FRANKSTON Life Saving Club president Tim Cutrona says he will write to the council to “get the ball rolling” on paying lifesavers to man the popular beach on weekdays. Club members fear lives could be lost when they are not on duty – and that paid patrols Monday to Friday, November to Easter, would ensure safety for beach users at all times. Beaches all over Australia – mainly at tourist hot-spots – are already manned by professional life guards on weekdays. Lifesavers at Frankston patrol only on weekends and rescued 19 swimmers in trouble on Saturday 3 January. It’s a…
Author: Stephen Taylor
THE “biggest concern” for nurses hit by the Royal District Nursing Service’s proposed staff shakeup is the possible negative impact on patient care. The organisation last week announced it would close its Frankston offices in Beach St in April and likely close its Rosebud offices in Cairns St. They are among 14 suburban offices whose functions will be consolidated into four regional hubs – with the closest to Frankston and the peninsula being at Moorabbin (‘Nursing service cuts staff’, The Times 2/2/15). The revamp will result in six nurses losing their jobs at Rosebud as well as two admin staff…
PATTERSON River Secondary College staff and students are enthusiastic about the school’s role as one of 120 schools taking part in the Safe Schools Coalition Victoria program, which preaches tolerance and acceptance of gay students. Premier Daniel Andrews, Education Minister James Merlino, and Carrum MP Sonya Kilkenny, visited the Seaford school on Monday – a day after Mr Andrews became the first premier to lead a gay pride parade in St Kilda. Schools will be “prouder and safer” and teachers will get the resources they need to help students “be who they are,” he told students. “Everyone has the right…
RECOGNITION that they “weren’t being effective in tackling family violence” prompted Kingston police to help form Taskforce Alexis in December – and the results are proving its effectiveness. The first operation of its kind in Victoria, the taskforce combines proactive, mental health and family violence experts in an integrated team. They work to ensure that those affected by family violence in Glen Eira, Bayside and Kingston “get the help they need”. Last year there were 2600 incidents of family violence in these suburbs – with children present in 700. Acting Senior Sergeant Fiona Alexander, of Moorabbin’s Proactive Unit, said the…
STAFF cuts at the Royal District Nursing Service’s Frankston and Rosebud offices will not affect patients, according to the service’s management. The organisation says there will be “no change to patient-care”. The offices are being replaced by mobile care teams equipped with laptops to make house calls. Administrative functions at the existing 14 suburban offices will be consolidated into four regional hubs – with the closest to Frankston and the peninsula being Moorabbin. The RDNS office in Beach St, Frankston, will close in April. No decision has been made regarding the continuation of the Cairns St, Rosebud, office “at this…