NEWS DESK
No butts for this top citizen Stephen Taylor steve@mpnews.com.au ENVIRONMENTALIST and antilitter campaigner Josephine Jones is Mornington Peninsula Shire’s Citizen of the Year. Ms Jones, of Rye, is a campaigner and advocate for cleaner beaches. She inspires others around the community to reduce litter entering Port Phillip and to help protect marine life. Her current focus is on reducing cigarette butt litter. She has delivered anti-litter education campaigns to schools, community groups and businesses in an effort to raise awareness of the harm litter, and especially plastics, can do. Her belief that every child deserves to experience the environment untouched underpins her work. Young Citizen of the Year is Kayla Shelbourne. Since starting her own non-profit organisation For Kids, By Kids at age 16, Kayla has worked to break down stigma around youth mental health and prevent suicide in the community. Her volunteer efforts have included creating the organisation Chasing Change, and running events like the Suicide Prevention Walk, which was held for the second year at Mornington Park in September. She has also run suicide prevention workshops and supported fundraising for headspace Frankston, Stepping Stones Foundation, Youth Beyond Blue, REACH and Suicide Prevention Australia. The mayor Cr David Gill said the
Australia Day Awards celebrated the efforts of members of the community to make the Mornington Peninsula an even better place to live and visit. “On behalf of my fellow councillors and the communities of the Mornington Peninsula, I would like to congratulate and thank all winners and nominees for your commitment to our community,” he said. Other 2019 Australia Day Award winners are: Community Event of the Year: Mornington Peninsula Schools Environment Week; Lifetime Achievement Award: Heather Goddard, and Acknowledgement of Excellence Award: Dolphin Research Institute. Mornington Peninsula Schools Environment Week is run over four days in March each year. It is the only event of its type in Victoria providing diverse, interactive learning experiences for students from kindergarten to Year 6, connecting children to their environment and encouraging actions for sustainable living. Organised by a committee of eight volunteers with education or environment backgrounds, it offers interactive exhibits focusing on science, history, indigenous studies and sustainability. The event attracts 2300 students, teachers and parents each year and has been running for 35 years. Continued Page 10
MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire’s Citizen of the Year Josephine Jones is dedicated to cleaning up the environment. Picture: Yanni
Former Liberal MP rumoured to want Hunt’s seat FORMER Liberal MP Julia Banks is rumoured to be considering standing against her former colleague, Flinders MP Greg Hunt in this year’s federal election. Ms Banks told The News two weeks ago that she had yet to make up her mind “on my next steps”. Mr Hunt, the health minister, has held Flinders for the Liberals since 2001. The seat was previously held for the party by Peter Reith. The Labor Party is expected this week to announce the name of its candidate for the election expected in May. Recent polling reported by a Melbourne daily newspaper last weekend showed support for Mr Hunt was declining, particularly for his backing of Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton in the Liberal upheaval which saw Malcolm Turnbull replaced as prime minister Scott Morrison. Mr Hunt had sought to be the party’s deputy leader in the August leadership spill. Ms Banks’s resignation and move to the cross benches followed Mr Morrison’s appointment. Ms Banks was applauded within the Liberal party when she won the seat of Chisholm from Labor in 2016. She was the only Liberal-National Coalition candidate to win a seat held by an opposition party.
Western Port News
30 January 2019
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