TWO major decisions made by Kingston Council have been invalidated after legal advice received in the wake of the decision to stand down councillor Jane Agirtan. Agirtan faced Melbourne Magistrates Court on 7 April – she has been charged with breaching a personal safety intervention order. On 9 April Kingston Council confirmed Agirtan had been stood down under section 229 of the Local Government Act 2020, which states that the Chief Municipal Inspector has the power to refer a councillor to VCAT for an order to stand down if they are charged with a crime where the maximum penalty is…
Author: Brodie Cowburn
THE Liberals have reaffirmed their commitment to spend $900 million on the extension of the Frankston railway line. The electrification and duplication of the Frankston line towards Baxter has been plagued by false starts in the past. In 2023, the federal government axed a budgeted $225 million set aside for the project by the Coalition government in 2018. A review into ongoing infrastructure projects commissioned by the federal government shortly after its election recommended scrapping the project. Liberal candidate for Dunkley Nathan Conroy announced the $900 million promise prior to the March 2024 by-election. Last week he reaffirmed that promise…
MPNFL MEN’S DIV ONEPINES struck late in the game to beat Frankston YCW in a thriller on Saturday night.John Coburn Oval hosted the match last weekend. Pines was in control for most of the afternoon – the Pythons led by 29 points at three-quarter-time. Frankston YCW showed plenty of fight in the final quarter, and managed to sneak ahead in the dying stages of the game. A late goal saw the Pythons steal back the lead and grab the win. Frankston YCW succumbed to a heartbreaking 10.8 (68) to 10.12 (72) defeat. Cameron Olden was excellent for Pines, booting five…
WITH the election looming, the federal government is under fire for failing to act on proposed gambling reform championed by late Dunkley MP Peta Murphy. Before her death in late 2023, Murphy chaired a parliamentary inquiry into gambling harm. The inquiry’s report made 31 recommendations, including a ban on online gambling advertising, stronger consumer protections for licensed online gambling, a crackdown on illegal gambling websites, and a legislated duty of care. Last week, Nine newspapers reported that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had shelved gambling reform put forward by communications minister Michelle Rowland. The “captain’s call” was reportedly made late last…
KINGSTON Council says it was aware that a previous project had encountered serious issues when it appointed ADCO Group to build the new aquatic centre in Mordialloc. ADCO Group Pty Ltd was contracted to build the Kew Recreation Centre. In late 2022 the Kew Recreation Centre roof collapsed. In February of this year, the Victorian Building Authority filed charges against ADCO Group Pty Ltd – the company and its nominee director John Conroy face a total of 18 charges. The Mordi Aquatic Centre project will be one of the most expensive in Kingston Council’s history. The facility will cost $87.5…