NEWS DESK
Arrests link to Mt Martha break-in
Quiet for now: The Port of Hastings seems quiet, with few ships arriving each week. But the skyline and number of ships may change dramatically if plans to make hydrogen from brown coal proceed.
Plans for ‘toxic’ plant at Hastings Continued from Page 1 The government - while awaiting recommendations from Infrastructure Victoria on where Victoria’s next container port should be located – has previously stated the Port of Hastings should be used as a “bulk port�. Previous Labor government’s had promoted Western Port as the preferred site for a container port, but the Andrews government has indicated its best option as being Bay West, in Port Phillip north of Geelong. Mr Burgess said the state government “has again not even seen fit to consult with this community; instead deciding to keep its dirty deal a secret�. “Locals will remember the long and ugly fight to stop the Bracks and Brumby Labor governments from al-
lowing a bitumen depot to be built on the foreshore at Crib Point, with then Planning Minister Justin Madden personally intervening to give it the goahead.� After the Coalition came to power in 2010 Mr Burgess (Liberal) said he had had “the honour and satisfaction of making the phone call to tell the proponents of the bitumen plant that they no longer had permission to build in Crib Point�. “The Coalition supports the exploration of uses for our valuable brown coal deposits and although there is a lot of work to be done to make it viable, its conversion to hydrogen is one of those potential uses,� he said. “However, the Coalition was clear while in government and has con-
firmed in opposition, that Western Port is the location of Victoria’s second container port and that it would not be used for any of the toxic purposes the Labor Party had previously earmarked it for, including coal, urea and bitumen. “Western Port is not the appropriate place to ship coal to, whether via long coal trains, slurry pipe or any other means, or to develop a huge gasification plant for turning that coal into hydrogen. Mr Burgess said the government should explain its plans at a public meeting “so that this community can have a say in what we want for our future and the future of our children�. “We will not just sit back in silence and watch Labor turn Western Port into a toxic dump.�
TWO men arrested over the weekend face charges over multiple robberies – including at the IGA liquor store in Lochiel Av, Mt Martha, overnight on 28 November, where a quantity of cigarettes was stolen. The 32-year-old Preston man and a 32-year-old Epping man also face charges relating to five other burglaries as part of an operation investigating a series of commercial burglaries across Melbourne. They were arrested by the Eastern Region Crime Squad on Mendip Rd, Reservoir, on Sunday. Charges include aggravated burglary, burglary, theft, theft of motor vehicle, criminal damage by fire and handle stolen goods. Other burglaries occurred at Wills St, Kew, on 9 January, Botanic Drive, Kew, on 13 January, Barton St, Surrey Hills, on 13 January, Mitcham Rd, Mitcham, on 14 January and Raleigh Rd, Maribyrnong, on 14 January. The men have also been charged over two alleged car thefts in Roxburgh Park and Kew. The men were remanded to appear at Melbourne Magistrate’s Court at a date to be fixed. Their arrests follow a series of commercial burglaries at service stations, supermarkets and liquor stores where cigarettes were stolen, dating back to November, as well as recent residential burglaries. Inquiries are also pending in relation to a number of other burglary and
theft of motor vehicle offences dating back to 21 October. Detective Senior Sergeant Matt Baynes said the arrests were a great result and showed police are strongly focused on addressing these crimes. “Police will continue to identify, target, arrest and charge those people who engage in this type of offending, especially those who are recidivist offenders,� he said. “The same goes for those people who are willing to receive and sell stolen property, increasing the impact of these crimes on the community. “The offending we’re seeing is not limited to just one part of Melbourne and investigators are also keen to speak to anyone who has knowledge of these types of offences taking place in their local area.� Anyone with information is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
No holiday for history HASTINGS-WESTERN Port Historical Society will open on Australia Day, Thursday 26 January. President Di Maloney said the society welcomed visitors to the general museum, fishing museum, Dad’s Shed and the pioneer cottage on the corner Marine Parade and Skinner St. Details: 0416 121 791.
The Mobile Library will be closed until 13 February Due to maintenance works the Mornington Peninsula Shire’s 0obile library will be unavailable for service until Monday 13 February 2017. We apologise for any inconvenience during this time. Please contact our library branches if you need to renew items gain assistance or visit our website for eResources at ourlibrary.mornpen.vic.gov.au
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