cigarette butts. “I take a psychological approach. I don’t take no for an answer and I love seeing people succeed.” Ms Jones says she has gained the
support of a supermarket in collecting rubbish left lying in its car park and is now trying to convince Mornington Peninsula Shire that installing and regularly emptying a recycling bin is a lot cheaper than burying rubbish at the tip. “I come up with solutions and I’m
persistent.” For details about the Sunday 22 October Walk for Western Port go to www.dolphinresearch.org.au/walkwestern-port-2017/ To see Ms Jones’ posters go to www.sharetheword.com.au/im-reallya-mermaid/
Mermaid in the dunes: Josie Jones at Rye with her poster promoting next month’s foreshore walk at Hastings to raise money for the Dolphin Research Institute. Picture: Yanni
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