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Wednesday 28 October 2020
5974 9000 or email: team@mpnews.com.au www.mpnews.com.au DEVILBEND Reservoir at the centre of the Mornington Peninsula is widely known for its beauty and as a place of refuge for wildlife. It is also open to anglers like Matt Del Vecchio (inset), of Mornington who was there trying his luck during Water Week. Picture: Gary Sissons
A week to show off the ways of water DEVILBEND reservoir was the place to be during National Water Week from 19-25 October. The week – themed “Reimagining our Water Future” – aimed to inspire an awareness of the value of water. As part of the week, Mornington Peninsula Shire encouraged people to discover a waterway and also to take advantage of coastal and bushland walks. A map highlighted 30 peninsula walks, including those suited to a stroll, as well as listing more advanced and dog friendly walks. National Water Week also offered advice on how you can protect waterways: Dispose of litter responsibly, pick up after pets, don’t put anything except water down storm drains, avoid using pesticides or chemical fertilisers, use non-toxic household products, use seasafe sunscreen, manage garden waste, revegetate creek banks, never leave fishing line on the shore, and join a beach patrol. To learn more about the peninsula’s waterways, the top 10 tips for protecting our waterways and to see the waterway walks map, visit: mornpen.vic.gov.au/waterways
State money a missing link for projects MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire has officially welcomed federal government promises to increase infrastructure spending despite having no guarantee that any projects planned for the peninsula will get off the ground. Although the shire has $320 million worth of “shovel ready projects” and the federal government has offered $80m towards three of nine on the list, they all depend on the state government providing more money. None of the major projects are likely to be started unless co-funding arrangements are agreed by the state and
federal governments. Shire CEO John Baker said adding $1 billion to the $500 million local roads and community infrastructure program in the federal budget had “the potential to make a real difference to the peninsula community”. “The shire has a $320 million package of shovel ready projects ready to go,” Mr Baker said. “These projects respond to genuine needs within our community and will help soften the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are keen to work with the fed-
eral member for Flinders, Greg Hunt, as well as the state government, on furthering as many of these projects as possible.” Mr Baker said the negative economic impacts of COVID-19 were forecast to be greater for the peninsula than for Australia overall, with a predicted 21 per cent fall in gross regional product – much worse than the 6.9 per cent drop forecast for Australia as a whole, he said. An estimated 5900 jobs are also forecast to be lost due to the pandemic, with a reduction in employment oppor-
tunities of 11 per cent. The shire’s package of shovel ready projects includes: Peninsula Bay Trail: $15 million, which includes the Mornington to Moorooduc trail ($6.5m), Somerville to Baxter trail ($4m), and Southern Peninsula Bay Trail ($4.5m). Community facilities: $17.825m. The Briars: $10.6 m. Pavilions: $18.5m. Road safety: $130 m. Stage 1 to start 2020/21. The total of $40 million includes roundabouts ($15m), Rye Township Plan – Point Nepean Road
($15m), Forest and Uralla Drive intersections ($10m); Mornington Peninsula Freeway/Jetty Road Overpass ($65m) and sound barriers ($25m). Recycled water: $27.3 million – for Homelessness: $2.5m for design and construction of two social housing developments in Mornington; a group home for adults with intellectual disability in Balnarring; Housing Access Point service in Hastings; Salvation Army intensive case management.. Better buses: $10 million. Technology park on a site identified by the shire at Hastings.
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