Western Port
GET YOUR
FREE TV GUIDE
YOUR GUIDE TO WHAT’S ON THIS WEEKEND FOR PENINSULA FAMILIES
INSIDE!
FACEBOOK: peninsulakids.com.au INSTAGRAM: mornpenkids
An independent voice for the community
Your weekly community newspaper covering the entire Western Port region
FREE9
Wednesday 31 May 2023
For all advertising and editorial, call 03 5974 9000 or email: team@mpnews.com.au www.mpnews.com.au
MPs all aboard with bus promise
Hailing the bus: Hastings MP Paul Mercurio says a crossMornington Peninsula bus service will make living and working on the peninsula more convenient for many.
A HASTINGS to Mornington bus service is one step closer after the state government announced an extra $36.4 million in this year’s budget to improve bus services in growth areas. Public Transport Minister Ben Carroll and Hastings MP Paul Mercurio were in Hastings on Wednesday to announce that planning is underway for the cross-peninsula bus. No details have been released on when work might start on the bus route. There are currently no direct bus connections linking Hastings to Mornington, with trips requiring lengthy travel via Frankston. Mornington Peninsula Shire Council last year used the results of a community survey to push the state government to finance a cross-peninsula bus service, after 82 per cent of respondents said they wanted the service. Carroll last week said community consultation will determine how the new route can provide cross-peninsula connections between Hastings and Mornington and better connect locals to employment, medical centres, education and shops. Planning for the new bus link forms part of Victoria’s Bus Plan, which sets out plans to continue network improvements and increase the number of people travelling by bus. Mercurio said Hastings was continuing to grow and better bus services were essential. “We know locals in Hastings have been advocating for a service across the peninsula – so we will keep working with them to get them where they need to go,” he said. Liz Bell
Politics rule budget response Liz Bell liz@mpnews.com.au THERE may not be a lot of cost-ofliving relief in the state budget for Mornington Peninsula residents but depending on which side of the political spectrum you’re on it’s not all bad news. Hastings Labor MP Paul Mercurio was busy last week making announcements about infrastructure and service improvements, particularly for boating and transport. Apart from Wednesday’s promise of a cross-peninsula bus service, the budget provided $271,000 to replace the northern pontoon at Hastings boat
ramp, $100,000 for Community House Network Southern Region, $1 million each for Somers and Somerville primary schools for basketball court covers, $900,000 to upgrade the Tankerton, French Island boat ramp, and $27.30 million for the Victorian Clean Energy Terminal project, Hastings. Mercurio said he was “very happy with what the electorate of Hastings received in what was a very tight budget”. “Having a seat at the table meant I was able to talk with ministers and get some of things that my community was asking for,” he said. “Of course there is much more work to do, work which has begun, and I
look forward to seeing what we can achieve in next year’s budget.” Mornington MP Liberal Chris Crewther called it a “horror budget” saying he was disappointed and accusing the government of short-changing his electorate. “Labor’s budget slogan is ‘doing what matters’ – but doing what matters for who?” he said. Crewther said Mornington Special Developmental School was the only recipient of money for an ongoing existing project in his electorate, which covers Mornington, Mount Eliza, Mount Martha, Tuerong and parts of Baxter and Moorooduc. “There is unspecified funding for
Mount Eliza North Primary School among a $20 million fund covering many schools for planning for works, but not yet the $11.7 million of funding for them that Labor promised,” he said. “Disappointedly, there is no muchneeded infrastructure funding for Mount Eliza Secondary College and Mornington Park Primary School.” Crewther said residents would be hit by increases to land tax and the schools tax on independent schools, which will “undoubtedly” flow through to increased fees. While there was money (believed to be about $10 million) for existing sewer and waste water works,
there was nothing for coastal erosion fixes, such as for Shire Hall, Hawker and Mount Martha North and South beaches, apart from VicCoast money “so perhaps some money could be shared from that”. “Labor continues to allow the marginality of seats and an MP’s party to dictate budgeting allocations,” Crewther said. Nepean MP Liberal Sam Groth said Rye Primary School received $42,000 of its promised $200,000 for new playgrounds. “Eastbourne Primary School was promised $9.5million and has been included in the school upgrades delivery fund,” he said. Continued Page 7