Author: Neil Walker

A COMMUNITY push to establish a post office at Aspendale Gardens has failed to deliver the hoped for outcome but Australia Post has installed an Express Post box at the shopping centre. The Aspendale Gardens Residents Association led the lobbying effort since the nearest post office is just over 4 kilometres away at Chelsea (‘Post office plan ‘under review’, The News 25/6/14). The community group has all but admitted defeat in its bid to convince Australia Post to open a full post office at the Aspendale Gardens shopping centre at Narelle Drive but is pleased that locals can now conveniently…

Read More

THE iconic Mentone Hotel has been saved from redevelopment. The main building has been officially listed on the Victorian Heritage Register. The heritage listing is a win for Kingston residents who rallied to “save The Edgy” after its sale by owners Open Door Pub Co late last year (‘Pub loss makes regulars edgy’, The News 12/11/14). Thousands took to social media using the #savetheedgy hashtag with the Facebook group Save The Edgy a focal point for locals to put pressure on the state government to act to push to heritage list the Mentone Hotel, which first opened in 1890. An…

Read More

FORMER Frankston MP Geoff Shaw has re-emerged in a job after politics. The ex-politician, who became embroiled in numerous high-profile incidents during his at times controversial four-year term as Frankston’s state member of Parliament, has a new role encouraging cover ups. Mr Shaw is now general manager at Medihair Hair Transplant Clinics in Melbourne. When contacted by The News a relaxed sounding Mr Shaw said he is “off the public scene now” but has “a few things in the pipeline with some quite credible people”. He said he is using business contacts to promote the hair transplant specialist’s operations. When…

Read More

A CORONER’S report into the drowning death of a boy at Seaford in 2012 has recommended swimming and water safety education should be mandatory at every Victorian primary school. Nine-year-old Bailey Patman, a pupil at Seaford Primary School, drowned on Thursday 19 January 2012 while playing offshore in the shallows with friends near Seaford Pier. He was accompanied by the father of one of his friends and four other children. Bailey was found floating face down in the water after his friends alerted the father that Bailey was missing. The father performed “mouth to mouth” resuscitation on the boy while…

Read More

IT is time for the community to let the state government know its views on the redevelopment of the Frankston train station precinct. Public feedback is being sought on possible investment opportunities and projects for the train station and its surrounds. The $50 million project is the highest-profile pre-election pledge made by Labor before its November election win. An additional $13 million pledged by the former Coalition government to improve Young St will also be honoured by Labor. A further $46.9 million will fund a first stage of upgrades to the Frankston campus of Chisholm TAFE. Premier Daniel Andrews has…

Read More