THE majority of voters across the federal electorate of Isaacs backed same-sex marriage in the marriage equality postal survey in line with the nationwide vote. The Australian Bureau of Statistics announced last Wednesday (15 November) that 61.6 per cent of eligible voters across the nation voted for the law to be changed to allow same-sex couples to marry and 38.4 per cent opposed the move. An ABS breakdown of voting showed 65.3 per cent of Isaacs voters voted “yes” and 34.7 per cent voted “no”. The seat of Isaacs is held by Labor MP Mark Dreyfus. The electorate includes Mordialloc, Keysborough, Waterways, Noble Park, Chelsea, Aspendale, Aspendale…
Author: Neil Walker
IT took six years for the daughter of Georgia and Stewart Clarke to be diagnosed with a rare form of spinal muscular atrophy and it’s an ordeal the Seaford family hopes other families in future can avoid. The parents first became concerned when daughter Ally, now aged 10, missed important early development milestones, such as crawling, when very young. Mrs Clarke is calling for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) to be included in the genetic disorder screening list for newborns. “It would be the best outcome for parents because they wouldn’t go through the trauma of misdiagnosis,” she said. “Ally didn’t…
Bickering widens over space for buses along the street THERE are no plans to widen road lanes for two-way traffic along Young St despite concerns there is not enough space for buses to pass parked vehicles without clipping wing mirrors. Transport for Victoria, “an umbrella organisation” established by the Labor state government in April to oversee VicRoads and Public Transport Victoria, says the width of traffic lanes on Young St are 3 metres wide at the south end and 3.2 metres wide at the north end of the street. Paths have been widened for pedestrians. “The Young St redevelopment has been constructed…
LOVE and camaraderie were in the air as veteran councillor Colin Hampton was confirmed as Frankston’s new mayor despite “a difficult 12 months” between councillors. A 5-2 majority of councillors voted at a public council meeting on Thursday 9 November to elect the North-East ward councillor as the mayor to succeed Cr Brian Cunial for the next 12 months. It will be the second time for Cr Hampton in the mayor’s chair. He was previously mayor in 2008-09. Cr Cunial admitted his 12-month mayoral term had not been all smooth sailing but said he is proud councillors have agreed to…
A SIZEABLE majority of voters across the federal electorates of Dunkley and Flinders backed same-sex marriage in the marriage equality postal survey. The Australian Bureau of Statistics announced last Wednesday (15 November) that 61.6 per cent of eligible voters across the nation voted for the law to be changed to allow same-sex couples to marry and 38.4 per cent opposed the move. An ABS breakdown of voting showed 70 per cent of Flinders voters voted “yes” and 30 per cent voted “no”. The seat of Flinders is held by Liberal MP and Health Minister Greg Hunt. In the marginal seat…