RPP News Wrap - August 10 -14

EDITOR’S PICK  •  The landslide-overlay reversal is the Story of the Edition, potentially removing planning controls from about 27,000 properties.

★  STORY OF THE EDITION

LANDSLIDE OVERLAY SHRINKS FROM 33,000 PROPERTIES TO ABOUT 6,000

▸ Mornington Peninsula Shire has unanimously endorsed revised mapping for the interim Erosion Management Overlay.

▸ The controls, introduced after the McCrae landslide, initially covered about 33,000 properties across the municipality.

▸ Updated assessment could remove about 27,000 properties, including small areas associated with retaining walls, dams and excavations.

▸ Planning Minister Sonia Kilkenny must approve the amendment; Cr Paul Pingiaro says the Shire has met its obligations.

◆  COUNCIL & POLITICS

PARKING FINES REMAIN ON HOLD AFTER $162,000 BUNGLE

▸ Mornington Peninsula councillors have delayed restarting a range of parking fines following the cancellation or refund of 1,547 infringements.

▸ The administrative errors involved penalties worth more than $162,000.

▸ Councillors want a full investigative report from the CEO, with an extraordinary meeting to reconsider the matter as soon as possible.

▸ QUOTE — Paul Pingiaro: “It’s about making sure that the resolution that we adopt is both legally sound, financially understood and supported by the complete information.”

LOCAL MPS INTENSIFY PRESSURE FOR GAMBLING REFORM

▸ More than $90 million was lost on Mornington Peninsula poker machines last financial year — about $250,000 every day, excluding online betting.

▸ Flinders MP Zoe McKenzie says the Federal Government’s response falls well short of the 31 recommendations from Peta Murphy’s bipartisan inquiry.

▸ Dunkley MP Jodie Belyea says she has heard the growing community concern and is using two weeks in Canberra to pursue further reform.

▸ QUOTE — Zoe McKenzie: “It goes nowhere near meeting what most people want and it goes nowhere near meeting what this country needs.”

⚖  POLICE & COURTS

150 MORE PSOS FOR SHOPPING CENTRES AND CRIME HOTSPOTS

▸ Frankston MP and Police Minister Paul Edbrooke has announced another 150 Protective Services Officers in a $151 million package.

▸ The officers will have greater flexibility to patrol shopping centres and identified crime hotspots.

▸ Operation Pulse will run until the end of 2027, with Frankston’s Bayside Shopping Centre already included.

▸ QUOTE — Paul Edbrooke: “Everyone has the right to feel safe.”

TWELVE DRIVERS LOSE LICENCES IN SOMERVILLE BLITZ

▸ Somerville Police Highway Patrol launched Operation Drive Thru during an afternoon and early-evening blitz.

▸ Twelve drivers lost their licences, while two motorists located after alleged Baxter Park burnouts allegedly tested positive to illicit drugs.

▸ Other incidents included a driver found passed out after travelling at 20 kilometres an hour and an Uber Eats driver allegedly testing positive to drugs.

▸ Police also detected six unlicensed drivers and 11 other offences, and impounded four vehicles.

SEAFORD CAFE OWNER PLEADS GUILTY TO DRUG TRAFFICKING

▸ The 55-year-old owner of the long-running Belvedere Deli and Cafe in Austin Road has pleaded guilty to trafficking cocaine and cannabis.

▸ Police raided the Seaford premises in March last year.

▸ Officers seized drugs, a homemade firearm, cigarettes, tobacco, vapes, counterfeit money and a taser.

▸ The man remains on bail ahead of a plea hearing in February.

WORK UTE STOLEN AS BLAIRGOWRIE FAMILY SLEEPS

▸ Police are investigating an aggravated burglary at Blairgowrie early on Monday morning.

▸ A work ute loaded with tools was stolen from the property.

▸ The family was asleep inside the house when the burglary occurred.

▸ The incident remains under investigation.

GYM-GOERS WARNED AFTER ABOUT 250 VEHICLE THEFTS

▸ Police say about 250 vehicles were stolen from fitness-centre carparks across Melbourne’s southeast in six months.

▸ Thieves have allegedly tailgated members into gyms before taking keys from changerooms and unsecured storage areas.

▸ Stolen vehicles are often used in further offending, including one linked to a Carrum Downs factory fire causing more than $1 million damage.

▸ Gym users are being urged to secure their keys and prevent strangers following them through entrances.

✚  HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT

WORKSAFE COMPLAINT OVER FRANKSTON HEALTH-WORKER SAFETY

▸ Concerns have been raised about healthcare workers travelling to and from hospitals and health services in Frankston.

▸ A Nurses Professional Association survey identified abuse, intimidation and assault, as well as staff parking considerable distances away.

▸ The union has lodged a WorkSafe complaint and is seeking better security, parking and transport arrangements.

▸ The concerns involve Peninsula University Hospital and several other Frankston health services.

ALLIED HEALTH WORKERS TAKE 24-HOUR STRIKE ACTION

▸ Allied health professionals took 24-hour statewide strike action, with the dispute extending across the Peninsula Health network.

▸ Radiographers, physiotherapists, sonographers, social workers and other staff are seeking a 38.16 per cent pay rise over three years.

▸ Their claim also includes improved career progression and stronger workload protections.

▸ More than 3,000 members could participate statewide, while critical and life-preserving services remain staffed.

H5 BIRD FLU DETECTED AT ST ANDREWS BEACH

▸ H5 bird flu has been detected at St Andrews Beach as authorities increase efforts to protect wildlife and monitor the spread.

▸ The virus continues to be found predominantly in greater crested terns, with Phillip Island also among the latest locations.

▸ QUOTE — Brett  Fletcher: “Do not handle sick or dead birds. Avoid contact, record what you see and report it to DEECA.”

▸ The Peninsula poultry industry contributes about $97 million annually and supports more than 200 direct farm jobs across roughly 60 enterprises.

PUBLIC WARNED TO AVOID KANANOOK CREEK AFTER SPILL

▸ Frankston City Council has alerted the community to a pollution spill affecting Kananook Creek between Seaford and Frankston.

▸ Melbourne Water is working with the Environment Protection Authority to manage the incident.

▸ Warning signs and five containment booms are in place, and people have been told not to enter or touch the water.

▸ Monitoring and testing are continuing, with pollution reports accepted through the EPA hotline and website.

☀  COMMUNITY, INFRASTRUCTURE & TOURISM

MORE THAN 300 COUNCIL LAPTOPS GIVEN A SECOND LIFE

▸ Frankston City Council has repurposed and donated more than 300 retired laptops for local public-secondary students.

▸ The securely wiped and refurbished computers were provided through a partnership with the This Is IT Schools program.

▸ Recent data indicates 14 per cent of Australians aged eight to 25 — more than 850,000 young people — have no personal learning device.

▸ The laptops were presented at McClelland College for distribution across Frankston’s public secondary schools.

ARTHURS SEAT EAGLE CLOSES FOR TOWER REBUILDS

▸ The Arthurs Seat Eagle closed from Monday to Friday for scheduled winter maintenance.

▸ Operators say Towers One and Two are being completely rebuilt as part of continuing infrastructure upkeep.

▸ The attraction says safety is the priority and it will reopen after Friday.

▸ It will continue closing every Wednesday until October 7, excluding school holidays.

FLINDERS PIER CAMPAIGN PRESSES FOR COMPLETION FUNDING

▸ Campaigners seeking the complete restoration of Flinders Pier have met senior Parks Victoria officials.

▸ The group continues pressing for the unfinished project to be completed.

▸ Campaigners say Parks Victoria remains supportive of its piers.

▸ Responsibility for funding the rest of the Flinders project rests with Ports Minister Melissa Horne.

PORTSEA CROWNED VICTORIA’S TOP TINY TOURISM TOWN

▸ Portsea has taken gold in the 2026 Victorian Top Tourism Town Awards category for communities with fewer than 1,500 residents.

▸ The village was judged against finalists including Avoca, Dunkeld, Glenrowan, Marlo and Ouyen.

▸ The win sends Portsea to the national awards at Parliament House in September.

▸ Its Point Nepean history, beaches and coastal attractions impressed judges — although locals still await the return of the famous Front Beach.

AARON GALE RIDES 456 KILOMETRES FOR FRANKSTON ROVERS

▸ Frankston Rovers Junior Football Club president Aaron Gale completed a 24-hour cycling challenge between Frankston and Mordialloc.

▸ Gale and his support crew covered 456 kilometres to raise money for the club.

▸ The fundraising will assist growing girls’ and women’s teams and plans to redevelop the Bruce Park Pavilion.

▸ Frankston Council has committed $3 million and the Federal Government $5 million, with a further $1.75 million sought from Victoria.

★  SPORT

MORNINGTON SAILORS BOUND FOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

▸ Seven Mornington Yacht Club sailors will represent Australia at the 2026 Team Racing World Championships in Stockholm.

▸ They are part of an eight-member team selected after winning the Open 2K national championship in Geelong last September.

▸ Many of the sailors developed through the club’s junior program.

▸ The club, local businesses and families are raising funds for the campaign, with the championships later this month.

ROBERT BEDFORD HONOURED IN MPCA’S 60-YEAR CELEBRATION

▸ The Mornington Peninsula Cricket Association has marked 60 years by naming teams of each decade and a best team from its first 50 years.

▸ Country-cricket great Robert Bedford was selected in two decades and named captain of the first-50-years team.

▸ Bedford captained successful Country Week teams seven times and was named in an Australian Country Week team on three occasions.

▸ QUOTE — Robert Bedford: “The premiership memories and the bus trips home … were the greatest memories of all time.”

🎙️ RPP FM NEWS

RPP FM — By Locals, For Locals.

Monday to Friday

0600-0900, Midday, 1600-1800