NEWS DESK
New rules and costs for pools NEW regulations being introduced in December mean backyard pool and spa owners must pay $37 registration fees to Mornington Peninsula Shire Council. The shire says it knows of about 17,000 combined pools and spas on the peninsula – the most of any municipality in Victoria. Under the state-wide rules, owners must shell out $20 for compliance certificates from qualified surveyors and arrange three-yearly inspections of pool fences and safety barriers. Fines of up to $330 will be levied if pools are found to not comply. Owners will have 20 days to fix safety issues. The deadline for registrations is 14 April next year. The tougher rules come after a recent survey by the Victorian Municipal Building Surveyors’ Group found that
up to 90 per cent of pools breached safety rules. The state coroner also recommended a harder line on pool safety regulations after investigating several drowning cases. Drowning is the biggest cause of death among young people, with 27 children drowning in private pools and spas over the past 20 years. Many more carry lifelong learning and behavioural impairments. Planning and building director David Bergin said the shire would be making a submission to the state government about the pool and spa regulations. “Once regulations are finalised, we will be contacting all peninsula residents to advise of the new pool and spa barrier regulations,” he said. Stephen Taylor
Talk about housing over soup A SOUP kitchen to aid those “doing it tough” will be held tonight (Wednesday 7 August) at Capel Sound. It is being put on by Mornington Peninsula Housing Network and the Salvation Army Corp Rosebud. The event aims to “raise awareness and share stories of the challenges that people experiencing homelessness face”. Those attending are invited to share
their stories about housing loss and then share in a selection of hearty homemade soups, desserts, tea and coffee. An auction and panel of speakers will follow. The soup kitchen opens at 5.45pm at SalvoCare Eastern, corner Melaleuca Avenue and Eastbourne Road, Capel Sound. Gold coin donation. Details: 5986 0000.
Crowd against plastic straws A MORNINGTON Peninsula based social enterprise is on a mission to replace single-use plastic straws with reusable, ethically-sourced bamboo straws. Co-founders of theotherstraw Jamie-Lee Kay and Lennart Meijer, pictured, say most of the 10 million plastic straws used every day end up in landfill, Port Phillip and waterways, polluting the environment and jeopardising marine health. “We founded theotherstraw because we were shocked by the amount of plastic waste on the peninsula’s beaches, parks and just about everywhere else – we knew we had to do something about it,” Mr Meijer said.
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So far 10 retailers on the peninsula are selling their reusable bamboo straws as well as 80 retailers and venues across Australia and in Japan. “The past few months have been huge for us,” Ms Kay said. “We’ve collaborated with the Urban List, Pip Magazine, CAPI, Christmas Island Tourism Association, the Great Barrier Reef Aquarium, SPARK Deakin and many more other businesses who are making sustainable commitments.” The business has been selected by ING Bank as one of eight social enterprises in its Dreamstarter program. As part of the program the pair ran a crowdfunding campaign which from 18 June to 17 July.
“Our tipping point was $10,000, which we exceeded in the third week of our campaign” Ms Kay said. “ING gave us $5000 and we crowdfunded more than $7000 via the public.” The pair see a better future in their new range called ‘theotheressentials’ which will replace single-use plastic items such as cutlery and bowls with reusable, sustainable alternatives. All contributions from their crowdfunding campaign will go towards producing this new range. To learn more about theotherstraw’s crowdfunding campaign visit: ingaus. me/theotherstraw Details: theotherstraw.com Stephen Taylor
Community Information Session Draft Marine Industry Precinct Analysis Report Council is holding an information session about a draft report that proposes the development of a Marine Industry Precinct.
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The information session will be structured so that the community can hear from and ask question of Shire Officers in the planning, traffic and infrastructure areas.
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Southern Peninsula News 7 August 2019
Learn more:
business@mornpen.vic.gov.au
Location: Somerville Recreation Centre
Date: Wednesday 14 August 2019
Time: 6pm – 7.30pm