LETTERS
Sub would bring jobs and growth to Hastings In response to Keith Platt's article “Pledges flow in wake of sub's moorings mayday” (The News 31/5/16). I wish to point out that the total project will cost about $15 million, not $25m. We were well aware the “promised” $1 million was not for the mooring because at that time, the current mooring problem was not an issue. As to the reported “a list of things” [made by Hastings MP Neale Burgess], we would have liked to know what the list was. Just before the November 2014 Victorian state election, at the official opening of an election office in Hastings, several association members along with council employees were notified we had the grant. Standing in a group we were informed the funds were not subject to the election and “it was money in the bank”. I and others in that group concur that there was no mention of it being subject to any conditions or subject to an application. The project is designed to be built in stages. Today's cost to bring the submarine Otama into a contained dry berth ready for display is about $7m. Seed funding of around $2m is being sought from the state or federal governments. The Western Port Oberon Association's committee believes business funds would then flow to bring the total project - the Otama, the MV Wyuna and the existing Victorian Maritime Museum at Crib Point - to the proposed Hastings Marina site. Work has already begun to secure these investment monies. When completed it would provide 200 jobs and 1800 other jobs based on Mornington Peninsula Shire's economic modelling and some 70,000 visitors a year from the five million people that annually visit the peninsula. It would be a win/win situation for jobs and growth for Western Port and the town of Hastings, which is sorely needed and long overdue. Projections on income and visitor numbers indicate investors would recover their capital within seven to 10 years. Max Bryant, president Western Port Oberon Association Editor: As an example of what it wants for Hastings, the Western Port Oberon Association cites the $24m Western Australian Maritime Museum which opened in 2002.
Union ‘tricks’ I was appalled by the letter from Stan Hogan (“Union government Letterss 7/6/16) concerning future union expectations if Labor wins the federal election. This would place the government effectively under union control. At first I thought he was joking but, when you look at union activities in Australia, I think he was serious. Just look at the trouble the firefighters’ union is causing to the CFA apparently as a result of a sweetheart deal between [the Premier] Daniel Andrews and this union. Then there is the fact that 100 CFMEU members are facing criminal charges which will be dropped if Labor wins office. A former president of the ALP has been jailed for five years for stealing from the Health Services Union. Then there is the shady deal between Coles and the shopworkers’ union where illegal penalty rates were paid to non-unionised casual workers. And Labor claims it would defend penalty rates. These are only some of the tricks unions get up to which the ALP condones as long as union money rolls into the ALP. If this is happening under a Coalition government just think of the mayhem the unions would create under a Labor government. Leonie Withers, Frankston South
Save parade ground I am appalled at the demands and attitudes of both sides to the use of the public area parade ground at Mt Martha (“Heritage binds shire to skatepark site”, The News 14/6/16). The tennis club has never been satisfied with its footprint in an area that is entirely unsuited for the purpose. Its dissatisfaction of its natural home on Watson Rd has been palpable. One would have thought that playing tennis
requires the concentration on the court area, not on the superb bay views enjoyed by the parade ground. This area would be more gainfully used for family activities. The carol’s by candlelight concert held in this area every year is immensely popular and contributes to bringing the community together. Since the tennis club took over and expanded its activities, the noise and light pollution at night has detracted from the amenity of the area. The insistence of Mornington Peninsula Shire Council to place a skatepark on any part of the Mt Martha House precinct is just plain wrong. Apart from the noise of the skaters and the clatter of their skateboards, the inherent antisocial behaviour and likely vandalism will severely impact on all residents and community activities. A much better solution is to relegate the tennis club to Watson Rd and place the skatepark in the old caravan park area besides Balcombe Estuary. The total area of the parade ground and adjacent area could then be used to create areas for all, as it is the only park on The Esplanade between Mornington and Dromana. As always, when elephants fight it is the ants that get hurt. Allan Caton, Mt Eliza
Political outlooks I was contemplating my navel the other day and I would like to share what I was thinking. I remembered how hard it was during the Menzies era to send a child to university if you couldn't afford it. How, as a struggling young family, you had to run up an account with your family doctor in order to keep your young family healthy. I remember that there were plenty of jobs though. Then we had Gough Whitlam who made it possible for working class kids to enter university and Labor under Whitlam introduced Medibank, a universal health system and he looked after the working class. Then we got Malcolm Fraser who tried his best to destroy Medibank and put the screws into the working class. Next came Hawke/Keating who gave us a revamped Medibank and called it Medicare and the working class, under Labor, got a better deal. Then Howard took the reins and started to tinker with Medicare, invaded a couple of countries along with the good ol' USA and released the xenophobic genie. He also introduced the GST, which hit the low income families. I then realised that it appears that conservative governments try to kill off Medicare, hit the workers with regressive taxes while looking after the top end of town and then Labor tries to fix it. So, how could anyone in their right mind think that a multi-millionaire such as Malcolm Turnbull would be able to empathise with low income families or the unemployed? His government is going to toy with Medicare, cut pensions and cut funding to education, the health system and not to mention the environment. Use your vote wisely. John Cain, McCrae
Successful burns I want to thank Mornington Peninsula’s residents and business owners for your co-operation during two planned burns at Arthurs Seat in autumn. The burns were successfully completed by staff from Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) and Parks Victoria, with assistance of crews from the CFA and Mornington Peninsula Shire. Smoke from these burns was highly visible and some road closures were needed to ensure the safety of motorists and our firefighters – and we appreciate your understanding during those times. Completing these burns has reduced the bushfire risk at Arthurs Seat, which means that if a fire occurs, firefighters will have a better chance of controlling it before it impacts on you, your property and the environment. Our changing climate is bringing hotter and dryer conditions, increasing the bushfire risk. The wetter and colder winter moths may have just started, but summer will appear before we know it.
Peninsula communities do provide valuable input into our decision making about bushfire management. We thank those who’ve contributed and encourage more of you to get involved by talking with our forest fire management staff at your local DELWP or Parks Victoria office; or by phoning us on 9210 9222. From 1 July, we’ll be working with your communities, local CFA brigades and other partner agencies to roll out Safer Together, a new approach to reducing the risk of bushfire across the peninsula and improving the way we deliver planned burns. You can find information about Safer Together on the Department's website. Bryan Welch DELWP’s assistant chief fire officer - Port Phillip region
CFA support I write to express my whole hearted support for our local CFA volunteers. They do a brilliant job in protecting our lives and property. They give up their work, leisure and family time for our community’s safety. A union takeover of most aspects of their role would see a loss of the flexibility and expertise that they bring to every fire ground. CFA career firefighters deserve good pay and conditions, but the current EBA extends over many aspects of the volunteers’ roles and would change the nature of the CFA in a negative way forever. Martin Dixon, MP for Nepean
Scientific loss It is tragic that, of the 140 CSIRO climate scientists with vast years of experience, 100 are likely to be moved to other research. One wonders at the mentality of those ordering such policies when the cost of the scientists moved will be but a small fraction being provided for the less vital tasks. Despite the promises made in Paris, our prime minister has made it clear that climate science comes second to business. Mining and extraction industries take preference in Australia because it is easy to earn foreign exchange with little effort. Renewable energy technology can also earn foreign money and is doing so in China, as one example. The Arctic demonstrates that when climate change strikes, it happens rapidly. Peter Strickland, Balnarring
Disgraceful seating Maybe Frankston Council’s CEO [Dennis Hovenden] could explain to the homeless and customers of the closed City Life cafe how they could spend $359,470 on street furniture? Each one of these seats [in Wells St] cost$13,830. Is this disgraceful or not? I think it is. John Burnell, Frankston
Alternate ways
Alan Reid is misleading Flinders electors by suggesting Greg Hunt and the “Turnbott” government don’t need to be severely reprimanded for their stance on alternate energy production and the threat of global warming from our continued use of the most polluting form of electricity generation on earth (“Don’t blame Hunt”, Letters 7/6/16). The mindless fascination with approving more coalmines and digging up coal to ship overseas to be burnt for energy is mind numbingly stupid. Just because we don’t burn this stuff here does not excuse us for the damage this does world wide. If all the carbon pollution Australia is responsible for, by shipping coal around the world, would be credited to our own carbon footprint, we should hang our heads in shame. The furphy about renewable energy not being a viable proposition is completely dishonest. There are now thermal solar power generation systems that can produce power around the clock. The cost argument is also an attempt to obscure the fact that coal burning power stations never have to account for the health and climate impacts for which they are responsible. All the jobs Australia has lost as a consequence of not taking up the challenge to move to alternate energy production will haunt this LNP government into the future. To me, it seems that present governments, Labor or LNP, are so beholden to the vested interests of the extraction and old energy producing industries, that I fear only a very hard kick in the pants by voters will concentrate their minds on these issues. Maybe then we get a more rational
debate about these issues. Rupert Steiner, Balnarring Beach
Broken tax dream As a United States ex-pat I got quite excited to see that the government was going to contribute billions of dollars to the US by reducing the corporate mafia tax rate. It would have been a financial bonanza and the word was that he US was going to use it to increase pensioner benefits (of which I am a recipient). Then my brain un-froze from the propaganda of it all and I realised that many of these corporate mafia entities do not pay taxes in the first place because they can legally launder their profits to low tax havens through government sanctioned tax loopholes that the government refuses to address. So I am now despondent and pleading with the government to close these loopholes so that the US can benefit from the corporate tax reductions. The positive thing about it all as it now stands, I guess, is that the reduction will make no difference in tax revenues to Australia being as 50 per cent of zero is the same as 30 per cent of zero. Joe Lenzo, Safety Beach
Limited choice So, voting time again. But what a choice. If I remember correctly the last time we had to vote [in the Flinders electorate] we had some 12 or 13 candidates. Of these I had only heard of one. This was the only one who bothered to send any information about what he represented or stood for. Unfortunately, he was the only one I didn't want to hear from - the ubiquitous Greg Hunt – whop I regard as our very own environmental disaster. I don't doubt Mr Hunt will retain his seat. The good people of Flinders will vote for him simply for the Liberal label he carries. But people have short memories. Don't forget Mr Hunt's legacy: reef dredging; logging of world heritage old growth forest; carbon tax repeal; coal mine approval; marine reserves review by fishing industry; shark culls in WA; scrapping of solar rebates and grants; scrapping of mining tax; and, last but not least, the appalling condition of the Great Barrier Reef. Not a list to be proud of by any stretch of anyone's imagination. John Shorter, McCrae
Working dogs Interaction with our four-legged friends can have a hugely positive influence on our health and wellbeing. Pet therapy is now common in hospitals and comfort dogs are often sent to help people grieving after major tragedies, as occurred recently with the Orlando nightclub massacre. That’s why VicHealth is getting behind International Bring Your Dog to Work Day (24 June) and why every Friday, dogs of all shapes and sizes are on duty in our office providing support, entertainment and cuddles to our employees. As a proud dog owner myself, it’s my favourite day of the week. Studies have shown employees who bring their dogs to work experience lower stress levels, higher job satisfaction and increased productivity. People move around more, get some physical activity in by walking their dogs at lunchtime and there’s increased social interaction between staff members who might not normally talk to each other. It didn’t happen overnight, but initiating our dog policy has had countless benefits going both ways and we urge other employers to do the same and seriously look into making more workplaces dog-friendly. Friday’s international Bring Your Dog to Work Day is a great way to see firsthand the benefits of having four-legged friends in the office. So dust off the leash, break out your pooch’s cutest doggie coat and get ready for a fun, healthy and productive day in the office this Friday 24 June. Jerril Rechter, CEO VicHealth
Letters to the editor can be sent to The News, PO Box 588, Hastings 3915 or emailed to: team@mpnews.com.au Letters should be kept to a maximum 300 words and include name, address and contact phone number for verification purposes. Western Port News 21 June 2016
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