BUDDING horticulturists can marvel at the blooming success of some of the region’s best orchid growers at Langwarrin this week. The Mornington Peninsula Orchid Society’s summer exhibition will be on display at the Gateway Shopping Centre on 5-7 November (Thursday-Saturday) during shopping hours. Society vice-president Barry Larkin said the orchid growers club was established 55 years ago and has members from Frankston, the Mornington Peninsula and Chelsea and new members are always welcome to join. Guest expert speakers often address the society meetings held on the 4th of each month, Decembers excepted, at the Brotherhood of St Laurence building, 24-26…
Author: Neil Walker
COUNCILLORS will no longer be able to individually dish out ratepayers’ money to community groups and sports clubs after the state government finally axed council ward grants last week. The long-flagged move to end Victorian councillors’ access to individual pools of money to dish out as they see fit came after a Local Government Inspectorate investigation in 2013 found just four councils out of 32 probed had sufficient measures in place to stop potential misuse of ward grants. The discretionary funds were a way for councillors to pass on money to community groups without the need to wait months for…
EVOCCA College is refusing to reveal graduation rates at its Frankston campus in the wake of a damning Senate inquiry into the funding and management of vocational education and training (VET) providers. The Queensland based college, which has more than 40 campuses nationwide, was one of several registered training organisations offering short diploma courses criticised in the report over its marketing to students (‘College’s marketing to students slammed’, The Times 26/10/15). The Senate committee heard allegations vulnerable students with little or no chance of completing courses are enrolled by some private sector operators to boost enrolment numbers and rake in…
UNIONS have been accused of misleading the public over claims Coalition MPs would attend Australian Council of Trade Unions hosted public debates about the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement. The union advertised debates last week between the ACTU and Liberal or National MPs in 23 federal electorates across Australia, including Dunkley, without confirmation from MPs they would attend. After the debates the union made automated phone calls to voters the next day expressing “disappointment” MPs who had never agreed to appear at the debate “decided not to turn up”. Dunkley Liberal MP Bruce Billson said he was surprised to see the…
NEXT year’s Ironman Asia Pacific Championship race has been cancelled and Frankston Council fears the region’s economy will take a multi-million dollar hit as a result. Race organisers blamed a scheduling conflict with the Melbourne Grand Prix on the same weekend of 17-20 March as the reason to pull the pin on the swim, cycle and run triathlon but authorities say both events could have been accommodated. The annual race, held in the south east of Melbourne, begins in Frankston and ends at St Kilda with the bike stage taking place along Eastlink after the swim stage at Frankston. In…