Southern Peninsula
GET YOUR
FREE TV GUIDE INSIDE!
DOWNLOAD 3MP FROM THE APP STORE OR GOOGLE PLAY
An independent voice for the community
Your weekly community newspaper covering Safety Beach to Portsea
FREE
Wednesday 3 April 2024
For all advertising and editorial needs, call 03 5974 9000 or email: team@mpnews.com.au www.mpnews.com.au THE creative director of the Share Sustainability Agency has won third place in the Melbourne international flowering garden show border garden design competition. Josie Jones, of Rye, said that stepping into the realm of the competition was “a complete leap of love”. The Mornington Peninsula clean-up hero, who daily picks up litter from the beach and heads rubbish awareness programs, drew on her love of the rare weedy seadragon and gardening to create a garden bed that impressed judges. “As someone who has quietly nurtured a passion for gardening my entire life, the joy and humility I feel in securing a place on the podium are beyond words,” Jones said. “I am profoundly grateful for the opportunity to work alongside incredibly talented landscape designers, whose creations have brought to life a unique collective of briefs.” Jones said her Mermaids Enclave was a call to action and a reminder of the need to protect coastal and marine environments. “The garden abstractly replicates the hues and textures of sea nymph seaweed, and other marine species, like the weedy seadragon, filter feeding soft corals and lightbulb sea squirts.” Jones thanked artist Sue Osborn for the creating the weedy seadragon sculptures and Christian Gundesen “for supporting my bold ideas and being my muscle”.
Garden’s coastal protection message
ENVIRONMENTAL advocate and 2020 Australian of the Year Local Hero winner Josie Jones, of Rye, has achieved creative success in her advocacy of natural and native environments. Picture: Supplied
Parking trial hits business profits Liz Bell liz@mpnews.com.au MORNINGTON Peninsula Shire Council has buckled under pressure and introduced some changes to its controversial paid parking trial after receiving a backlash from businesses and drivers. It is believed the council has introduced a 50 per cent discount for people who pay through the PayStay App, and also recently offered a 24-hour grace period from the date of parking. But a popular waterside Mornington restaurant which has spearheaded a
petition to the state government is calling for a bigger revamp of the parking trial. Robert De Santis, who owns The Rocks restaurant and a separate cafe next door, at Schnapper Point, Mornington, claims paid parking is turning away up to one quarter of customers and hurting delivery companies, transport drivers, and patrons. The parking trial operates under a video number plate recognition system that only allows 15 minutes from entry at the Esplanade to exit before an infringement is sent by mail. This is not stated on any signs and De Santis believes the concept is “fraudulent”
and traps people looking for a spot, doing a commercial delivery, awaiting a takeaway service or assisting a disabled or elderly person. Mornington MP Chris Crewther, who presented the petition to parliament, said signatories drew attention to the Legislative Assembly that the parking trial started is having “grave negative effects” on small business, local residents, families and visitors. “Business sale declines of up to 20 per cent, numerous negative reviews, fines and complaints have presented to local councillors, its CEO and relevant shire teams with little response or concern,” Crewther said.
The nine-month paid parking trial has been running since 1 December last year at Schnapper Point, Mornington, Sunnyside Breach, Mount Eliza and near Flinders pier. Owner of The Rocks restaurant Robert De Santis said any paid parking scheme should “make it easy” for drivers to get to their preferred destination, as opposed to the “difficulties” facing drivers wanting to park in the three foreshore parking areas. “In December 2023, we noticed a 23 per cent drop in patronage, and most of them say the parking is too hard,” he said. “To be clear, I understand being in
business that revenue is required to maintain expenses, hence the council seeking a revenue stream. Paid parking can work if it is fair, transparent, and accessible, but I don’t feel these three measures are being achieved.” “The online e-permit process is clunky and the 24 hour grace period for residents with registrations in eligible areas should be three days, like road tolls,” De Santis said. He suggested “tap and go” options would be easier for drivers. To sign the petition, go to parliament.vic.gov.au/get-involved/petitions/mornington-peninsula-paidparking-pilot-programme