LETTERS
Letters - 300 words maximum and including full name, address and contact number - can be sent to The News, PO Box 588, Hastings 3915 or emailed to: team@mpnews.com.au
Shire’s aerial pool check is an invasion of privacy My elderly mother-in-law, a resident of Mornington, recently received a letter from the shire telling her she had to register her pool or spa (“New pool rules next month” The News 18/5/20). As she has neither, we contacted the shire to inquire as to what was going on. We were advised that the shire had used aerial surveillance to photograph pools and spas in the district. The raises two points. Firstly, is the shire legally able to invade peoples’ privacy in this way, and secondly, how does it find something that is not there? She has been very stressed over this because she cannot understand how she could be “accused” of having something she doesn’t have and being asked to pay for it. This to me is overstepping the mark, notwithstanding incompetent. Glenn Murphy, Hampton Park
Review heritage It is great that Mornington Peninsula Council will perhaps participate in providing low cost social housing (“Plan to house the homeless” The News 13/5/20). Surely it is a given that everyone has the fundamental right to safe, secure housing in this wealthy country we live in? Far too many people are sleeping rough or homeless. On another housing matter, congratulations to the owners of 14-16 Bath Street, Mornington who are painstakingly restoring their older house. In contrast, elsewhere in the same street developers have again won. The home was built by well known, respected architecture company Chancellor and Patrick and should, in my opinion, have had a conserva-
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Southern Peninsula News
27 May 2020
tion order placed on it. In recent times the Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery had a well-attended exhibition on significant architectural homes and buildings on the peninsula and this company was a stand out. We are losing far too many of these iconic homes on the peninsula. The council needs to comprehensively review its heritage strategy before it is too late. The peninsula will be just full of concrete units and high rises. Denise Hassett, Mount Martha
Watching costs Each year Mornington Peninsula Shire’s salary and wages costs exceed the previous year, with the nod of long serving councillors. With the current coronavirus the people most protected are public servants and council staff. The majority of small and medium business have been throttled by restrictive over the top regulations. Council employees are relatively well paid and with very generous benefits not enjoyed by the private sector. Council then meets the increase by scratching around to find additional revenue, such as an extra slug on rural properties, increased fees for beach box owners and a state tax on pool owners. Councillors who have had no experience handling other people’s money or running a business sit in judgement on balance sheets. I have sat on a number of similar state and local committees and have been part of a structure that instructs each of four main managers that they have to reduce expenditure by 10 per cent to comply with community accountability. Tom Miller, Tootgarook
Quarry losses Plans by Hillview Quarries to extract 70 million tonnes of granite stone from Arthurs Seat will cause many long-term job losses in Dromana, Rosebud and Portsea (“State urged to buy quarry” The News 16/3/20). The state government should stop this plan as local farming and wine-growing activities will also be affected. Michael Kiddle, Mount Eliza
Distancing question Over the past weeks, several times each day, I drive past Bata Shoes, Mornington and see lines of people queuing up for free shoes being offered by the company. Initially, the line stretched out of the store into the car park and up Oakbank Road. Cars were parked on both sides of the road. It is very generous of the shoe company to give complimentary shoes to health and aged care workers. Workers employed to assist the most vulnerable in our community. Wouldn’t they be aware of the physical distancing rules our state government has in place? On Thursday 21 May Peninsula Health staff were outside Bata’s main office for a “photo opportunity” with the management of Bata. No one seemed phased with the lack of observance of the physical distancing rules of the people lined up. This daily occurrence doesn’t appear to have seen any policing of this line-up. I wonder if there will be any repercussions of this generous offer and the close proximity of people waiting, anything up to well over an hour, for a free shoe? Janet Street, Mornington
Gambling with mental health and money AUSTRALIANS reportedly lose more money on gambling each year, per person, than residents of any other country. Encouraging them to bet is gambling advertising which is prominent across all media, particularly in sports. Social researchers are questioning whether poker machines should be switched off for good as they are in Victoria now because of COVID-19 social distancing restrictions. Mornington Peninsula Shire is one area of government counting the mental health costs and social disruption caused by gambling excesses. It says it is “committed to preventing gambling harm” in a world where smartphones are keeping us connected to betting sites. To raise awareness of gambling-related harm, the shire is partnering with Gambler’s Help Southern and Self Help Addiction Resource Centre (SHARC). “The normalisation of gambling as an accepted form of entertainment is causing harm without us even realising it,” the mayor Cr Sam Hearn said. “[It] can impact us in ways we don’t always see and can affect our health and community services, education institutions, workplaces and local businesses. “It can take a toll on our personal lives, too, damaging families and straining friendships. It’s important we support those who might not see the impact gambling is having on themselves and those around them.” Gambler’s Help Southern provides free and confidential support to those concerned about their own gambling, or that of a loved one. “By coming together as a community, I’m hopeful we can reduce gambling harm across the shire,” Cr Hearn said. Visit: gamblershelpsouthern.org.au or call 9575 5353.