PRIME Minister Tony Abbott made a flying visit to Frankston last Thursday afternoon, leaving behind rampant Liberal Party leadership speculation in Canberra, for “an afternoon tea with community members”. Mr Abbott addressed the invited guests – including Liberal Party members, school principals and council representatives – at Frankston RSL flanked by Dunkley MP and Small Business Minister Bruce Billson. Mr Billson has been highly visible in his support for the embattled Prime Minister both before and after this month’s failed Liberal leadership spill vote last Monday (8 February). Mr Billson told The Times he knew the Prime Minister would be…
Author: Neil Walker
FRANKSTON and peninsula residents rallied to show their love for the environment on Valentine’s Day last Saturday. The rally, attended by about 50 people, was part of Global Divestment Day, an inaugural worldwide day of action to pressure banks to stop financing and investing in the fossil fuels industry, organised by the 360.org activist group (‘Banking on climate action change’, The Times 9/2/15). The environmental group said more than 450 events were held in 60 countries last weekend. Frankston activist Claire Dawson, who co-organised the Frankston rally at White St Mall with Alison Bennett, said “the political responses to climate…
KINGSTON councillors are trying to ensure a waste transfer hub for Melbourne is not established in Kingston’s Green Wedge. At a special council meeting last week councillors unanimously voted to direct council officers to write to new Labor Planning Minister Richard Wynne to ask for an extension an 18-month interim protection clause. The protection clause was granted by Mr Wynne’s predecessor as planning minister, now Coalition opposition leader Matthew Guy. The state government’s materials recycling prohibition clause is due to end on 1 June having been extended twice before. Kingston Council awaits the outcome of a formal council request to…
THE blame game between the major political parties over the offshore detention and processing of refugees shows no sign of abating. The release of The Forgotten Children report by the Australian Human Rights Commission late last week into children in immigration detention sparked another round of political posturing in Canberra over immigration policies while 211 children continue to languish in detention centres, including 119 at the Nauru offshore processing centre, according to the report. While the major political parties’ leaders traded barbs about the report in Canberra, The News sought the views of federal MPs closer to home about the…
LABOR plans to fast track its plan to remove 50 of Melbourne’s most dangerous level crossings but there is no indication yet on when Kingston road crossings will be separated from railway lines. Premier Daniel Andrews announced on Monday at the level crossing at Centre Rd, Bentleigh that “work has started on 50 level crossing removals”. Mr Andrews called level crossings “our number one traffic nightmare”. “They hold up cars, they slow down trains, they take young lives, they’ve got to go,” he said. The Premier revealed $100 million will be earmarked to establish “a dedicated” Level Crossings Removal Authority…