FORMER prime minister Kevin Rudd called it “the greatest moral, economic and social challenge of our time” but failed to meet the challenge, avoiding the reality of dealing with climate change for political reasons. However, tackling climate change is something four local climate reality ambassadors are determined to achieve, both by their day-to-day actions in living a sustainable lifestyle and by spreading the word that time is fast running out for governments to act to make a real difference before it is too late. Former Mornington Peninsula Shire councillor Reade Smith, South East Councils Climate Change Alliance executive officer Greg…
Author: Neil Walker
A VICIOUS dog attack that left a dog owner with a $200 vet’s bill is being investigated by Frankston Council. Maria, who did not want her surname published, was walking her elderly mother’s dog in Ballam Park at about 5pm on Saturday 19 July when it was set upon by two aggressive dogs, possibly bull mastiffs, in front of the Long Island Cricket clubhouse. Maria said the attack was “completely unprovoked”. “My mother’s dog is a 14-year-old German short haired pointer dog with a very docile temperament,” she said. The aggressive dogs were being walked in the off-leash area by…
WHEN Jay Allen discovered he had a melanoma skin cancer, it was a life-changing moment. But the 39-year-old father of four is now glad he still has a life to change. Mr Allen and fellow skin cancer survivor Andrew Rust completed a charity walk from Sydney to Melbourne last week to raise money for the Melanoma Institute to fund melanoma cure research. Mr Allen shared his story at a talk at Frankston’s Peninsula Skin Cancer Clinic and told The Times the walk was part of his personal cancer survival journey. It was 2008 when the former truck driver noticed a…
A PLAN to install sculptures at Frankston train station to “change the face of Frankston” could be at least partially funded from the $13.8 million pledged by the state government for the Frankston Station Precinct Improvement Project. The ambitious proposal, brought to council by the Frankston Business Coalition, may cost about $900,000 so councillors are keen to identify all sources of funding before committing ratepayers’ money to the project. The Frankston Business Coalition is a group of six businesspeople, including former Frankston mayor Christine Richards, who are lobbying the state government for “a better deal for Frankston” in the lead…
GAMBLERS poured about $80 million into electronic gaming machines in Kingston in the past financial year. Victorian Commission for Gambling and Liquor Regulation figures show Kingston pokies losses totalled $79,825,384 from July 2013 until the end of June this year, up nearly $1 million compared with $78,986,274 in the twelve months of 2012-13. The mounting losses come despite ATMs being removed from gaming machine venues in 2012 in a state government bid to limit problem gamblers’ losses. Kingston Council formally adopted its Gambling Policy and Action Plan 2014-2019 at May’s council meeting, after deciding to update its 2002 policy. Community…